A. K. Antony

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A. K. Antony
Minister of Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 October 2006
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Preceded by Pranab Mukherjee
Member of Parliament - Rajya Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office
1985-1995, 2005-present
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
In office
1993–1995
Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao
Chief Minister of Kerala
In office
17 May 2001 – 29 August 2004
Governor Sikander Bakht
T. N. Chaturvedi
R. L. Bhatia
Preceded by E. K. Nayanar
Succeeded by Oommen Chandy
In office
22 March 1995 – 9 May 1996
Governor B. Rachaiah
P. Shiv Shankar
Khurshed Alam Khan
Preceded by K. Karunakaran
Succeeded by E. K. Nayanar
In office
27 April 1977 – 27 October 1978
Governor N. N. Wanchoo
Jyothi Vencatachellum
Preceded by K. Karunakaran
Succeeded by P. K. Vasudevan Nair
Personal details
Born Arackaparambil Kurien Antony
അറയ്ക്കപറമ്പില്‍ കുര്യൻ ആന്റണി
28 December 1940 (1940-12-28) (age 71)
Cherthala, British Raj (now India)
Political party Indian National Congress (Before 1978; 1982–present)
Other political
affiliations		 Indian National Congress-Urs (1978–1980)
Indian National Congress-A (1980–1982)
Spouse(s) Elizabeth Antony
Alma mater Maharaja's College
Mahatma Gandhi University
Religion Atheist;[1] devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi[2][3]

Arackaparambil Kurien Antony (born on December 28, 1940) is an Indian National Congress politician, a former Chief Minister of Kerala, and the current Defence Minister of India.

He presently also serves as the chairman of the Disciplinary Action Committee of the All India Congress Committee and member of the Central Election Committee and the Congress Working Committee (CWC). He is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Accommodation, Economic Affairs, Political Affairs, and Security.[4]

Contents

Early life and education

A. K. Antony was born at Cherthala, near Alleppey in Travancore, as the son of Arackaparambil Kurien Pillai and Aleykutty Kurian.[5] He lost his father in 1959 and self-financed part of his education through odd jobs.[6]

He completed his primary education in Holy Family Boys High school (Lower primary) and Government Boys High school (Upper primary), Cherthala (both are mixed higher secondary schools now and the latter has changed its name to Sree Narayana Memorial Government Higher Secondary school) and completed his Bachelor of Arts from Maharajas College and Bachelor of Law from Mahatma Gandhi University.

Early politics

A. K. Antony entered into politics as a student leader in Cherthala Taluk (Alleppey District) as an activist of Kerala Students Union (KSU) under the guidance of M. A. John.[7] He has been an active leader of many strikes like Oru Ana Samaram (Single Penny Strike). He became the youngest president[8] of Kerala Students Union in 1966[8] and also served in the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) before becoming an All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in 1984. When he became KPCC president in 1972 he was the youngest person to hold that post. He was elected again as KPCC president in 1987, and was defeated by Vayalar Ravi in the KPCC presidential elections in 1991.

Congress Politics and Party Faction

Congress (A) was a political party founded by Antony when he split from the Indian National Congress (Urs) a splinter group of the Indian National Congress (and opposed Indira Gandhi in inner party politics during the time when she was prosecuted by the Morarji Desai government, splitting off from the parent party with Devraj Urs.) The party was primarily active in Kerala and joined the LDF ministry headed by E. K. Nayanar during 1980-1982. After the fall of the Nayanar ministry, this party merged with the Congress in 1982, but Antony was not given any office until the death of Indira Gandhi. The members of the party have continued as a faction in the local congress afterwards.

Chief Minister of Kerala

On accusations in the Rajan case, K. Karunakaran resigned and Antony was made the 8th Chief Minister of Kerala. Antony thus became the youngest Chief Minister of the state[8] at the age of 37 serving from years April 27, 1977 to October 27, 1978.

Again, when K. Karunakaran resigned in connection with the ISRO case Antony was made the 16th Chief Minister of Kerala serving from years March 22, 1995 to May 9, 1996. He was the Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly during 1996 to 2001. Antony was elected and served the third term from May 17, 2001 to August 29, 2004. He failed to retain power on the first two occasions as Chief minister. In 2004, immediately after the Congress in Kerala suffered a total rout in the Lok Sabha elections amid factional politics and in-fighting within the Congress Party, Antony resigned as the Chief Minister of Kerala.[8] He was succeeded by Oommen Chandy.

It was at his behest that the decision to construct the new Legislature Complex was taken in 1977. During his tenure, he introduced the Unemployment Allowance, Festival Allowance for the State Employees, Prohibition of arrack and the steps initiated to revive the economy of Kerala. He also took some initiatives in the field of Higher Education, Science & Technology, Bio-Technology, Information Technology and other related areas.[9]

Rajya sabha and Union cabinet

Union Minister for Civil Supplies

He was a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha between 1985 and 1995 and was the Minister for Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution for a year in 1994 during the tenure of Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. He resigned on moral grounds as food minister in 1994 when his ministry was involved in a sugar import scandal, despite there being no allegations against him.[10][8]

Union Minister for Defence

Wikinews has related news: Antony becomes Central Cabinet Defence Minister in a minor expansion-cum-reshuffle in 2006 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In 2005, A. K. Antony entered the Rajya Sabha and was inducted into the Union Council of Ministers as Defence Minister following Natwar Singh's expulsion from the Congress and Pranab Mukherjee's transfer to the Ministry of External Affairs. After the Congress again won the elections in 2009 and formed the government once again under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Antony retained the portfolio of Defence for the second term.

