Uma Shankar Dikshit
{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Uma Shankar Dikshit
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Uma Shankar Dikshit Rajya Sabha photo.jpg
| alt =
| order2 =
| office2 = 10th Minister of Home Affairs
| term_start2 = 5 February 1973
| term_end2 = 10 October 1974
| primeminister2 = Indira Gandhi
| predecessor2 = Indira Gandhi
| successor2 = Kasu Brahmananda Reddy
| order1 = 2nd
| office1 = Governor of Karnataka
| term_start1 = 10 January 1976
| term_end1 = 2 August 1977
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1 = D. Devaraj Urs
| predecessor1 = Mohan Lal Sukhadia
| successor1 = Govind Narain
| order = 11th
| office = Governor of West Bengal
| term_start = 2 October 1984
| term_end = 12 August 1986
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = Jyoti Basu
| predecessor = Satish Chandra (acting)
| successor = Saiyid Nurul Hasan
| office3 = Minister of Health and Family Welfare
| primeminister3 = Indira Gandhi
| term_start3 = 19 May 1971
| term_end3 = 5 February 1973
| predecessor3 = Kodardas Kalidas Shah
| successor3 = Raghunath Keshav Khadilkar {{small|(As MoS)}}
| birth_date = 12 January 1901
| birth_place = Ugu, North-Western Provinces, British India
{{small|(Now in Uttar Pradesh, India)}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1991|5|30|1901|1|12|df=yes}}
| death_place = New Delhi, India
| party = Indian National Congress
| alma_mater = Christ Church College, Kanpur
| relatives = Sheila Dikshit (daughter-in-law)
Sandeep Dikshit (grandson)
}}
Uma Shankar Dikshit (12 January 1901 – 30 May 1991) was an Indian politician, cabinet minister and Governor of West Bengal{{cite web|url=http://rajbhavankolkata.gov.in/html/pastgov1912_new.htm|title=Governors >> Governors of Bengal from 1912 up to the present day|publisher=Governor of West Bengal website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109072725/http://rajbhavankolkata.gov.in/html/pastgov1912_new.htm|archive-date=9 November 2013}} and Governor of Karnataka.[http://rajbhavan.kar.nic.in/governors/UmaShankarDikshit.htm Governors] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317175628/http://rajbhavan.kar.nic.in/governors/UmaShankarDikshit.htm |date=17 March 2012 }} Governor of Karnataka website.
Life
He was born on 12 January 1901 at village Ugu of Unnao of Uttar Pradesh state, to the Kanyakubja Brahmin parents Ram Sarup and Shiv Pyari.{{Cite book|url=https://www.academia.edu/80530788/Kanyakubja_Brahmins_of_Prominence|title=Kanyakubja Brahmins of prominence|date=2015|author=Ram Bilas Mishra}} He later studied at the Christ Church College, Kanpur. As a student, he joined the freedom movement and became the Secretary of the District Congress Committee Kanpur during the period when Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi was the President of the committee.
He served the Country as the Home Minister, Health Minister and Governor of Karnataka & West Bengal.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}} He also served as treasurer of All India Congress Committee, and managing director of Associated Journals at Lucknow. He founded a Girls Intermediate College at his village Ugu in the memory of his mother.{{cite web |url=http://unnao.nic.in/Personali.htm |title=Famous Personalities – Profile|publisher=Unnao Nic |access-date=21 October 2012}}
He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India in 1989, by the Government of India.{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/padmavibhushan_awards_list1.php|title=Padma Vibhushan Awardees|publisher=Govt. of India website}}
Career
After Independence, he remained close to Nehru and later sided with Indira Gandhi during the 1969 split in Indian National Congress. He joined the Indira Gandhi cabinet in 1971, thereafter he remained Minister for Works and Housing, Govt. of India, 1971-72 later given additional charge of Health and Family Planning, Minister for Home Affairs, 1973–74 and Minister for Shipping and Transport, 1975. He also remained Treasurer, All India Congress Committee (AICC), 1970–75.{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Dikshit-scripts-history-swornin-as-CM-for-third-time/399571/|title=Dikshit scripts history, sworn-in as CM for third time|date=17 December 2008|work=The Indian Express}}
He remained the Governor of Karnataka, 1976–77 and Governor of West Bengal 1984–1986.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}
He died at New Delhi on 30 May 1991 after a prolonged illness at the age of 90 years.{{Citation needed|date= August 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Governors of West Bengal}}
{{Governors of Karnataka}}
{{Home Ministry (India)}}
{{Padma Vibhushan Awards}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dikshit, Uma Shankar}}
Category:People from Unnao district
Category:Indian independence activists from Uttar Pradesh
Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh
Category:Members of the Cabinet of India
Category:Governors of West Bengal
Category:Governors of Karnataka
Category:Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in public affairs
Category:Ministers of internal affairs of India
Category:Leaders of the Rajya Sabha