Shish Ram Ola (30 July 1927 – 15 December 2013) was a politician from Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan. Ola dominated the Jat politics of Shekhawati region for a period of more than four decades. He was elected in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly for seven terms and in Lok Sabha for five terms. He was a member of the Indian National Congress.[1][2][3]

Shish Ram Ola
Minister of Labour and Employment
In office
17 June 2013 – 15 December 2013
Prime MinisterManmohan Singh
Preceded byMallikarjun Kharge
ConstituencyJhunjhunu
Member of Lok Sabha
In office
1996–2014
Preceded byMohd. Ayub Khan
Succeeded bySantosh Ahlawat
Minister of Mines
In office
27 November 2004 – 22 May 2009
Minister of Labour and Employment
In office
23 May 2004 – 27 November 2004
Personal details
Born(1927-07-30)30 July 1927
Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan
Died15 December 2013(2013-12-15) (aged 86)
Gurgaon, India
Political partyIndian National Congress
SpouseSmt. Sheobai
Children
AwardsPadma Shri (1968)
As of 30 June, 2013
Source: [1]

Political career

edit

Ola had a distinguished political career, serving as a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1990. During this period, from 1980 to 1990, he also held the role of Cabinet Minister in the Government of Rajasthan. He returned to the assembly from 1993 to 1996. In 1996, he was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha and was appointed as the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers with Independent Charge, a position he held from 1996 to 1997. He then served as the Union Minister of State for Water Resources with Independent Charge from 1997 to 1998.

Following his tenure as minister, he was re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998, the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999, the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004, and the 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. From 23 May 2004 to 27 November 2004, he served as the Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Employment and subsequently as the Union Cabinet Minister of Mines under Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s administration. Additionally, he was the Zila Pramukh of Jhunjhunu, and his son, Birjendra Ola, is a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Jhunjhunu and a former minister in the Rajasthan government.[4]

Ola was honored with the Padma Shri award in 1968.[5] He was a pioneer in promoting girls’ education in rural Rajasthan, founding the Indira Gandhi Balika Niketan Ardawata in 1952 with just three students. His persistent efforts since then have significantly improved literacy rates, elevating Jhunjhunu district to the third-highest literacy rate in Rajasthan according to the 2011 census.

Death

edit

Ola died in a Hospital in Gurgaon on 15 December 2013 because of cardiac arrest. He had been admitted to a hospital with a cardiac complaint.[6]

Positions held

edit

From 1957 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 1996, he served as a Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. During 1980-1990, he was appointed as a Cabinet Minister in the Government of Rajasthan, overseeing departments such as Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Forest and Environment, Public Health Engineering, Irrigation, Transport, Co-operatives, Excise, Underground Water, and Soldiers' Welfare. From 1960 to 1977, he held the position of Zila Pramukh in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan.

His involvement with the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee spanned from 1960 to 1995, where he held various roles including Member of the Executive Committee, Chairman of the Kisan Cell, Treasurer, and Member of the Pradesh Congress Election Committee. He was also a Member of the Executive of the Congress Legislative Party in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Since 1972, he has been a Member of the All India Congress Committee.

In 1996, he was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha and served as the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers with Independent Charge from 1996 to 1997, and as the Union Minister of State for Water Resources with Independent Charge from 1997 to 1998. He was re-elected to the 12th Lok Sabha for his second term in 1998. During this term, he was a Member of the Committee on Commerce and its Sub-Committee on Textiles, the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament, and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence.

 
Shri Sis Ram Ola in his office after taking over the charge as the Union Minister of Labour & Employment in New Delhi on May 24, 2004

He was re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha for his third term in 1999, where he served on the Committee on Petitions, the Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme, and the Committee on Food, Civil Supplies, and Public Distribution. In 2004, he was elected to the 14th Lok Sabha for his fourth term and subsequently to the 15th Lok Sabha for his fifth term in 2009. He served as the Union Cabinet Minister for Labour and Employment from May 23, 2004, to November 27, 2004, and as the Union Cabinet Minister for Mines from November 27, 2004, onwards. In 2009, he was elected as a Congress MP from Jhunjhunu, and on June 17, 2013, he was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister for Labour.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sis Ram Ola, an unmatched leader from Shekhawati region". The Times of India. 16 December 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  2. ^ "SHISH RAM OLA(Indian National Congress(INC)):Constituency- Jhunjhunu(RAJASTHAN) - Affidavit Information of Candidate:". myneta.info. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Jhunjhunu news: पूर्व केंद्रीय मंत्री स्व. शीशराम ओला को किया याद, 5 बार रहे सांसद ओला". Zee News (in Hindi). Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Ola, Shri Sis Ram". Archived from the original on 16 February 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Fourteenth Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile
  5. ^ "Padma Shri Awardees". Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) india.gov.in
  6. ^ Cabinet minister Sis Ram Ola passes away – Times Of India
Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Jhunjhunu

1996–2013
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Labour and Employment
17 June 2013 – 15 December 2013
Succeeded by
Narendra Singh Tomar