Shivnath Singh Kushwaha

Shivnath Singh Kushwaha was born to Nawab Singh Kushwaha in a village called Makrandpur in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh in the year 1930. He completed his bachelor's degree and was married in 1946 to Ram Dulari Devi. They had one daughter together. He was an agriculturist, before joining active politics. His political career started with Socialist Party and later he joined Indian National Congress.{{cite web|url=https://uplegisassembly.gov.in/Members/pdfs/11th_vs_sadashya_parichay.pdf#page=393|title=11th Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|website=Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|accessdate=27 September 2023|archive-date=16 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190816063632/http://uplegisassembly.gov.in/Members/pdfs/11th_vs_sadashya_parichay.pdf#page=393|url-status=live}}

Shivnath Singh contested 1962, 1967, 1969 and 1974 Assembly elections from Ghatampur Assembly constituency of Uttar Pradesh against Indian National Congress candidate Beni Singh Awasthi. He was able to win the 1962 and 1974 elections against Awasthi, while latter secured victory in 1967 and 1969 elections. He is described as a down to earth political leader by contemporary news reports. It is reported that Singh used to travel on his bicycle during his election campaign, contrary to the other political leaders, who invest vast sum of money for their election campaigns.{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-city-interesting-political-story-of-senior-leaders-beni-singh-awasthi-and-shivnath-singh-kushwah-of-ghatampur-jagran-special-20833148.html|title=तंगदिली राजनीति के दौर में अचरज में डालता है ये अनोखा किस्सा, कभी ऐसे भी होते थे नेता|website=Dainik Jagran|accessdate=27 September 2023|archive-date=28 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928045727/https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-city-interesting-political-story-of-senior-leaders-beni-singh-awasthi-and-shivnath-singh-kushwah-of-ghatampur-jagran-special-20833148.html|url-status=live}} After serving two terms as member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, he again won the assembly elections of 1980 and 1985, becoming the part of Uttar Pradesh Legislature for the third and fourth times. In 1991, he ran for the election for the fifth time and once again won as a member of Indian National Congress.

In 1975, due to his immense contribution to the assembly, he was appointed as Deputy Speaker of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He also served as Chairman of many committees of the state assembly, which includes Committee on Privilege and Committee on Accommodation. He was first made a state minister in Vishwanath Pratap Singh cabinet in 1981. Thereafter, he served as minister in cabinet of both Sripati Mishra and Narayan Dutt Tiwari. He was also a member of Commonwealth Association and from 1974 to 1977, he served as president of Uttar Pradesh wing of Indo-Nepal Friendship Association.

He was recognised as a prominent member of Socialist Party and had served as member of Parliamentary Board of the party. He also worked for establishment of industrial enterprises in his constituency and due to his efforts, sugar mills, Industrial Training Institutes, Polytechnic Colleges were established in his constituency. Kushwaha also played significant role in implementation of Twenty Point Programme of Government of India. According to the official document of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the Kanpur Rural region topped the indices gauging state's development on various fronts; this district was at forefront in implementation of various developmental schemes and later it came into existence as a separate region, due to efforts of Kushwaha. Besides setting up industrial plants, his tenure is also known for beautification of various river banks in order to promote tourism.

Kushwaha died in 2016, after suffering from severe illness for months.

In 2020, a Special Investigation Team established to investigate the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots found his nephew, Raghavendra Kushwaha guilty for his alleged involvement in the riots. As per SIT report, Raghavendra was one of the prime accused of the riots in Kanpur district, who instigated the mob as well as led them to attack Sikh people in the violence which followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards.{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/1984-riots-probe-raghvendra-kushawaha-congress-mla-nephew-6291701/|title=MLA nephew probed in connection with 1984 riots|accessdate=27 September 2023|archive-date=23 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523175639/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/1984-riots-probe-raghvendra-kushawaha-congress-mla-nephew-6291701/|url-status=live}}

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Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1985–1989

Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1980–1985

Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1991–1993

Category:People from Kanpur Dehat district

Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh

Category:2016 deaths

Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1974–1977

Category:Uttar Pradesh MLAs 1962–1967

Category:Deputy speakers of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly

Category:1930 births