Murli Deora facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Murli Deora
Deora in 2008
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
In office 29 January 2006 – 19 January 2011
Preceded by	Mani Shankar Aiyar
Succeeded by	Jaipal Reddy
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office 2002–2014
Constituency	Maharashtra
Personal details
Born	10 January 1937 Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died	24 November 2014 (aged 77) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Children	Milind Deora
Residence	Mumbai
Alma mater	Bombay University

Murli Deora (born January 10, 1937 – died November 24, 2014) was an important Indian politician, businessman, and social worker. He served as the Mayor of Mumbai, which is like the city's top leader. He was also a Member of Parliament in both the Upper House and Lower House of India's government. Later, he became a Minister in the government's Cabinet. He was a member of the Indian National Congress political party.

Early Life and Education

Murli Deora was born in Mumbai (then called Bombay) in 1937. His family came from a place called Laxmangarh in Rajasthan. He studied at Bombay University and earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree there.

Protecting Public Health

In 2001, Murli Deora won a very important case in the Supreme Court of India. This case helped to stop smoking in many public places across India. At that time, there were no specific laws against public smoking.

The Court decided that people should not smoke in places like auditoriums, hospitals, schools, libraries, and public transport. This decision was made to protect everyone's health. The Court noted that tobacco causes many deaths and health problems each year.

Political Journey

Murli Deora started his political career in 1968. He was first elected as a corporator in the Bombay Municipal Corporation. This meant he helped manage the city of Mumbai.

In 1977, he became the Mayor of Bombay. He then ran for a seat in the Lok Sabha, which is one of the main parts of India's Parliament. He won elections in 1984, 1989, and 1991.

Deora was a close helper and friend to the Gandhi family, who are very important in the Indian National Congress party. In 2004, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the other part of Parliament.

In January 2006, he became the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas. This meant he was in charge of India's oil and gas resources. He held this position until 2011. After that, he served as the Minister of Corporate Affairs for a few months. He also led the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee for 22 years.

Helping the Community

Free Computer Education

Murli Deora strongly believed that everyone should have a chance to learn about computers. He became the Vice-Chairman of Bhavan's Gandhi Institute of Computer Technology. He started a program to offer free computer education.

In 2000, he invited Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, to visit the center. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave the program a large grant of US$5 million. This money helped the program grow even more. Today, this program has many centers across India, helping thousands of people learn computer skills for better jobs.

Eye Care Camps

Deora also cared deeply about people's eyesight. He organized over 78 eye camps in Mumbai. At these camps, thousands of people received free eye tests and free eyeglasses. Many people also received free cataract operations. These camps helped many people see better and improved their lives.

Family Life

Murli Deora was married to Hema Deora. They had two sons together.

One of their sons, Milind Murli Deora, also became a politician. He followed in his father's footsteps and served as a Member of Parliament from Mumbai. Milind is married to Pooja Deora.

Their other son, Mukul Deora, is married to Nitasha Deora. Nitasha comes from the Thapar business family, a well-known family in India.

Remembering Murli Deora

Murli Deora passed away on November 24, 2014, at the age of 77. After his death, both houses of India's Parliament stopped their work for a day to show respect.

Many leaders from different political parties shared their sadness. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Deora "a dedicated leader" and said his "warm nature made him popular across party lines."

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wrote that Deora was "extremely helpful" and always kind. Many people remembered him as someone who was always willing to help others, especially those in need. He used his connections to help the poor, arranging for donations for hospitals and funding education programs.