->SdkbBot at 09:53, 4 January 2022

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{{short description|Indian Politician}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Amit Mitra
| image = Amit Mitra - Kolkata 2011-08-02 4269.JPG
| imagesize = 220px
| caption = Mitra in 2011
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|12|20|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| residence =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office = Chief Adviser to CM of West Bengal (Incumbent)
[[Cabinet Minister]] [[Government of West Bengal]]
| term = 2011 - 2021
| governor = [[M. K. Narayanan]] [[D. Y. Patil]] [[Keshari Nath Tripathi]] [[Jagdeep Dhankhar]]
| 1blankname = Department
| 1namedata = * Finance
* Planning and Statistics and Programme Monitoring
| 2blankname = [[List of Chief Ministers of West Bengal|Chief Minister]]
| 2namedata = [[Mamata Banerjee]]
| predecessor = * [[Asim Dasgupta]] (''Finance'')
* [[Tapas Roy]] (''Planning and Statistics and Programme Monitoring'')
* [[Partha Chatterjee (politician)|Partha Chatterjee]] (''Public Enterprises and Commerce and Industry'')
* [[Bratya Basu]] (''Information Technology and Electronics'')
* [[Shyam Mukherjee (politician)|Shyam Mukherjee]] (''Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise and Textile'')
| successor = * [[Partha Chatterjee (politician)|Partha Chatterjee]] (''Commerce and Industry and Information Technology and Electronics'')
* [[Subrata Mukherjee]] ('' Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction '')
* [[Chandranath Sinha]] (''Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise and Textile'')
* [[Mamata Banerjee]] (''Finance'')
* [[Tapas Roy]] (''Planning and Statistics and Programme Monitoring'')
| office2 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of]] [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
| constituency2 = [[Khardaha (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Khardaha]]
| term_start2 = 2011
| term_end2 = 2021
| predecessor2 = [[Asim Dasgupta]]
| successor2 = [[Kajal Sinha]] (posthumously)
| prime minister2 =
| president3 =
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| party = [[All India Trinamool Congress]]
| office3 = [[Special Adviser]] [[Government of West Bengal]]
| term_start3 = 10 Nov 2021
| occupation = [[Economist]] [[Politician]]
| relatives = [[Bela Mitra]] (mother) Haridas Mitra (father)
| spouse = Meera Balakrishnan
| college =
| children = 1 daughter
| alma_mater = {{nowrap| [[Presidency College, Kolkata]] ([[B.A.]]) [[University of Delhi]] ([[M.A.]]) [[Duke University]] ([[Ph.D.]]) }}
| profession =
| faculty =
| website =
| date = |
| year = |
| source =
| 1namedata1 = *
* [[Ministry of Finance (West Bengal)|Finance]] (''20 May 2011-9 Nov 2021'')
* Planning and Statistics and Programme Monitoring (''10 May 2021-9 Nov 2021'')
* [[Ministry of Information Technology and Electronics (West Bengal)|Information Technology and Electronics & e-Governance]] (''2018-2021'')
* [[Ministry of Industrial Reconstruction (West Bengal)|Industrial Reconstruction]] (''2014-2021'')
* [[Ministry of Public Enterprises (West Bengal)|Public Enterprises]] (''2014-2021'')
* [[Ministry of Commerce & Industries (West Bengal)|Commerce and Industry]] (''2014-2021'')
* Micro, Small & Medium Enterprise and Textile (''2013-2021'')
| 1blankname1 = Department
}}

'''Dr. Amit Mitra''' is an Indian economist and politician and the current Special Advisor to [[Chief Minister of West Bengal]] on [[Finance]]. Previously he was the Finance, Commerce & Industries Minister of the [[Government of West Bengal|government]] of Indian state of [[West Bengal]]. He was the incumbent [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] in the West Bengal state assembly from the [[Khardaha (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Khardaha]] state assembly constituency. Cited as a [[Upset (competition)|giant killer]] in the [[2011 West Bengal state assembly election]] defeating [[Asim Dasgupta]], the former West Bengal Finance Minister.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://eciresults.nic.in/ConstituencywiseS25109.htm|title = Khardaha|work = Assembly Elections May 2011 Results| publisher = Election Commission of India |access-date = 2011-05-13 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://eci.nic.in/archive/ElectionAnalysis/AE/S25/Partycomp134.htm |title = 134 – Khardah Assembly Constituency |work = Partywise Comparison Since 1977 | publisher = Election Commission of India|access-date = 2011-05-11 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/statisticalreports/electionstatistics.asp |title=Statistical Reports of Assembly Elections |access-date=2010-10-15 |work=General Election Results and Statistics |publisher=Election Commission of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005110118/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/ElectionStatistics.asp |archive-date=5 October 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mitra previously served as the Secretary general of the [[Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry]] (FICCI).

