Uma Shankar Dikshit was an 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...

n politician, cabinet minister and Governor of West Bengal

Governor of West Bengal

The Governor of West Bengal is a nominal head and representative of the President of India in the state of West Bengal. The Governor is appointed by the President for a term of five years. H.E. Mayankote Kelath Narayanan is the current governor...

 and Governor of Karnataka.

He was awarded Padma Vibhushan

Padma Vibhushan

The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...

, the second highest civilian award in India in 1989, by the Government of India

Government of India

The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...

.

Early life and education

Born in Ugoo in Unnao district

Unnao District

Unnao District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Unnao is the district headquarters. The district is part of Lucknow Division.-History:...

 of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 state, to Ram Sarup and Shiv Pyari, he later studied at the Christ Church College, Kanpur

Christ Church College, Kanpur

Christ Church College, Kanpur is a college established in 1866, affiliated with Kanpur University. Earlier in 1840, SPG Mission School was established to educated Christian students. Later its name turned to present one. It is managed by Church of North India...

.

Career

Uma Shankar Dikshit started his political career when he joined the Indian freedom movement, during which he was imprisoned four times.

Post-Independence he remained close to Nehru and later sided Indira Gandhi during the 1969 split in 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...

. He joined the Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1971, thereafter he remained Minister for Works and Housing, Govt. of India, 1971-72 later given additional charge of Health and Family Planning, Minister for Home Affairs, 1973-74 and Minister for Shipping and Transport, 1975. He also remained Treasurer, All India Congress Committee

All India Congress Committee

The All India Congress Committee is the Presidium or central decision-making assembly of the Indian National Congress Party. It is composed of members elected from State-level Pradesh Congress Committees and can have as many as a thousand members...

 (AICC), 1970-75.

He remained the Governor of Karnataka, 1976-77 and Governor of West Bengal

Governor of West Bengal

The Governor of West Bengal is a nominal head and representative of the President of India in the state of West Bengal. The Governor is appointed by the President for a term of five years. H.E. Mayankote Kelath Narayanan is the current governor...

 1984-1986.

He died at New Delhi on 30th May, 1991 after a prolonged illness at the age of 90 years.

Family

His son Vinod Dikshit was a member of the Indian Administrative Service

Indian Administrative Service

The Indian Administrative Service is the administrative civil service of the Government of India. It is one of the three All India Services....

 (IAS), who married Sheila Dikshit

Sheila Dikshit

Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...

, later Chief Minister of Delhi

Chief Minister of Delhi

The Chief Minister of Delhi ) is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in Delhi assembly. The Chief Minister leads the executive branch of the Government of Delhi....

, and his grandson, Sandeep Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit

Sandeep Dikshit is a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India. He represents the East Delhi constituency of Delhi and is a member of the Indian National Congress political party.-Early life:...

, is a member of parliament from East Delhi for Congress and granddaughter is Latika Syed.