>Chris the speller at 15:13, 16 December 2021

2021-12-16T15:13:54Z

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{{Short description|Indian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name=Harsh Dev Singh
|native_name=
|image=
|caption=
|birth_date=
|birth_place=Ramnagar, Jammu and Kashmir
|death_date=
|death_place=
|order=
|office=Chairman of [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]]
|term_start=27 November 2012
|office1=Education Minister of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]]
|term_start1=2002
|term_end1=2008
|governor1=[[Srinivas Kumar Sinha]]
|deputy1=
|predecessor1=
|successor1=[[President's rule|Governor's rule]]
|office2=Member of [[Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]]
|term_start2=1996
|term_end2=2014
|office3=
|primeminister3=
|term_start3=
|term_end3=
|predecessor3=
|successor3=
|office4=
|term_start4=
|term_end4=
|predecessor4=
|term_start5=
|term_end5=
|term_start6=
|term_end6=
|successor6=
|party=[[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]]
|education=[[University of Jammu]]
|residence=
|alma mater=
|parents=Thakur Das
|spouse=
|children=
|relations=[[Dogra dynasty]]
|predecessor=[[Bhim Singh (politician)|Bhim Singh]]
|constituency2=[[Ramnagar, Udhampur|Ramnagar]]
|predecessor2=Chandhu Lal
|successor2=Ranbir Singh Pathania
}}
'''Harsh Dev Singh''' is the Indian politician. He became the Chairman of the [[Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party]] in 2012.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/harsh-dev-singh-new-chairperson-of-jknpp/story-y8lHd3uhyhHOkARoCM1ifJ.html|title=Harsh Dev Singh new chairperson of JKNPP also known as Sher-a-Duggar|date=2012-10-29|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref> Under his tenure as the Minister of Education of [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]], English became a compulsory language from [[first grade]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2003/02/16/stories/2003021603591100.htm|title=English will be medium of instruction in Govt. schools|website=[[The Hindu]]|date=2003-02-16|access-date=2017-01-01}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Harsh Dev is a leading proponent of [[secular]] values in his state torn by the terrorist [[insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Headlines Today|title=Panther party MLAs disrupt house in Jammu and Kashmir assembly|date=2014-08-28|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FoqW11I4do|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

== Early life ==
His father was Thakur Das, who died in 1996 the year Harsh Dev Singh won his first Legislative Assembly election.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://earlytimes.in/m/newsdet.aspx?q=102680|title=Warns Omar, Azad, Taj to disclose assets or face action, Singh Plays Bhim|website=Early Times|access-date=1 January 2016}}</ref>

Harsh Dev Singh graduated from [[Sainik School, Nagrota|Sainik School Nagrota]] in 1977. He earned a Bachelor's in Commerce followed by a Masters in English from Jammu University in 1982. He returned to [[Jammu University]] to earn a Bachelors of Law in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://myneta.info/jk2008/candidate.php?candidate_id=952|title=Harsh Dev Singh|website=myneta.info|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Member of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly ===
Harsh Dev Singh has won three elections from the [[Ramnagar, Udhampur|Ramnagar]] constituency and served as a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly continuously for 18 years from 1996 till 2014. In his first term he received the Best Legislator Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.statetimes.in/harsh-to-train-62-first-time-mlasmlcs/|title=Harsh to train 62 first time MLAs/MLCs - State Times|website=State Times|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

=== Minister of Education, 2002 ===
Harsh Dev Singh was sworn in as the minister of education after the [[2002 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election]]s. He was the first ever cabinet minister from the Panthers Party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/election/2002/nov/02jk3.htm|title=rediff.com: Sayeed sworn-in as J&K chief minister|website=Rediff|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

Under Harsh Dev, English became the compulsory language from first grade in all government schools. In his term as education minister the government opened 220000000 new degree colleges. Prior to which 32 colleges had been established in a 100 years time. They also opened 10000 new schools.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives2005/kashmir20050817b.html|title=Suchetgarh- Sialkote Road To Boost Trade: Mufti|website=www.jammu-kashmir.com|publisher=Daily Excelsior|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

To deal with teaching staff shortages in remote areas, Harsh Dev moved 2,800 teachers from cities back to their original rural postings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenewsnow.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=16830|title=BJP-PDP coalition govt has no education policy: Harsh Dev - The News Now|last=Malhan|first=Adhiraj|website=The News Now|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

=== Chairman of Panthers Party, 2012 ===
Bhim Singh who had been the Chairman of the Panthers Party for 30 years nominated Harsh Dev Singh to the position on 27 November 2012 to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|Instrument of Accession]] signed between the Maharaja and India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kashmirlife.net/harsh-dev-singh-9320/|title=Harsh Dev Singh|website=[[Kashmir Life]]|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

=== Dogra Heritage ===
He has called for the recognition of Dogra heritage and the [[Dogri language]] citing the stable governance it once provided the nation under the Maharaja from 1846 to 1947 when the [[Kashmir conflict]] based on religious differences broke out in the state.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jammu-kashmir/politics/need-to-include-dogriyat-in-j-k-policy-panthers-party/280734.html|title=Need to include 'Dogriyat' in J&K policy: Panthers Party|website=Tribune India|access-date=1 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.jammulinksnews.com/newsdetail/111120/Jammu-Links-News-JKNPP_protests_against_omission_of_Dogri_Language_in_new_currency_notes|title=JKNPP protests against omission of Dogri Language in new currency notes|website=Jammu Links News|access-date=2017-01-01}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
His uncle [[Bhim Singh (politician)|Bhim Singh]] is founder of the Panthers Party. His cousin [[Balwant Singh Mankotia|Balwant Singh]] is the state President of the Panthers Party and his cousin Ankit Love is the leader of the [[One Love Party]] in Great Britain.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Singh, Harsh Dev}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian politicians]]
[[Category:University of Jammu alumni]]

Harsh Dev Singh - Revision history

>Chris the speller at 15:13, 16 December 2021