Sikander Bakht facts for kids

Sikander Bakht (born August 24, 1918 – died February 23, 2004) was an important Indian politician. He was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He served as the 15th Governor of Kerala from 2002 until he passed away.

Mr. Bakht was also the Vice President of the BJP. He led his party in the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house of India's Parliament. He also served as a minister in the government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In 2000, he received the Padma Vibhushan, which is the second highest award for civilians in India.

Early Life and Education

Sikander Bakht was born in 1918 in Delhi, India. He went to the Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School, Delhi. Later, he earned his science degree from Anglo-Arabic College. This college is now known as Zakir Husain College.

During his school and college years, he loved playing hockey. He played for Delhi University and also for Delhi in many games. He even led a hockey team called the Independents Hockey Club. He believed strongly that India should be a country where all religions are respected.

Political Journey

Sikander Bakht started his political career in 1952. He was elected to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. This was a local government body. He was a candidate for the Indian National Congress party. In 1968, he became the Chairman of the Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking. This organization was in charge of electricity in Delhi.

Changes in Political Parties

In 1969, the Congress party split into two groups. Bakht chose to stay with the Congress (Organisation) group. He was then elected to The Metropolitan Council of Delhi. This was another important local government body.

On June 25, 1975, a special period called the "Emergency" was declared in India. During this time, the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, put special rules in place. Many opposition leaders, including Bakht, were put in jail. He was held in Rohtak Jail until December 1976.

Becoming a National Leader

After the Emergency ended, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi called for new elections in March 1977. The opposition leaders joined together to form a new party called The Janta Party.

In March 1977, Bakht was elected to the Lok Sabha. This is the lower house of the Indian Parliament. He represented the Chandni Chowk area in New Delhi. Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister. He chose Bakht to be a Cabinet Minister. Bakht was in charge of Works, Housing, Supply, and Rehabilitation. He held this important job until July 1979.

In 1980, The Janta Party also split. Bakht decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He became the General Secretary of the BJP. In 1984, he was made the Vice President of the BJP.

Roles in Parliament

In 1990, Bakht was elected to the Rajya Sabha. This is the upper house of the Indian Parliament. He represented the state of Madhya Pradesh. In 1992, he became the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. This role is as important as a Cabinet Minister's job. He was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh in 1996.

In May 1996, Atal Bihari Vajpayee formed a new government. He offered Bakht the job of Minister of Urban Affairs. Bakht wanted a more important role. So, on May 24, he was also given the job of Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, Vajpayee's government only lasted for 13 days. Bakht was Foreign Minister for just over a week. He had to resign when the government ended on June 1, 1996. After this, Bakht again became the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

In 1998, Vajpayee became Prime Minister again. Bakht was appointed Industry Minister. He held this job until 2002. He was also the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha. After finishing his term as Industries Minister, Bakht retired from active politics. He was then appointed the Governor of Kerala in 2002. He was the first BJP leader to become the governor of Kerala.

Important Awards

In 2000, Sikander Bakht received the Padma Vibhushan. This is the second highest civilian award given by the Indian government. Other important BJP leaders who have received this award include Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Sushma Swaraj, and Arun Jaitley. Later, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani received the Bharat Ratna, which is India's highest civilian award.

Later Life and Passing

Sikander Bakht finished his term in the Rajya Sabha in April 2002. Nine days later, he became the Governor of Kerala. He was 83 years old at that time, making him the oldest Governor of Kerala state. He was very well-liked and served as Governor until his death.

Bakht passed away on February 23, 2004. He was in the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala's capital city. He had complications from an intestinal surgery. He was the first Governor of Kerala to die while still in office. Two days later, T. N. Chaturvedi, the governor of Karnataka, took over his role.

There were some concerns, especially among BJP members, that Bakht might have died due to medical mistakes. However, nothing was proven. The Chief Minister at the time, A. K. Antony, ordered an inquiry to look into the matter.

The President of India, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, said that India had lost an important public figure and statesman. Prime Minister Vajpayee said that Mr. Bakht was a freedom fighter. He fought for democracy and national causes with courage. He served very well as a member of his Cabinet.

See also

• Arif Beg
• Farooq Khan