Nara Lokesh
{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1983)}}
{{Family name hatnote|Nara|lang=Telugu}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Nara Lokesh
| office = Minister of Human Resources Development
| term_start = 12 June 2024
| term_end =
| governor = S. Abdul Nazeer
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = N. Chandrababu Naidu
| predecessor = Botsa Satyanarayana
| office1 = Minister of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications; Real Time Governance
Government of Andhra Pradesh
| term_start1 = 12 June 2024
| term_end1 =
| governor1 = S. Abdul Nazeer
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1 = N. Chandrababu Naidu
| predecessor1 = Gudivada Amarnath
| successor1 =
| term_start2 = 2 April 2017
| term_end2 = 29 May 2019
| governor2 = E. S. L. Narasimhan
| 1blankname2 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata2 = N. Chandrababu Naidu
| predecessor2 = Palle Raghunatha Reddy
| successor2 = Mekapati Goutham Reddy
| office3 = Member of Legislative Assembly, Andhra Pradesh
| term_start3 = 4 June 2024
| term_end3 =
| predecessor3 = Alla Ramakrishna Reddy
| successor3 =
| constituency3 = Mangalagiri
| office4 = Minister of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development
Government of Andhra Pradesh
| governor4 = E. S. L. Narasimhan
| 1blankname4 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata4 = N. Chandrababu Naidu
| term_start4 = 2 April 2017
| term_end4 = 29 May 2019
| predecessor4 = Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu
| successor4 = Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy
| office5 = Member of Legislative Council, Andhra Pradesh
| term_start5 = 30 March 2017
| term_end5 = 29 March 2023
| 1blankname5 = Chairman
| 1namedata5 = * A. Chakrapani
| 2blankname5 = Leader of the House
| 2namedata5 = * N. Chandrababu Naidu
| constituency5 = Elected by MLAs
| office6 = National General Secretary, Telugu Desam Party
| term_start6 = 2014
| alongside6 = Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu
| 1blankname6 = National President
| 1namedata6 = N. Chandrababu Naidu
| predecessor6 = Position established
| image = Nara Lokesh at public meet (cropped).jpg
| caption = Lokesh in 2023
| relatives = Nandamuri–Nara family
| signature_alt =
| party = Telugu Desam Party
| birth_place = Hyderabad,
Andhra Pradesh, India
(now in Telangana, India)
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|1|23|df=yes}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 April 2019|title=Nara Lokesh: Ideological, political heir to NT Rama Rao's legacy|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/elections/know-your-politician-nara-lokesh-ideological-political-heir-to-nt-rama-rao-s-legacy-512046|access-date=1 January 2021|website=India TV News|language=en}}
| restingplacecoordinates =
| spouse = {{marriage|Nara Brahmani|2007}}
| residence = Undavalli, Andhra Pradesh, India{{Cite web |last=Sundar |first=M. V. Syam |date=2024-06-19 |title=People throng Undavalli residence to meet Lokesh |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/people-throng-undavalli-residence-to-meet-lokesh-885680 |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=www.thehansindia.com |language=en}}
| education = *BSc (Carnegie) {{small|(2004)}}
| alma_mater = *Carnegie Mellon University
| occupation = Politician
| website = {{URL|http://www.naralokesh.in}}
}}
Nara Lokesh (born 23 January 1983) is an Indian politician currently serving as the Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development in the Government of Andhra Pradesh. He is also the General Secretary of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). He is the son of N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and President of the TDP. He previously served as the Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, and Information Technology, Electronics and Communications from 2017 to 2019, following his election as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in 2017.
In the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, Lokesh unsuccessfully contested as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the Mangalagiri Assembly constituency. In the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, he was elected as an MLA for Mangalagiri.
