Pranati Phukan

Phukan was born on the 24 April 1963 in Sivasagar. She is the daughter of the late Dhamaswar Chetia and Kaushyla Chetia. She is from Salibasa, Dibrugarh. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gargaon College, Dibrugarh University in 1983. She participated in plays during her student life.

Phukan was the Indian National Congress candidate for the Naharkatia seat in 1996, the same constituency her late husband had contested in 1991 but lost to Sashakamal Handique.{{Cite web |title=Naharkatia Assembly Constituency Election Result – Legislative Assembly Constituency |url=https://resultuniversity.com/election/naharkatia-assam-assembly-constituency#2011 |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=resultuniversity.com |archive-date=2022-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227084129/https://resultuniversity.com/election/naharkatia-assam-assembly-constituency#2011 |url-status=live }} She defeated the incumbent member Sashakamal Handique. She polled 26333 votes, 44.12% of the constituency, defeating Handique by 30035 votes.

She was again the Indian National Congress candidate for the Naharkatia seat in 2001. She polled 42765 votes, 65.94% of the constituency, defeating her nearest opponent by 30035 votes. She was made Minister of State for Revenue and Cultural Affairs on 7 June 2002 and served until the 6 July 2004.

In the 2006 Assam Legislative Assembly Election, she was reelected as the Indian National Congress candidate for Naharkatia. She received 40065 votes, defeating her nearest opponent by 19736 votes.File:The Minister of Culture and Handloom & Textile, Assam, Smt. Pranati Phukan lighting the lamp to inaugurate the Public Information Campaign on Bharat Nirman, organized by Press Information Bureau, Guwahati, at Duliajan.jpg on 26 September 2012]]

On 31 May 2006, she was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly, becoming the first woman to hold the position.{{Cite web |date=2006-05-31 |title=Pranati Phukan elected Dy Speaker in Asom Assembly |url=https://www.oneindia.com/2006/05/31/pranati-phukan-elected-dy-speaker-in-asom-assembly-1149068196.html |access-date=2022-03-04 |website= |language=en |archive-date=2022-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304204824/https://www.oneindia.com/2006/05/31/pranati-phukan-elected-dy-speaker-in-asom-assembly-1149068196.html |url-status=live }} She was led to the chair by Speaker Tanka Bahadur Rai, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Leader of the Opposition Brindabon Goswami. She served until 16 May 2011.

In the 2011 Assam Legislative Assembly election, she was reelected for Naharkatia. She polled 35373 votes 41.58% of the total vote and she defeated her nearest opponent by 14397 votes.

On 30 May 2011 she was made Minister for Sericulture, Handlooms, Textile and Cultural Affairs in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet. During her time as minister, she oversaw the consideration of the Charaideo Maidam as a UNESCO World heritage site.{{Cite web |agency=TNN|date=Sep 10, 2014 |title=Charaideo awaits facelift for World Heritage tag |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/charaideo-awaits-facelift-for-world-heritage-tag/articleshow/42118509.cms |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=The Times of India |language=en |archive-date=2016-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210045804/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Charaideo-awaits-facelift-for-World-Heritage-tag/articleshow/42118509.cms |url-status=live }}

She resigned from her post on 19 January 2015, ahead of a cabinet reshuffle in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet.{{Cite news |last=Talukdar |first=Sushanta |date=2015-01-19 |title=14 Congress Ministers resign ahead of Cabinet reshuffle in Assam |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/14-Congress-ministers-resign-ahead-of-Cabinet-reshuffle-in-Assam/article60350203.ece |access-date=2022-03-04 |issn=0971-751X |archive-date=2022-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304204826/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/14-Congress-ministers-resign-ahead-of-Cabinet-reshuffle-in-Assam/article60350203.ece |url-status=live }} She was later succeeded by Bismita Gogoi.{{Cite news |title=Portfolios allocated to new Assam ministers |work=The Economic Times |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/portfolios-allocated-to-new-assam-ministers/articleshow/46021304.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2022-03-04 |archive-date=2022-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304204825/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/portfolios-allocated-to-new-assam-ministers/articleshow/46021304.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }}

In the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election, she again sought reelection for Naharkatia. When asked about her seeking of reelection, she stated "the decision to contest was not an easy one … It was because of the insistence of my supporters that I could gather the courage to contest. " When asked about the likelihood of her reelection, she stated "the biggest achievement of my tenure was the upgradation of Naharkatia as a sub-division."{{Cite web |agency=TNN|date=Apr 3, 2016 |title=Cong leader Pranati Phukan eyes fifth win |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections-2016/assam-elections-2016/news/cong-leader-pranati-phukan-eyes-fifth-win/articleshow/51668549.cms |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=The Times of India |language=en}} She received 42520 votes, losing to AGP candidate Naren Sonowal by 3531 votes.

In the 2021 Assam Legislative Assembly Election, she was again the Indian National Congress candidate for Naharkatia. She received 32292 votes, placing second to BJP candidate Taranga Gogoi.

Phukan married the late Hari Phukan in 1984. She had a son and a daughter. Her hobbies include music and social activities, she also enjoys social work, sports and travel. In her recreation time she likes listening to various types of classical music. She also has worked for Women & Children Welfare as well as Youth Organisations.

Her son, Rituraj Phukan, died in a boating accident in 2010.{{Cite web |date=2010-09-15 |title=Ex-minister’s son dies in boat mishap |url=https://assamtribune.com/ex-ministers-son-dies-in-boat-mishap |access-date=2022-03-04 |website= |language= |archive-date=2022-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304204831/https://assamtribune.com/ex-ministers-son-dies-in-boat-mishap |url-status=live }}

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Category:Assam MLAs 1996–2001

Category:Assam MLAs 2001–2006

Category:Assam MLAs 2006–2011

Category:Assam MLAs 2011–2016

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Assam

Category:State cabinet ministers of Assam

Category:Deputy speakers of the Assam Legislative Assembly