Jaffer Sharief

Challakere Kareem Jaffer Sharief (3 November 1933 – 25 November 2018) was an Indian politician. He was one of the senior most Indian National Congress leaders. He was the Railways Minister of the Government of India from 1991 until 1995.

Political career Jaffer Sharief started his career in the Indian National Congress under Nijalingappa. After a split in the Congress, he took the side of Indira Gandhi.

Sharief's period in Ministry of Railways is considered as a golden period for Karnataka and unigauge system in country. He helped to address development deficiencies in Karnataka due to decades of neglect under Southern Railway zone and South Central Railway zone.

In 1980's as Railways minister for state, he was instrumental in gauge conversion of railways in the state, nearly 1000 kms of various gauges of tracks were converted to broad gauge in the state. He played a crucial role in setting up of Konkan Railway Corporation, Bangalore railway division, RRB Bengaluru, Inland Container Depot Whitefield etc. He was also instrumental in getting the Wheel and Axle Plant in Bangalore.

In 2012, Sharief was cleared by the Supreme Court of charges relating to expenditure on a trip to London for medical treatment. Sharief had taken several ministry officials with him, which the court found was not inappropriate. Corruption charges were leveled against him during his tenure as Railway Minister.

Personal life Jaffer Sharief lost three members of his family, with his younger son in 1999, his wife in 2008 and his elder son in 2009, three days before his election to Lok Sabha.

CK Jaffer Sharief died at the age of 85 in Bengaluru on 25 November 2018.