Early life and education
Nara Lokesh was born on 23 January 1983 in a Telugu family to N. Chandrababu Naidu and his wife Nara Bhuvaneswari, daughter of N. T. Rama Rao in Hyderabad, Telangana (then part of Andhra Pradesh).{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=Who is Nara Lokesh, the MBA from Stanford, behind TDP's resurgence in Andhra Pradesh? |url=https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/nara-lokesh-mba-from-stanford-tdp-victory-andhra-pradesh-n-chandrababu-naidu-son-13781687.html |access-date=2024-07-17 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}} He has an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and Bachelor of Science with a specialization in Management Information Systems from Carnegie Mellon University.{{Cite news|last=Janyala|first=Sreenivas|date=16 February 2009|title=Their fathers' sons|work=The Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/their-fathers--sons/423845/|url-status=live|access-date=8 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225122813/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/their-fathers--sons/423845/|archive-date=25 February 2020}}
Political career
= Early political career =
Lokesh started his political career in TDP. In 2014, Lokesh became TDP's general secretary,{{Cite news |date=2023-12-19 |title=After 226 days and 3,132 km, Lokesh ends yatra |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/visakhapatnam/news/tdp-general-secretary-nara-lokesh-concludes-yuvagalam-padayatra/articleshow/106107796.cms#google_vignette |access-date=2024-05-16 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}} a member of the Politburo, the highest decision-making body of the party. He managed the party, interacted with party workers and citizens, and helped set the party policies and strategy.{{Cite news |date=12 July 2016 |title=Lokesh emerges as No. 2 in TDP |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Lokesh-emerges-as-No-2-in-TDP/articleshow/53167855.cms |url-status=live |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330211434/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Lokesh-emerges-as-No-2-in-TDP/articleshow/53167855.cms |archive-date=30 March 2019}} He claimed in January 2013 that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party derived the Direct Benefit Transfer System from a TDP proposal submitted to the central government.Times of AP [http://timesofap.com/politics/rahul-stole-my-idea-says-nara-lokesh.html Rahul stole my idea says Lokesh Nara] 1 January 2013 He was first elected as the Member of Legislative Council in 2017.{{Cite web |title=Andhra Pradesh CM's son, six others elected to Legislative Council unanimously |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2017/mar/08/andhra-pradesh-cms-son-six-others-elected-to-legislative-council-unanimously-1579087.html |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=The New Indian Express|date=9 March 2017}} Though he never won a direct election, he held several key positions in both party and state of Andhra Pradesh. His father N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh made appointed him as a cabinet minister for IT, Panchayati Raj and Rural development in 2017 through.{{Cite web |title=In the Heir: Dynasty Politics in the TDP Seem Headed for a 'Sonset' |url=https://thewire.in/politics/tdp-dynasty-politics-andhra-pradesh |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=The Wire}}{{Cite news |date=2 April 2017 |title=Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh takes oath as Minister |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/chandrababu-naidus-son-nara-lokesh-takes-oath-as-minister/article17762250.ece |url-status=live |access-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125185621/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/chandrababu-naidus-son-nara-lokesh-takes-oath-as-minister/article17762250.ece |archive-date=25 November 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Andhra Pradesh CM's son, six others elected to Legislative Council unanimously |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2017/mar/08/andhra-pradesh-cms-son-six-others-elected-to-legislative-council-unanimously-1579087.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=The New Indian Express|date=9 March 2017 }} In 2019, he unsuccessfully contested from the Mangalagiri constituency narrowly losing by a margin of 5,337 votes{{Cite web |agency=TNN|date=Mar 16, 2019 |title=Andhra Pradesh assembly elections: Narrow margin of defeat key reason for TDP picking Mangalagiri for Nara Lokesh {{!}} Vijayawada News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vijayawada/narrow-margin-of-defeat-key-reason-for-tdp-picking-mangalagiri-for-lokesh/articleshow/68433392.cms |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=The Times of India |language=en}} to Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, a close aide of Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.