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Pranati Phukan

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Pranati Phukan
Cabinet Minister, Government of Assam
In office
30 May 2011 – 26 January 2015
Chief MinisterTarun Gogoi
Portfolios
  • Handloom and Textiles
  • Sericulture
  • Cultural Affairs
Preceded byPranab Gogoi (Handloom and Textiles, Sericulture)
Bharat Narah (Cultural Affairs)
Succeeded byBismita Gogoi
Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly
In office
31 May 2006 – 16 May 2011
SpeakerTanka Bahadur Rai
Preceded byTanka Bahadur Rai
Succeeded byBhimananda Tanti
Minister of State, Government of Assam
In office
7 June 2002 – 6 July 2004
Chief MinisterTarun Gogoi
Portfolios
  • Revenue
  • Cultural Affairs
Member, Assam Legislative Assembly
In office
12 June 1996 – 19 May 2016
Preceded bySasha Kamal Handique
Succeeded byNaren Sonowal
ConstituencyNaharkatia
Personal details
Born (1963-04-24) 24 April 1963 (age 61)
Sivasagar
Political partyIndian National Congress (1996-present)
Spouse
Hari Phukan
(m. 1984, died)
Children2
Parent(s)Dhamaswar Chetia (father)
Kaushayla Chetia (mother)
Alma materGargaon College

Pranati Phukan (née Chetia; born 24 April 1963) is a former minister, deputy speaker and member of Assam Legislative Assembly.[1][2][3][4]

Early life and education

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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.[1]

Political career

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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.[5] She defeated the incumbent member Sashakamal Handique. She polled 26333 votes, 44.12% of the constituency, defeating Handique by 30035 votes.[5]

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.[5] She was made Minister of State for Revenue and Cultural Affairs on 7 June 2002 and served until the 6 July 2004.[1]

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.[5]

Phukan inaugurating the Public Information Campaign on Bharat Nirman in Duliajan 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.[6] 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.

Culture Minister

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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.[7]

She resigned from her post on 19 January 2015, ahead of a cabinet reshuffle in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet.[8] She was later succeeded by Bismita Gogoi.[9]

Post-ministerial career

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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."[10] She received 42520 votes, losing to AGP candidate Naren Sonowal by 3531 votes.[5]

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.[5]

Personal life

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Phukan married the late Hari Phukan in 1984. She had a son and a daughter.[1][2] 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.[1]

Her son, Rituraj Phukan, died in a boating accident in 2010.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "tmp2D.htm". legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Pranati Phukan from Naharkatia: Early Life, Controversy & Political Career – Sentinelassam". www.sentinelassam.com. 22 March 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Assam Ministers Get Portfoloios". www.indiatvnews.com. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Cong leader Pranati Phukan eyes fifth win". The Times of India. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Naharkatia Assembly Constituency Election Result – Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Pranati Phukan elected Dy Speaker in Asom Assembly". 31 May 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Charaideo awaits facelift for World Heritage tag". The Times of India. TNN. 10 September 2014. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  8. ^ Talukdar, Sushanta (19 January 2015). "14 Congress Ministers resign ahead of Cabinet reshuffle in Assam". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Portfolios allocated to new Assam ministers". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Cong leader Pranati Phukan eyes fifth win". The Times of India. TNN. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Ex-minister's son dies in boat mishap". 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.