Kuldeep Rai Sharma (born 10 September 1967) is an Indian politician belonging to INC, currently serving as Member of Parliament. He also served as President of Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee until 2021.[1][2] Later on, he was promoted by Congress President Sonia Gandhi as All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary incharge for Indian National Congress in Karnataka.[3]
Kuldeep Rai Sharma | |
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Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
Assumed office 23 May 2019 | |
Preceded by | Bishnu Pada Ray |
Constituency | Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
President of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee | |
Assumed office 28 June 2020 | |
National President Indian National Congress | Sonia Gandhi |
Personal details | |
Born | Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India | 10 September 1967
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Spouse | Vinita Sharma |
Children | 2 Daughter (Aastha Sharma and Namya Sharma) |
Rai Sharma won the Lok Sabha election 2019 as an Indian National Congress candidate and became Member of Parliament of Andaman & Nicobar Islands constituency, defeating the BJP candidate by a nominal margin of 1,407 votes in his fourth attempt to reach the Parliament.
In general elections of 2009 Kuldeep Rai Sharma was defeated by BJP MP candidate Bishnu Pada Ray with the difference of 2990 votes.[4] But then also he contested the next 2014 Indian general election from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Lok Sabha constituency) and unlike before this time he was defeated by BJP MP candidate Shri. Bishnu Pada Ray with a large margin of 7812 votes.[5][6] In the Indian general election, 2019, again he was chosen as a MP candidate of Indian National Congress for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Lok Sabha constituency). This time he won the election with a very small margin of 1407 votes from BJP MP candidate Shri. Vishal Jolly.[7][8]
UNICEF awarded him with PGC Awards 2020 for his work to protect child rights.[9] Rai Sharma in a short time as the Member of Parliament had initiated 18 debates and 15 questions on matters of child labour, malnutrition, mid-day meal schemes, safety of children and child immunization in the Parliament during 2019–20.
Rai Sharma has been awarded the prestigious "Sansad Ratna Award" consecutively in 2022 and 2023.[10][11] He has been proactive in the Parliament and has raised various issues with utmost sincerity. The award is based on his cumulative performance in the House from the first sitting of 17th Lok Sabha till the end of Winter Session 2021. He received the award from Chief Election Commissioner of India Sushil Chandra in presence of Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, MoS, Parliamentary Affairs.