{{Cite web |title=Andhra Assembly polls: TDP's Nara Lokesh loses to YSR Congress's Ramakrishna Reddy |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/andhra-assembly-polls-tdp-nara-lokesh-loses-to-ysrcp-ramakrishna-reddy-1533306-2019-05-23 |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=India Today |date=24 May 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite news|date=24 May 2019|title=Andhra Assembly polls: TDP's Nara Lokesh loses to YSR Congress's Ramakrishna Reddy|work=India Today|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/andhra-assembly-polls-tdp-nara-lokesh-loses-to-ysrcp-ramakrishna-reddy-1533306-2019-05-24|url-status=live|access-date=8 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200831015641/https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/andhra-assembly-polls-tdp-nara-lokesh-loses-to-ysrcp-ramakrishna-reddy-1533306-2019-05-24|archive-date=31 August 2020}}
Lokesh is credited with successfully managing the TDP party's membership drive that added five million members. The digital technology used by the onboarding team – tablets, live data feeds and a real-time dashboard – was the first such use for enrolling and managing party members in the country.{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/tdp-launches-membership-enrolment-drive-to-enroll-members-from-neighbouring-states/articleshow/45021430.cms|title=TDP launches membership enrolment drive; to enroll members from neighbouring states|last=PTI|date=3 November 2014|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2 December 2018}}
=Development and welfare models=
Lokesh is a trustee of NTR Trust for Healthcare, Education, Skills Enhancement and Disaster Management.{{Cite web |title=Minister for Andhra Pradesh presents business opportunities to Atlanta companies |url=https://www.khabar.com/magazine/around-town/minister-for-andhra-pradesh-presents-business-opportunities-to-atlanta-companies |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Khabar Magazine}} Lokesh supervise the trust's disaster response program that functions at times of natural calamities. Each active member of the party will get a personal insurance cover of ₹2 lakh in case of a fatal accident, ₹2 lakh for permanent disability, ₹1 lakh for the partially disabled, and ₹50,000 in case of accidental injuries.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tdp-launches-membership-enrolment-drive-2031677|title=TDP launches membership enrolment drive & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=3 November 2014}}
Lokesh-led party online membership drive fetched TDP 53+ lakh members.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-nara-lokesh-driving-tdp-government-for-papa-chandrababu-naidu-2049150|title=Nara Lokesh driving TDP government for Papa Chandrababu Naidu & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=3 January 2015}}
= Padayatra =
On 27 January 2023, Lokesh started Yuva Galam Padayatra for youth of Andhra Pradesh for 400 days with a road-map to walk 4,000 kms from Kuppam to Ichchapuram.{{Cite news |date=2023-01-29 |title=Yuvagalam Padayatra: Nara Lokesh interacts with local farmers at Santhipuram weekend shandy |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/amaravati/yuvagalam-padayatra-nara-lokesh-interacts-with-local-farmers-at-santhipuram-weekend-shandy/articleshow/97421710.cms |access-date=2023-02-05 |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |title=Restrain cops from disrupting Yuva Galam Padayatra: TDP |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2023/feb/05/restrain-cops-from-disrupting-yuva-galam-padayatratdp-2544591.html |access-date=2023-02-05 |website=The New Indian Express|date=5 February 2023 }}
= Later political career =
In 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election he was elected as MLA of Mangalagiri with a majority of 91,413 votes in the constituency which was never won by Telugu Desam Party for 39 years.https://results.eci.gov.in/AcResultGenJune2024/ConstituencywiseS0187.htm {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Annam |first=Bandhavi |date=2024-06-09 |title=Lokesh wins with 90k majority in Mangalagiri |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2024/Jun/05/lokesh-wins-with-90k-majority-in-mangalagiri |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}} This was the third highest majority in this assembly election.{{Cite web |last=Ilyas |first=M. D. |date=2024-06-07 |title=Pawan and Lokesh in top 10 'majorities' Jagan in 20th place and Naidu at 36th slot |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/news/politics/pawan-and-lokesh-in-top-10-majorities-jagan-in-20th-place-and-naidu-at-36th-slot-897877 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=Deccan Chronicle |language=en}}
Post elections he was inducted in the Cabinet led by N. Chandrababu Naidu as cabinet minister with departments of Human Resources Development, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication, Real Time Governance.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Ministers List 2024: Pawan Kalyan, Nara Lokesh among 24 ministers in Chandrababu Naidu's Cabinet |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/andhra-pradesh-ministers-list-2024-chandrababu-naidu-pawan-kalyan-ap-full-cabinet-ministers-list-9387219/ |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Express News |date=2024-06-15 |title=Andhra Pradesh: Nara Lokesh to focus on strengthening education system in rural areas |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2024/Jun/15/andhra-pradesh-nara-lokesh-to-focus-on-strengthening-education-system-in-rural-areas |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=The New Indian Express |language=en}}