==Family==
Son of Haridas Mitra, a freedom fighter and former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and [[Bela Mitra]]. His maternal grandfather was Suresh Chandra Bose, elder brother of [[Subhas Chandra Bose|Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose]]. Both Suresh Chandra Bose and Haridas Mitra were part of the secret service team of [[Azad Hind Fauj]]. Bela Mitra took charge of the secret service of Azad Hind Fauj from Haridas Mitra. [[Belanagar railway station]] in Howrah district on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line, is named after her.<ref name=mitra1>{{cite news| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110329/jsp/bengal/story_13779736.jsp |title = Clash of the economics class In politics, Amit Mitra is in business| publisher = The Telegraph 29 March 2011|access-date = 2011-05-11|location=Calcutta, India|first=Devadeep|last=Purohit|date=2011-03-29}}</ref>

==Education==
Mitra went to [[Calcutta Boys' School]] and graduated from [[Presidency University, Kolkata|Presidency College]] when it was an affiliate of the [[University of Calcutta]] with a degree in Economics. He was a notable debater in West Bengal inter-college debate competitions.<ref>records of Presidency College, Calcutta.</ref> Mitra received a Masters from the [[Delhi School of Economics]], [[University of Delhi]] and, in 1978, a PhD from [[Duke University]] in the USA.<ref name=mitra1/><ref name=duke_alumnilist/> Dr. Mitra is included in [[Duke University]]'s list of distinguished alumni.<ref name=duke_alumnilist>{{cite web|url = http://about.duke.edu/distinguished-alumni| title = Distinguished Alumni|publisher = Duke University|access-date = 2011-05-18| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110527005301/http://about.duke.edu/distinguished-alumni| archive-date= 27 May 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Early career==
He taught at [[Duke University]] and [[Franklin & Marshall College]] for over a decade before returning to India. He received the prestigious Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, 1990.<ref>{{cite web|title=Business Leadership Awards 2010 Jury Members|url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/bla10/jury.aspx|publisher=NDTV|access-date=2011-05-18}}</ref><ref name=ficci_about>{{cite web|url = http://www.ficci.com/about-sg.asp|title = Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry Office Bearers|publisher = FICCI|access-date = 2011-05-18|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615074023/http://www.ficci.com/about-sg.asp|archive-date = 15 June 2011|url-status = dead}}</ref>

He joined the [[Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry]] and rose to be its secretary-general.<ref name=mitra1/> He resigned as secretary-general of FICCI on May 18, 2011 upon his election as state assembly representative.
<ref name=mitra_resigns_ficci>{{cite news|url =http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110519/jsp/business/story_14001429.jsp|title=Mitra says goodbye to Ficci|publisher=The Telegraph, Calcutta, India|access-date = 2011-05-18|date=2011-05-19}}</ref> During his tenure, he transformed FICCI into a professional organisation to research and formulate India's policy during its [[Economic liberalisation in India|economic liberalisation]]. The number of conferences organised by FICCI rose from 10 to 500 between 1994 and 2011 and its revenues saw an increase from Rs 3 crore to Rs 110 crore during the period Dr. Mitra presided over its activities.<ref name=mitra_resigns_ficci />

He served as an Additional Director of [[Steel Authority of India|Steel Authority of India Ltd]] from March 25, 2003 to March 24, 2006. At the request of [[Mamata Banerjee]], the railway minister, he headed a panel to draw up business plans for the public-private partnership projects of the railways. He has been on the government's advisory committee on the [[World Trade Organization]] and the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council. He was associated with Planning Commission as a member of the expert group on equitable development.<ref>{{cite news| url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090710/jsp/frontpage/story_11219523.jsp |title = Mamata, the business mitra | publisher = The Telegraph 10 July 2009|access-date = 2011-05-11|location=Calcutta, India|date=2009-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=7815091&ticker=7685716&previousCapId=8032555&previousTitle=National%20Aviation%20Company%20of%20India%20Limited|title = Executive Profile:Amit Mitra | publisher = Bloomberg Businessweek |access-date = 2011-05-12 }}</ref> He has also been appointed a member on the Board of Air India-National Aviation Company of India Ltd. (NACIL). He is also on the Board of IL&FS –CDI, a hundred per cent subsidiary of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited (IL&FS) which is one of India's leading infrastructure development and finance company, Also on the Board of Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC).

Dr Mitra was also a Member on the Advisory Board of the India Fund of the Unit Trust of India (UTI), Member, Advisory Board of Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd., a marketing subsidiary of Microsoft in India, Member, Central Listing Authority, established by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Member, Life Insurance Council, Member of the ‘Eminent Persons Group’ established by the UNCTAD Secretary General on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)- 2006, Member, Consultative Group set up by the Inter-State Council Secretariat (ISCS), Member, Committee on Public-Private Partnership in the area of Defence (2004–2005), Member, Advisory Committee on Competition Advocacy for advising Competition Commission of India, Member, Expert Committee to formulate energy Policy by Planning Commission (2005–06), Member of the "India-China Eminent Persons Group" from the Indian side, and Member, Advisory Committee to Union Commerce Minister of India on International Trade (WTO), and Member of the "Indo – EU Roundtable" from the Indian side (initiated by Government of India and the EU). He is a Member of the Joint Study Groups set up between the Governments of India-China, India-Japan, India-Israel, India-Korea & Indo-Russia. He is also represented on various sectoral Committees/Sub-Groups constituted by the National Manufacturing Competitive Council and the Planning Commission, Member of the ‘Expert Group on Equitable Development’ set up by the Planning Commission for preparing the Eleventh Five Year Plan. He was also Trustee of India Brand Equity Foundation. He was appointed in the two-member committee by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India for suggesting Alternative Scheme of Collecting Excise Duties.

