Shankar Dayal Sharma (August 19, 1918 - December 26, 1999) was the 9th President of republic of India serving from 1992 to 1997. Prior to his presidency, Dr. Sharma had been the 8th Vice President of India under President Ramaswamy Venkatraman. He was also Chief Minister of the erstwhile Bhopal State (1952-1956), Cabinet Minister, Government of Madhya Pradesh, holding the portfolios of Education, Law, Public Works, Industry and Commerce, National Resources and Separate Revenue (1956-1967) and was thereafter Union Minister for Communications (1974-1977). Dr. Sharma was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1972-1974. The President of India (Hindi: Rashtrapati) is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The Vice-President of India is second behind the President in the Executive branch of the Government of India. ... Kocheril Raman Narayanan (Malayalam: കോച്ചേരില്‍ രാമന്‍ നാരായണന്‍; 4 February 1921 — 9 November 2005), also known as K. R. Narayanan, was the tenth President of the Republic of India. ... Ramaswamy Venkataraman (born 4 December 1910) was the President of India between 1987 and 1992. ... Kocheril Raman Narayanan (Malayalam: കോച്ചേരില്‍ രാമന്‍ നാരായണന്‍; 4 February 1921 — 9 November 2005), also known as K. R. Narayanan, was the tenth President of the Republic of India. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... For other uses, see Bhopal (disambiguation). ... , Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP)   (HindÄ«: मध्य प्रदेश, English: , IPA: ), often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... is the 360th day of the year (361st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ...

Dr. Sharma was born in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Education and early life

Dr. Sharma received his education at St. John's College, Agra, Allahabad University, Lucknow University, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University, Lincoln's Inn and Harvard Law School. He took his M.A. Degrees in English Literature, Hindi and Sanskrit standing first in the University. He obtained his LL.M. from Lucknow University once again standing first in the University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Law at Cambridge. Dr. Sharma was awarded the Chakravarti Gold Medal for Social Service by Lucknow University. Allahabad University Logo Allahabad University is an institution of higher learning located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. ... University of Lucknow is an institution of higher learning in the city of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. ... Full name Fitzwilliam College Motto Ex antiquis et novissimis optima Best of the old - and of the latest Named after Fitzwilliam Museum, named after Richard Fitzwilliam Previous names Fitzwilliam Hall [Non collegiate] (1869), Fitzwilliam House [Non collegiate] (1924) Established 1966 Sister College St Edmund Hall Master Prof. ... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ... Part of Lincolns Inn drawn by Thomas Shepherd c. ... Harvard Law School (colloquially, Harvard Law or HLS) is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. ...

Dr. Sharma taught Law at Lucknow University and at Cambridge University. While at Cambridge, Dr. Sharma was Treasurer of the Tagore Society and the Cambridge Majlis. He was a barrister-at-law from Lincoln's Inn and taught law at Cambridge University in 1946-47. He has been elected Honorary Bencher and Master of Lincoln's Inn and Honorary Fellow, Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. The University of Cambridge has honoured him with degree of Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa). Dr. Sharma was married to Vimala Sharma. Part of Lincolns Inn drawn by Thomas Shepherd c. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the worlds most prestigious universities. ...

Political initiation

During the 1940s he was involved in the struggle for Indian independence from Britain, and joined the Indian National Congress, a party which he would remain loyal to for the rest of his life. In 1952 he became the chief minister of Bhopal and served in that position until the state reorganization of 1956, when Bhopal merged with several other states to form the state of Madhya Pradesh. Indian National Congress (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Chief Minister is the elected Head of Government of a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British overseas territory that has attained self-government. ... For other uses, see Bhopal (disambiguation). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP)   (HindÄ«: मध्य प्रदेश, English: , IPA: ), often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. ...

Active political life

During the 1960s Sharma supported Indira Gandhi's quest for leadership of the Congress Party. He served in her cabinet as the minister for Communication from 1974-77. Later on, he was given a variety of ceremonial posts. In 1984 he began serving as a governor of Indian states, first in Andhra Pradesh. During this time, his daughter Geetanjali Maken and son-in-law: Lalit Maken were killed by Sikh militants. In 1985 he left Andhra Pradesh and became governor of Punjab during a time of violence between the Indian government and Sikh militants, many of whom lived in Punjab. He left Punjab in 1986 and took up his final governorship in Maharashtra. He remained governor of that state until 1987 when he was elected for a 5-year term as Vice-President of India and chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (Hindi: ) (19 November 1917 - October 31, 1984) was an Indian politician who served as Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and for a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. ... This article is about the year. ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... “Andhra” redirects here. ... Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is a religion that began in fifteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... , This article is about the Indian state of Punjab. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... , Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , IPA:  , translation: Great Nation) is Indias third largest state in area and second largest in population after Uttar Pradesh. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the executive branch of the Government of India after the President. ... Executive President Vice-President Prime Minister Dy. ...

Sharma was known to be a stickler for parliamentary norms. He is known to have broken down in the Rajya Sabha while witnessing the members of the house create a din on a political issue. His grief brought back some order into the proceedings of the house.

Presidential election Sharma served as Vice-President until 1992, when he was elected President. After a difficult campaign, he received 66% of the votes in the electoral college, defeating George Swell. During his five-year term, he was active in ceremonial matters and was in charge of dismissing and appointing governors. During his last year as President, it was his responsibility to swear in three prime ministers. He did not run for a second term as President.

Illness and death

During the last five years of his life, Sharma suffered from ill health. On October 9 1999, he suffered a massive heart attack and was admitted to a hospital in New Delhi, where he died. He was cremated near the Vijay Ghat. is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... , This article is about the urban region that is the capital of India. ... Raj Ghat, Delhi Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi is a simple black marble platform that marks the spot of his cremation on 31 January 1948. ...

External links

• Bio details (not updated) from Congress Sandesh at [1] accessed July 26, 2006

v • d • e Presidents of India
Rajendra Prasad • Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan • Zakir Hussain • V. V. Giri • Muhammad Hidayat Ullah • V. V. Giri • Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed • Basappa Danappa Jatti • Neelam Sanjiva Reddy • Zail Singh • R. Venkataraman • Shankar Dayal Sharma • K. R. Narayanan • Abdul Kalam • Pratibha Patil