Corruption in Armed Forces

In Sukna land scandal, then Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor toned down the action against one his key aides, Lieutenant-General Avadesh Prakash who is one of the seniormost officers of the Army, against the recommendations of the Eastern Army Commander who had ordered the probe.[11]

After an outcry over the perceived “letting off” of a senior officer in the case, who incidentally retired. Antony intervened and directed the Army Chief to order a court martial to bring out the facts of the case.[12][13]

Adarsh scam

After Adarsh Housing Society Scam in Mumbai, A K Antony recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe to fix responsibility of the armed forces and defence estates officers.[14] He also stated that under his supervision as defence minister of India, his ministry will not cover up the Adarsh Housing Society scam, but initiate "strict" action against those guilty though top armed forces officers, bureaucrats and politicians were allegedly involved in it.[15][16]

Public image

Antony is known for his incorruptible record and his intolerance towards corruption in public life.[17][18][19][8] He is ranked among top 10 Most Powerful Indians for the year 2012 by the Indian Express.[20]

Family and Personal life

He is married to Elizabeth Antony, a Syrian Orthodox, and they have two sons named Anil Kurien Antony who is a graduate of Stanford University[21] and Ajith Paul Antony who is a graduate of St. Stephen's College, Delhi.[22]

A. K. Antony was born into a Syrian Catholic family. He is an atheist[1] and has always assumed office by affirmation rather than by a religious oath. However, he is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi[2] and claims to have seen stars when she hugged him.[3]

Gallery

References

Wikinews has related news: World's defense chiefs meet in Singapore.
  1. ^ a b A lifestyle sans God, DNA India Interesting facts about 2009 Indian cabinet, NDTV
  2. ^ a b `Amma, The Abode Of Peace' (Speech by A. K. Antony), 27 Sep. 2001; published: Matruvani, Feb. 2002.
  3. ^ a b Paul Zachariah: Lakshmi of our times, Tehelka, June 2007.
  4. ^ "Composition and Functions of the Federal Cabinet Committees (as on 30.08.2011)". Cabinet Secretariat. 30 August 2011. http://cabsec.nic.in/files/allocation/cabinet_committees.pdf. Retrieved 14 December 2011. 
  5. ^ "Antony pays respects to his mother on her anniversary in 2009". The Hindu. http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article48129.ece. Retrieved 2012-02-19. 
  6. ^ "Know your ministers: A K Antony". The Times of India. http://m.timesofindia.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-4569242.cms. Retrieved 2012-02-19. 
  7. ^ M. A. John, Congress leader, passes away, The Hindu, 23 Feb. 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Antony: Mr Clean of Indian politics sworn in as Cabinet Minister". http://www.whereincity.com/news/3/9998. Retrieved 2012-02-15. 
  9. ^ "Chief Ministers, Ministers and Leaders of Opposition in Kerala: Biographical Sketches and other data". Niyamasabha. 26 February 2011. http://niyamasabha.org/codes/Chief%20Ministers%20Book%20Final.pdf. Retrieved 14 December 2011. 
  10. ^ No allegations against AK Antony in Sugar import scandal: Possible successors to Manmohan Singh CNBC - 27 May 2009
  11. ^ After Antony call, Army chief orders aide’s court-martial iExpress India - January 30, 2010
  12. ^ Can’t tolerate single case of graft in Army: Antony iExpress India - January 31, 2010
  13. ^ Defense minister warns against corruption of Indian Armed Forces by outsiders in India uPI.com - January 30, 2010
  14. ^ A K Antony recommends CBI probe into Adarsh scam India Today - November 10, 2010
  15. ^ No cover up will happen in Adarsh scam: AK Antony Daily News and Analysis - November 10, 2010
  16. ^ Nobody will be spared in Adarsh scam: A K Antony CNN iBN - November 10, 2010
  17. ^ "The Gandhians amidst us: AK Antony". http://news.in.msn.com/specials/news_photos.aspx?cp-documentid=5278352&page=2. Retrieved 2012-02-15. 
  18. ^ "A.K. Antony, Congress". http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/A.K.+Antony,+Congress/1/43286.htm. Retrieved 2012-02-15. 
  19. ^ "India's New Defence Minister: The Dilemma of Honesty or Efficiency". http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=7769. Retrieved 2012-02-15. 
  20. ^ "Top 10: The most powerful Indians in 2012". The Indian Express. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/the-most-powerful-indians-in-2012-no.-110/916161/0. Retrieved 2012-02-15. 
  21. ^ "Stanford University Degree
 Conferral 
Candidates :
 2008‐2009
 Winter". http://facultysenate.stanford.edu/2008_2009/reports/SenD6202_degree_cand_wntr_08_09.pdf. Retrieved 2012-02-12. 
  22. ^ "Ajith Paul Antony, younger son to debut in films". http://www.deccanherald.com/content/105378/ak-antonys-son-debut-films.html. Retrieved 2012-02-12. 

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Political offices
Preceded by
Kannoth Karunakaran		 Chief Minister of Kerala
1977–1978		 Succeeded by
Padayatt Kesavapillai Vasudevan Nair
Chief Minister of Kerala
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Erambala Krishnan Nayanar
Preceded by
Erambala Krishnan Nayanar		 Chief Minister of Kerala
2001–2004		 Succeeded by
Oommen Chandy
Preceded by
 Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
1993–1995		 Succeeded by
Preceded by
Pranab Mukherjee		 Minister of Defence
2006–present		 Incumbent
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