==Political career==
Amit Mitra joined [[All India Trinamool Congress]] on the invitation of [[Mamata Banerjee]]<ref>{{cite web|title=FICCI's Amit Mitra joins Trinamool Congress|url=http://www.inewsone.com/2011/03/14/ficcis-amit-mitra-joins-trinamool-congress/35519|publisher=News One|access-date=20 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623150706/http://www.inewsone.com/2011/03/14/ficcis-amit-mitra-joins-trinamool-congress/35519|archive-date=23 June 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and contested during the [[2011 West Bengal state assembly election|state assembly election of 2011]] from the Khardaha state assembly constituency. He was attributed a [[Upset (competition)|giant killer]] after the election as he defeated state Finance Minister [[Asim Dasgupta]] by a margin of 26,154 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.inewsone.com/2011/05/13/ficci-leader-amit-mitra-kolkata-mayor-win/50285|title = FICCI leader Amit Mitra, Kolkata mayor win|publisher = News One|access-date = 2011-05-19|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110517222815/http://www.inewsone.com/2011/05/13/ficci-leader-amit-mitra-kolkata-mayor-win/50285|archive-date = 17 May 2011|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref> Asim Dasgupta was elected from the Khardaha constituency previously five times in a row during the state assembly elections of 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006.

Amit Mitra was sworn in as a minister on May 20, 2011 and was given the Finance and Excise portfolio.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mitra given Finance, Partha commerce/industries|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/wb-finances-not-at-all-good-new-fm-mitra/153055-37-64.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522031604/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/wb-finances-not-at-all-good-new-fm-mitra/153055-37-64.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 May 2011|publisher=IBN Live|access-date=20 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110521/images/21ministry.jpg | title = The Ministry | publisher = The Telegraph, 21 May 2011 | access-date = 2011-05-21 | location = Calcutta, India | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026071516/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110521/images/21ministry.jpg | archive-date = 26 October 2012 | url-status = dead | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Amit Mitra has opined that the ‘minimal capital expenditure’ made over a long period by the state government has led to the state of bankruptcy. He feels that the state's financial condition can be improved with a flow of investments and expansion of the state's existing industrial units.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-amit-mitras-recipe-to-revive-bengals-economy/20110323.htm |title = Amit Mitra's recipe to revive Bengal's economy | publisher = rediffbusiness 23 March 2011 |access-date = 2011-05-11 }}</ref>

==Awards==
Amit Mitra is a [[Padma Shree]] Award Winner from [[Government of India]] in the year 2008 .<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/mamata-picks-ficci-boss-amit-mitra-to-take-on-finance-minister-asim/762610/|title = Mamata picks Ficci boss Amit Mitra to take on Finance Minister Asim | publisher = Express News Service, 15 March 2011 |access-date = 2011-05-11 }}</ref> The Japanese government conferred the `Order of the Rising Sun' on Amit Mitra in 2005 by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. The award was presented for his contribution towards promotion of friendly relations between India and Japan.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2006/04/30/stories/2006043003240200.htm |title = Japanese honour for Amit Mitra| publisher = The Hindu Business Line 30 April 2005|access-date = 2011-05-11 }}</ref> He is also the recipient of highest civilian Awards conferred by President of the Republic of Italy in 2007.<ref name=ficci_about/>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://wbassembly.gov.in/MLA_WhosWho.aspx Dr. Amit Mitra] - [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly|WB Assembly]] Profile
* [https://www.ukibc.com/profile-dr-amit-mitra-leading-bengali-renaissance/ Profile]
{{Commons category|Amit Mitra}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Trade & Industry}}
{{Bose family}}
{{West Bengal Legislative Assembly2}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitra, Amit}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Indian economists]]
[[Category:Presidency University, Kolkata alumni]]
[[Category:University of Calcutta alumni]]
[[Category:Delhi School of Economics alumni]]
[[Category:University of Delhi alumni]]
[[Category:Duke University alumni]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 2011–2016]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 2016–2021]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:All India Trinamool Congress politicians from West Bengal]]
[[Category:State cabinet ministers of West Bengal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in trade and industry]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian economists]]
[[Category:1947 births]]

Amit Mitra - Revision history

->SdkbBot at 09:53, 4 January 2022