Dr. Harsh Vardhan is an Indian politician and is presently Minister for Health and Family Welfare in the Bharatiya Janata Party led National Democratic Alliance Government in 16th Lok Sabha. He is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) of the same from Chandni Chowk constituency in Delhi.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan has served in different honorary positions of BJP`s State Cabinet, including the Health Minter, Law Minister and Education Minister. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was the Chief Minister candidate for the BJP in the 2013 Delhi Assembly Election.
Early Life of Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Dr. Harsh Vardhan was born in Delhi to Om Prakash Goel and Snehalata. Haling from a Hindu family, Dr Harsha Vardhan finished his schooling from Anglo Sanskrit Victoria Jubilee Senior Secondary School, Daryaganj, in 1971. He also belongs to the Bania community; he attended Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College, Kanpur. From there he did his graduation in 1979 with Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. Later, he earned his Master of Surgery in Otolaryngology from Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College in 1983.
Political Career of Dr Harsha Vardhan
Dr. Harsh Vardhan began his regional political career when he became the member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). From childhood days, he was attracted to the principles of Anti Congress. He was elected from Krishna Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency in 1993 from the part of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Later, he became a member of the First Legislative Assembly of Delhi. He was appointed Minister of Health and Minister of Law in the Government of Delhi. He became Minister of Education in 1996. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was re-elected in the year 1998 and 2003. He won from the same seat in 2008 election as well, defeating his primary opponent Indian National Congress councillor Deepika Khullar.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, one of the most capable doctors in Delhi, is best known for advancement of Pulse Polio Programme. He launched it first in Delhi, which was then home to 10 percent of polio cases in India. Being Health minister of State in 1994, he organised the mass immunisation of 1.2 million children on 2nd October, the day remembered as Gandhi Jayanti. This polio programme was first to be implemented successfully in country. This Pulse Polio Programme was adopted throughout the nation by the Government of India at that time and now also. Now, according to World Health Organisation, India is the country where there is less amount of Polio affected children.
On 23 October 2013, Dr. Harsh Vardhan was named the Chief Minister candidate for Delhi Assembly elections by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bhartiya Janata Party emerged as the single largest party in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. The result of the election was declared on 8 December 2013.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan is the Member of Parliament (MP) from Chandni Chowk of Bhartiya Janata Party. He contested Lok Sabha election 2014, conducted by Election Commission of India from Chandni Chowk constituency on BJP ticket and won. He defeated former Law Minister Kapil Sibal from that constituency. Dr. Harsh Vardhan was sworn in as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare on 26th May 2014, in the Cabinet Ministry of Narendra Modi.
Awards and Honours of Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, a veteran doctor by profession and an important figure of launching successfully the Pulse Polio Programme, received several honours and awards. He received the IMA President`s Special Award of Appreciation by the Indian Medical Association in 1994. Later he received the Director-General`s Polio Eradication Champion Award Commendation Medal by the World Health Organization in 1998 for successfully launching the Polio Eradication Programme in India. He also received the Polio Eradication Champion Award by the Rotary International in 2001. He also received "Doctor of the last Decade" by Indian Medical Association`s New Delhi branch in 2002.
Personal Life of Dr. Harsh Vardhan
Dr. Harsh Vardhan is married to Nutan. The couple is blessed with two sons and a daughter.
