Biography

Father's Name	   	Late Shri Purshottamdas Patel

Date of Birth	   	8 April 1938

Place of Birth	   	Ranjit Nagar, Distt. Panchmahal 
			(Gujarat)

Marital Status	   	Married on 18 May 1968

Spouse's Name	   	Smt. Sumitraben

Children	   	Two sons

Educational Qualifications 
	
		S.S.C., Sahitya Sudhakar, Diploma in Forestry

		Educated at High School, Halol, Gujarat Vidyapeeth,
		Farod Centre, Sagtala Forest Society, Baria
		(Gujarat)

Profession 

		Political and Social Worker, Agriculturist,
		Educationist, Artist, Writer, and Trade Unionist

Permanent Address    	


	1.	Vill. Ranjit Nagar
		Via. Pawagarh-389360
		Distt. Panchmahal (Gujarat)
	
	2.	'Purushottam', 13, Sarvodaya Society,
		Godhra-389001  
		(Gujarat) 

		Tels. (02672) 42779, 41000

Present Address    	

		2, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road,
		New Delhi - 110001

		Tel. (011) 3737990		

Positions Held    

1975-88		Member, Gujarat Legislative Assembly (four terms)

1985-88		Chairman, Committee on Public Undertakings
	
		Chairman, Public Accounts Committee

		Member, Estimates Committee; and Committee on the Welfare 
		of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

1977-88		Vice-President, Janata Party, Gujarat

1988		Elected to 8th Lok Sabha 

1989		Re-elected to 9th Lok Sabha (2nd term)

1989-91		General-Secretary, Janata Dal (S)

1990-91		Union Deputy Minister, Commerce

		Member, Public Accounts Committee

		Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of 
		Agriculture

		Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of 
		Civil Aviation and Tourism

1992		General-Secretary, Pradesh Congress Committee (Indira)
		[P.C.C. (I)], Gujarat

1996		Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (3rd term)

1996-97		Member, Committee on Petroleum and Chemicals

1998		Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (4th term)

1998-99		Member, Committee on Communications and its
		Sub Committee 'C' - Ministry of Information and
		Broadcasting

		Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation
		
		Member, Committee of Privileges

		Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Railways

Books Published 

(i)Panchmahal Darshan; (ii) Sahakardeep (on Cooperative Sector);
and (iii) Mahak (biography of Maneklal Gandhi)

Social and Cultural Activities 

President, All India Integration Forum; actively participated
in the social and cultural activities; working for the upliftment
of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and community development

Special Interests 

Co-operative Movement; upliftment of the downtrodden and the 
weaker sections of the society and promotion of their education and 
employment; Harijan and Adivasi welfare

Favourite Pastime and Recreation 

Reading, photography, travelling, mountaineering, antique
collection, stone and coin collection

Sports and Clubs 

Volleyball, kho-kho, kabaddi, swimming, horse riding and 
cricket; Hony. Member, Rotary Club, Godhra and Dahod, 
Gujarat

Countries Visited    

Australia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore and Sri Lanka
Member, Indian Parliamentary Delegation, Commonwealth Parliamentary 
Conference, Canberra, 1988

Other Information 

Participated in the Freedom Struggle; Detained under Maintenance
of Internal Security Act (MISA) during Emergency as a political 
prisoner; Organiser, District Congress Seva Dal, 1957-97; President
(i) District Udhyogik Sangh; (ii) Panchmahal Kelavni Mandal; 
(iii) Panchmahal Shikshan Pracharak Mandal;  (iv) District Madhyamik Shala 
Sanchalak Sangh; (v) Gujarat State Madhyamik Shala  Sanchalak Maha
Mandal; and (vi) National Integration Forum; Vice-President, (i) District 
Cooperative Bank; (ii) Moffusil Colleges Association of Gujarat; 
(iii) Godhra Education Society; (iv) Panchmahal District Patrakar Sangh;
and (v) Gujarat Industrial Cooperative Federation; (vi) Sardar Bhalabhai Patel Foundation; Chairman, (i) Ajay 
Cooperative Credit Society Ltd.; (ii) Gujarat Hastkala and Handicraft 
Cooperative Federation; and (iii) Panchmahal District Cooperative Union; 
Vice-Chairman, Gujcomasol, Ahmedabad;  Secretary, Panchmahal District
Cooperative Sangh; Managing Director, The Panchmahal District Sale
Purchase Union Ltd; Director, (i) Panchmahal District Co-operative 
Bank Ltd.; and (ii) Gujarat State Co-operative Union, Ahmedabad; Member, 
Seva Dal Council; (ii) Karobari Sabha, Gujarat Rashtra Bhasha Prachar 
Samiti, Ahmedabad; (iii) Gujarat Cancer Research Institute; and  Many
Forest and Credit Co-operative Societies; also associated with District Sales
and Purchase Union; conferred various awards for social work, public service
and political activities