Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi
Encyclopedia
Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha
of India
. He represented the Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
of West Bengal
and is a member of the Indian National Congress
party.
in West Bengal
from 1970 to 1971. He entered the Indian Parliament in 1971. He became a minister for the first time in 1985, when he was sworn in as Union Minister of State, Commerce. Within his home State, he was known for his strong anti-Left credentials.
He was the cabinet minister in Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
during the first term of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
. This posting led to several controversial decisions, including several bans of Western television networks, including a three month ban on the Sony-owned television network AXN
and Fashion TV
following the broadcast of programs deemed "obscene" by Dasmunsi. Dasmunsi was also responsible for the popular, if controversial, decision to require Indian sports broadcaster Nimbus Communications to share broadcast rights for Indian cricket matches with the state television network, Doordarshan
— this despite Nimbus paying hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast Indian cricket matches over four years.
Dasmunsi served as the President of the All India Football Federation
for almost 20 years.
, an actress from Kolkata
.
He suffered a massive stroke
and paralysis
on October 12, 2008, leaving him unable to speak or recognise anyone. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS) in New Delhi
and was later shifted to Apollo Hospital. He remained on life support, and was diagnosed with a complete failure of the left ventricular system. In November 2009, Dasmunsi was temporarily moved to Düsseldorf
, where he underwent stem cell therapy in an attempt to reverse some of the loss of brain functions caused by the stroke.
Since Dasmunsi's hospitalization, his wife Deepa has to some extent taken over his political mantle; she was elected from Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
in 2009.
On November 9, 2011, the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi advised his family to take him home and care for him there.
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He represented the Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
Raiganj is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Uttar Dinajpur district in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and is a member of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
party.
Career
Dasmunsi was President of Youth Congress (Urs)Youth Congress (Urs)
Youth Congress was the youth wing of Indian National Congress ....
in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
from 1970 to 1971. He entered the Indian Parliament in 1971. He became a minister for the first time in 1985, when he was sworn in as Union Minister of State, Commerce. Within his home State, he was known for his strong anti-Left credentials.
He was the cabinet minister in Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (India)
The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is an Indian government ministry.It handles affairs relating to the Parliament of India, and works as a link between the two chambers, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha...
and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is a branch of the Government of India is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films in India....
during the first term of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
. This posting led to several controversial decisions, including several bans of Western television networks, including a three month ban on the Sony-owned television network AXN
AXN
AXN is a Pay television, cable and satellite television channel owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, which was first launched on May 22, 1997. The network is now spread across several regions in the world, including Japan, Europe, other parts of Asia and Latin America...
and Fashion TV
Fashion TV
Fashion TV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. It was founded in France in 1997 by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, Fashion TV is the only 24/7 international TV network exclusively dedicated to fashion, beauty, glamour and style and has become...
following the broadcast of programs deemed "obscene" by Dasmunsi. Dasmunsi was also responsible for the popular, if controversial, decision to require Indian sports broadcaster Nimbus Communications to share broadcast rights for Indian cricket matches with the state television network, Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
— this despite Nimbus paying hundreds of millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast Indian cricket matches over four years.
Dasmunsi served as the President of the All India Football Federation
All India Football Federation
The All India Football Federation is the organisation which manages the game of association football in India. It administers the running of the India national football team and also controls the I-League, India's premier domestic club competition, in addition to various other competitions and...
for almost 20 years.
Career milestones
- In 1984, Dasmunsi won in the general elections from the Howrah (Lok Sabha constituency)Howrah (Lok Sabha constituency)Howrah is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Howrah in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
. - In 1989, he lost in the general elections from Howrah.
- In 1991, he lost in the general elections from Howrah.
- In 1996, he won in the general elections from Howrah.
- In 1999, he won in the general elections from Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)Raiganj is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Uttar Dinajpur district in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
- In 2004, he won in the general elections from Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)Raiganj is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Uttar Dinajpur district in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
.
Life
Dasmunsi was married in 1994 to Mrs. Deepa DasmunsiDeepa Dasmunsi
Deepa Dasmunshi is a member of the 15th Lok Sabha. She was elected as a Indian National Congress candidate from Raiganj ....
, an actress from Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
.
He suffered a massive stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
and paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
on October 12, 2008, leaving him unable to speak or recognise anyone. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
All India Institute of Medical Sciences is a premier medical college and teaching hospital based in New Delhi, India. The Institute operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare ....
(AIIMS) in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
and was later shifted to Apollo Hospital. He remained on life support, and was diagnosed with a complete failure of the left ventricular system. In November 2009, Dasmunsi was temporarily moved to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
, where he underwent stem cell therapy in an attempt to reverse some of the loss of brain functions caused by the stroke.
Since Dasmunsi's hospitalization, his wife Deepa has to some extent taken over his political mantle; she was elected from Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
Raiganj (Lok Sabha constituency)
Raiganj is one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centres on Uttar Dinajpur district in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
in 2009.
On November 9, 2011, the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi advised his family to take him home and care for him there.
External links
- AXN banned for broadcasting 'obscene' programming
- Dasmunsi called Nimbus Communications 'unpatriotic' for refusing to share a live feed of Indian cricket matches with state broadcast Doordarshan.
- http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/delhi-comatose-priya-ranjan-dasmunshi-denied-room-in-apollo/1/159262.html