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Ram Naik
Governor Ram Naik.jpg
19th Governor of Uttar Pradesh
In office
22 July 2014 – 28 July 2019
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav
Yogi Adityanath
Preceded by Aziz Qureshi (Acting)
Succeeded by Anandiben Patel
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1989–2004
Preceded by Anoopchand Shah
Succeeded by Govinda Ahuja
Constituency Mumbai North
Minister of Railways
In office
6 August 1999 (1999-08-06) – 12 October 1999 (1999-10-12)
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Preceded by Nitish Kumar
Succeeded by Mamata Banerjee
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
In office
1999–2004
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Succeeded by Mani Shankar Aiyar
Personal details
Born (1934-04-16) 16 April 1934 (age 90)
Sangli, Bombay Presidency, British India
Political party Bharatiya Janata Party
Spouse Kunda Naik
Children 2 daughters
Profession Politician
Awards Padma Bhushan (2024)
Source: [1]

Ram Naik (born 17 April 1934) is a veteran Indian politician from the Bharatiya Janata Party, served as the 19th Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Political career

Ram Naik was a member of the 13th Lok Sabha and was Minister of Oil and Natural Gas in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet (1999–2004). He was instrumental in introducing Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme. He was the BJP candidate for elections to the 14th Lok Sabha representing Mumbai North, but lost to famous Bollywood actor Govinda, an INC candidate from Virar.

A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh volunteer since childhood, he holds a law degree. He started his political career with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1964 and was involved in organizing a group of rail commuters in Mumbai. He represented Borivali in the state assembly in 1978 and was re-elected twice, before becoming Minister of State for Railways in 1998, when he was influential in forming the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation.

In 2004 he published a statement in which he demanded apology from the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and chairwoman Sonia Gandhi for removal of quotes from statues dedicated to the Indian revolutionaries, such as Subhas Chandra Bose, Madan Lal Dhingra, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Bhagat Singh, and Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Ram Naik announced in September 2013 that he will not contest the 2014 Lok Sabha Polls. On 14 July 2014 he was named as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Within a few months of his being appointed governor, he stated that "The Ram Temple should be built as soon as possible, this is what the people of this country want and their wishes should be fulfilled." The theme was immediately backed up by Hindutva groups.

Subsequently, his Hindutva remarks seem to have been reined in by Narendra Modi.

Personal life

He was born in Sangli district of Maharashtra state. He married Kunda Naik on 17 May 1960 and has two daughters.

Positions held

  • 1969–1977 – Organising Secretary, Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Mumbai
  • 1977–1978 – General Secretary, Janata Party, Mumbai
  • 1978–1989 – Member, Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra (3 terms)
  • 1979–1980 – President, Janata Party, Mumbai
  • 1980–1986 – President, BJP, Mumbai
  • 1986–1989 – Vice President, BJP, Maharashtra
  • 1989 – Elected to 9th Lok Sabha
  • 1991 – Elected to 10th Lok Sabha
  • 1999 – Elected to 13th Lok Sabha
  • 1999–2004 – Union Cabinet Minister, Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • since 2004 – President, All India Disciplinary Committee of BJP
  • 2014–2019 Governor of Uttar Pradesh
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