Ajit Kumar Panja (13 September 1936 – 14 November 2008) was a Union minister of state in the Government of India. He was a member of Indian National Congress but left it to join Trinamool Congress. He was born in Calcutta, and studied law at the Scottish Church College, Calcutta and at the Lincoln's Inn. His native village was a small village in Burdwan district, named Majigram. A lawyer by profession, he authored many books. He was also a stage actor who enacted the role of Ramakrishna Paramahansa in Kolkata.
Life and career Ajit Kumar Panja was born in Kolkata on 13 September 1936. His father was Dhanapati Panja.
Apart from political career he started performing on stage theatre in the role of "Sri Ramakrishma Paramhansa" in the play "Sri Sri Ramakrishna" (made according to the story of Noti Binodini written by Late. Brajendra Kishore Dey) organised by Kolkata High Court Advocate's Drama Association in India. The play was staged in London and USA (Washington, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles).
Ajit Panja died of oral cancer on 14 November 2008 at the Peerless Hospital.
Positions held
1971,1972-77 Member, West Bengal Legislative Assembly and 1982–84 1971-72 Cabinet Minister, Judiciary and Parliamentary Affairs (Home), West Bengal 1972-77 Cabinet Minister, Health and Family Planning and Water Supply, 1973 Member, All India Congress Committee (A.I.C.C.) 1977 President, District Congress Committee (D.C.C.) (I), North Calcutta, West Bengal 1980-81 President, Pradesh Congress Committee (P.C.C.)(I), West Bengal 1984 Elected to 8th Lok Sabha 1985-86 Union Minister of State, Planning 1986 Union Minister of State, Food and Civil Supplies 1986-88 Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge) 1988-89 Union Minister of State, Finance 1989 Re-elected to 9th Lok Sabha (2nd term) 1990 Member, Committee of Privileges Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Finance 1990-91 Member, Committee on Public Accounts Member, Informal Consultative Committee, Railway Zone 1991 Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (3rd term) 1991-93 Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge) 1993-95 Union Minister of State, Coal (Independent Charge) 1996 Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (4th term) 1996-97 Member, Committee on Energy Member, Business Advisory Committee 1998 Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (5th term) Chief Whip, West Bengal Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party 1998-99 Member, Committee on Industry Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Urban Affairs and Employment Chairman, West Bengal Trinamool Congress 1999 Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (6th term) 13 Oct 1999 to 2004 Union Minister of State, External Affairs Electoral History Lok Sabha Year ConstituencyParty Votes % OpponentParty Votes % Result Margin % 1980 Calcutta North East 160,882 41.05 Sunil Moitra 187,951 47.95 -27,069 -6.90 1984 Calcutta North East 284,324 57.11 Sunil Maitra 195,748 39.32 +88,576 +17.79 1989 Calcutta North East 305,237 51.59 Satyasadhan Chakraborty 277,608 46.92 +27,629 +4.67 1991 Calcutta North East 276,399 49.52 Pratap Chandra 204,943 36.72 +71,456 +12.80 1996 Calcutta North East 335,855 51.98 Dipen Ghosh 270,870 41.93 +64,985 +10.05 1998 Calcutta North East 310,361 47.10 Prasanta Chatterjee 245,489 37.26 +64,872 +9.84 1999 Calcutta North East 297,491 45.17 Md. Salim 255,917 38.86 +41,574 +6.31 2004 Calcutta North East 210,647 37.03 Md. Salim 284,427 50.00 -73,780 -12.97
Books published
Encephalitis Attack in West Bengal CPM Gun Shoot to Kill (English and Bengali) Ganatantra Hatya (Bengali) Siksha Khethre Nairajya (Bengali) Sansad Bichitra (Bengali) PM (Sh. V.P. Singh) challenged to prove charges (English) Dunkel Agreement (Bengali) Unemployment Problems in India How to solve it (Bengali) Era of Excellence of Narasimha Rao Govt 4th Yr-Major Achievements and Decisions Mining Medicines Hand Book for Health Workers and Mine Workers
References
External links Ajit Panja Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website