New Delhi, July 13: President Droupadi Murmu has nominated four eminent individuals to the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament, to fill vacancies left by retiring members, according to an official notification released on Saturday.
The nominees include Ujjwal Nikam, a prominent public prosecutor known for leading high-profile terrorism and criminal cases, and Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s former Foreign Secretary and key diplomat during the country’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
Also nominated are C Sadanandan Master, a Kerala-based teacher, social worker, and political activist, and Dr Meenakshi Jain, an academic and historian recognized for her contributions to Indian history and education.
The appointments were made under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution, which empowers the President to nominate individuals with special knowledge or experience in literature, science, art, or social service.
Nikam, 72, is known for his role as Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack trial and the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. He has also handled the high-profile murder trials of music producer Gulshan Kumar and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. A Padma Shri awardee in 2016, Nikam contested the 2024 general elections from the Mumbai North Central constituency but lost to Congress candidate Varsha Gaikwad.
Shringla, who served as Foreign Secretary from 2020 to 2022, has held diplomatic postings in the United States, Bangladesh, and Thailand, and was appointed Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 Presidency last year.
Sadanandan Master, a veteran social worker and educator, is known for surviving political violence in 1994, when he was attacked by CPI(M) cadres in Kerala, resulting in the loss of both his legs. He contested Kerala Assembly elections in 2016 and 2021.
Dr Meenakshi Jain, a Padma Shri awardee (2020), is a political scientist and historian who previously taught at Gargi College, University of Delhi. She has served as a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the four nominees on social media platform X.
“Shri Ujjwal Nikam’s devotion to the legal field and to our Constitution is exemplary,” Modi said, adding that Nikam has been at the forefront of seeking justice in important cases.
On Shringla, Modi said: “He has excelled as a diplomat, intellectual and strategic thinker. Over the years, he’s made key contributions to India’s foreign policy and to our G20 Presidency.”
Praising Sadanandan Master, the Prime Minister said: “His life is the epitome of courage and refusal to bow to injustice. Violence and intimidation couldn’t deter his spirit towards national development.”
On Dr Jain, Modi added: “She has distinguished herself as a scholar, researcher and historian. Her work has enriched academic discourse significantly.”
The Rajya Sabha can have up to 12 nominated members. With these appointments, the vacant seats from the nominated category have been filled.
