Ram Kishore Shukla

Fight for Freedom and education

Shukla, whose ancestors were farmers, held a radical view against the British. He was always willing to be a part of the moves of Congress against the feudalistic English government. Although on the backdrop of the Russian Revolution, he found his thought process very compatible with the philosophy of socialism He was a keen observer of Cooperative movement in India that is why after freedom he was elected as president of rural cooperative committee of Beohari, marketing co-operative committee, central co-operative banks of Rewa and Shahdol districts, also kept himself indulged in conservation of cooperative institutes. He was initially an exponent of socialism, often counted in the establishment of socialist party in his region, he won beohari constituency seat in the very first general elections of Vindhya Pradesh in 1951 from socialist party only. Shukla was unanimously elected the Leader of the Opposition of the Legislative Assembly of Vindhya Pradesh. He was known to be a sharp speaker and prime apprehender of parliamentary system.

Shukla with Dr. Balram Jakhar and Queen Mother Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in 1984

Speaker-ship and Ministerial Tenure He served as a deputy speaker of the assembly for two times in 1968–1972 and 1980–1984. After the resignation of Yagya Datt Sharma in July 1983 who was speaker then, he took charge of executing Speaker and represented in Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conventions of Kenya, Italy, Germany in and after September 1983. In March 1984, Minister of Separate Revenue, Shukla with Dr. Balram Jakhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other members of Indian & foreign delegations along with Queen Mother Elizabeth seated at front after 30th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference at The Isle of Man in October 1984

Regional participation Believing education as the key to improving the lot of his primarily rural constituency, Shukla supported the educational establishments in the area. He was a member of the secondary education board and court of Dr. Hari Singh Gour University and established the Arts & Commerce College in Beohari, which was later named after him. He was also, at various times, president of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association of Madhya Pradesh, Shahdol Central Cooperative Bank and Bar Association and deputy president of the directorial board of Shahdol Law College.

Controversies

1984 controversial promotion In 1984, he promoted one officer of the state legislature as special secretary and within hours the same officer was promoted to the post of secretary. This was done by virtue of the extraordinary powers vested in him as Speaker. This promotion, being first of its kind in history, was not appreciated by anyone. Circus was being run in front of police station in Beohari. First information report stated, shukla's third and fourth son were eye witnessed to be linked with the attackers. Three circus employees, including a woman trapeze artist, were injured following an altercation that took place over the purchase of tickets, witnesses also reported that shots were fired on. is known as his political successor from Congress party. He is also deputy president of district congress committee of Shahdol district at Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee and others are officers in various state/central cadres, like Vindhyeshwari Prasad Shukla who is deputy secretary of legislative assembly of Madhya Pradesh, Vinod Shukla is assistant commissioner in Bhopal Municipal Corporation and Surendra Shukla who is zonal director at ministry of youth affairs and sports is also a spare time writer & poet. Some of his creations include Pratiksha, Mati ko naman, Mere desh ki mati. Also, he has sung a number of patriotic songs and played principal characters for DD Madhya Pradesh daily serials like Hasina Manzil. His fifth daughter-in-law Urmila Surendra Shukla is an Indian Administrative Service officer of 2008 batch of Madhya Pradesh cadre. She was a notable additional district magistrate, deputy commissioner of Bhopal who also had been deputy secretary of Government of Madhya Pradesh and additional director of higher education department of Madhya Pradesh, is currently posted as director of Water and Land Management institute, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. His first daughter, Kavita Shukla, who is married to the first son of Bhagwan Datt Sharma is a high-school principal nowadays in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh and the other one is a housewife. His personal belongings, possessions and awards can still be observed at Kishore Kala Mandir, which is the private residence of the family.thumb Vindhyeshwari Prasad Shukla (partially appearing at left) and Dr. Surendra Shukla (middle) receiving personal notations from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2002 The second son of Ram Sundar Shukla immediately younger than Ram Kishore Shukla is Bhagwati Prasad Shukla, a doctor of philosophy from Agra university, awarded so for his contributions in the field of Hindi and Bagheli languages was the second notable figure in the second generation. His book, Bagheli Bhasha aur Sahitya, is the original book from which one can get all the basic knowledge about Bagheli language and Bagheli culture. He had issues, two sons and three daughters among which Rashmi Shukla has been joint director of Madhya Pradesh school education, nowadays principal of government college of education, Rewa. Ganga Prasad Shukla was the third son to Ram Sundar Shukla who was retired from the post of principal in a government school. Durga Shankar Shukla is the youngest of all who has had his entire life spent in the care of family farms and ranches.

Shukla's grandson and son of Surendra Shukla, Eeshan Surendra Shukla is a National Bal Shree awardee and a national level swimmer.

Death Diagonised with diabetes in his 40s, Shukla spent most of his life on medication. On 10 November 2003, when the general elections were taking place in Madhya Pradesh, he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. He was referred to be admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, but since elections were going on, no government plane was available. As a result, he had to be treated in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh. After a month of unconsciousness, Shukla died on 11 December 2003.

Career chronology Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Darbar College, Rewa in 1947. Elected as the president for the student union. Employed as a teacher at Martand Higher Secondary School in Rewa after graduation. Gained a Bachelor of Laws from law college, Rewa and started legal practice in 1950. Elected as president for law college society. Elected as deputy president of law college, Shahdol. Elected as president of the local gram panchayat and nyaya panchayat in 1950. Elected as Socialist Party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to the Legislative Assembly of Vindhya Pradesh in 1951. Elected as the Leader of the Opposition of the Legislative Assembly of Vindhya Pradesh. Elected as an independent legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1957. Elected as Socialist Party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1962. Elected as leader of socialist party legislators in the house. Elected as regional president of Madhya Pradesh socialist party. Joined Indian National Congress party in 1964. Elected as president of district congress committee, Shahdol. Elected as Indian National Congress party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1967. Elected as Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh. Elected as president of public accounts' committee, estimating committee and special rights' committee on various five-year plans. Elected as Indian National Congress party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to the Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1980. Elected as Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh. Elected as Speaker of Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh. Elected as Indian National Congress party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to the Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1985. Appointed as cabinet minister for Finance, Law & Legislative, Separate Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs. Elected as Indian National Congress party legislator from Beohari Vidhan Sabha constituency to the Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 1993. Elected as Pro tem Speaker of the house in 1993.