Electoral history
| class="wikitable" style="width:70%; text-align: center;"
|+Election results !Year !Office !Constituency ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes !% !Opponent ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes !% !Result !Ref |
| 2019
|rowspan=2 |MLA |rowspan=2 |Mangalagiri |rowspan=2 |Telugu Desam Party |rowspan=2 |File:Indian Election Symbol Cycle.png |103,127 |42.14 |rowspan=2 |YSR Congress Party |rowspan=2 |File:Indian Election Symbol Ceiling Fan.svg |108,464 |45.47 |{{Lost}} |
| 2024
|167,710 |66.07 |Murugudu Lavanya |76,297 |30.06 |{{Won}} |
Awards and recognition
Lokesh won the "Skoch Person of the Year" award in 2018, for his innovative use of technology while resolving issues related to drinking water supply, transparency in governance, and other activities under his Panchayati Raj portfolio.{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/vijayawada/2018/jun/20/lokesh-wins-skoch-person-of-the-year--governance-award-1830853.html|title=Lokesh wins 'Skoch Person of the Year- Governance' award|website=The New Indian Express|date=20 June 2018 }}
In May 2018, he won the Business World magazine "Digital Leader of the Year" at the Businessworld Digital India summit in New Delhi. The award recognises the best utilisation of technology in governance.{{cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/nara-lokesh-receives-award-for-digital-leader-of-the-year-118051801499_1.html|title=Nara Lokesh receives award for 'Digital Leader of the Year'|last=ANI|date=18 May 2018|work=Business Standard}} The same year, the Kalam Centre for Livable Planet Earth and Sustainable Development recognised Lokesh's efforts in the successful integration of technology in rural governance and awarded the innovation award to Andhra Pradesh in the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development category.{{Cite news |author=Staff Reporter |date=2018-01-20 |title=Lokesh receives innovation in governance award |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/lokesh-receives-innovation-in-governance-award/article22482806.ece |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
In September 2018, Lokesh was invited to represent India at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Entrepreneurship Summit and Annual Meeting of World Champions in Tianjin, China.{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2018/sep/13/nara-lokesh-on-6-day-investment-hunt-to-take-part-in-world-economic-forum-meet-in-china-1871329.html|title=Nara Lokesh on 6-day investment hunt, to take part in World Economic Forum meet in China'|last=ENS|date=13 September 2018|work=The New Indian Express}} In the following month, he became the only Indian politician to be nominated to the WEF's Network of Global Future Councils (NGFC), an interdisciplinary knowledge group that deliberates on agile governance in terms of emerging technologies and business models.{{cite web|url=https://www.weforum.org/communities/global-future-council-on-agile-governance|title=Global Future Council on Agile'|last=WEF|date=12 November 2018|work=World Economic Forum}}
Personal life
In 2007, Lokesh married Nandamuri Bramhani,{{Cite web |title=Brahmini-Lokesh Wedding Function |url=https://www.ragalahari.com/localevents/9305/brahmini-lokesh-wedding-function.aspx |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=www.ragalahari.com |language=en}} elder daughter of actor and politician, Nandamuri Balakrishna.{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/lok-sabha-elections/in-last-ditch-attempt-naidu-inducts-daughter-in-law-nara-brahmani-into-tdp-s-campaign/story-EjulTqBJnj67TOo5rWtWcJ.html|title=In last-ditch attempt, Naidu inducts daughter-in-law Nara Brahmani into TDP's campaign|date=9 April 2019}} The couple have a son, Nara Devaansh.{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/brahmani-son-ride-hyd-metro/articleshow/70729249.cms|title=Chandrababu Naidu's daughter-in-law Nara Brahmani, son ride Hyderabad Metro|website=The Times of India|date=19 August 2019 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Nara Lokesh}}
{{Third N. Chandrababu Naidu ministry}}{{Fourth N. Chandrababu Naidu ministry}}{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef
| before = Palle Raghunatha Reddy
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Minister for Panchayat Raj, Rural development, Information Technology and Communication
| years = 2 April 2017 – 29 May 2019
}}
{{s-aft
| after = Mekapati Goutham Reddy
}}
|-
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lokesh, Nara}}
Category:Members of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council
Category:Telugu Desam Party politicians
Category:Stanford University alumni