Lok Sabha MP RK Ranjan Singh became the fourth MP from Manipur to be inducted in the Union Council of Minister.
RK Ranjan, who was sworn in as Minister of State (MoS), was on Wednesday given the charge of External Affairs and Education, making him the fourth MP from the state to get an Union cabinet berth.
RK Jaichandra Singh was the first to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers from Manipur during the time of Rajiv Gandhi between 1985 and 1988 as the Union Minister for Sports and Youth affairs, and later on as the Chemicals and Petrochemicals Minister.
The second was Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency MP, Prof Meijinlung Kamson of the Congress party, who served as a Union Minister of State for Home Affairs from 1995–96.
Veteran politician and former BJP Manipur president, Th Chaoba was the third from Manipur to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers. Chaoba was appointed as MoS for Culture and Youth Affairs and Sports from October 13, 1999 to February 2, 2000 and MoS for Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Agriculture from May 27, 2000 to September 1, 2001.
RK Ranjan was elected from the Manipur Inner Parliamentary Constituency in the 17th Lok Sabha election, 2019.
Born on September 1, 1952 at Kongba Makha Nandeibam Leikai, Imphal East district, RK Ranjan Singh graduated with Honours from Dhanamanjury College, Imphal under Gauhati University in 1970 and Post Graduated in Geography from the Department of Geography, Gauhati University in 1972.
After getting his Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Geography, Gauhati University, he started his service career as a Lecturer in Geography at Ideal Girls’ College, Government of Manipur in 1973 and served till 1984.
Later, he was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth Science, Manipur University 1984 and went on to become Deputy Registrar of the Manipur University in 1985. He was the Registrar of the University during 2004 to 2008.
Dr Rajan also served as Director in-charge of the UGC Academic Staff College and College Development Director of Manipur University till his superannuation in the year 2012.
After retirement from active service, he joined electoral politics in the year 2013 as Bharatiya Janata Party member, Manipur Pradesh.
In 2014, he contested in the 16th Lok Sabha Election, from the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency as BJP candidate but was defeated by a Congress candidate.
He was also assigned Chairman State Vision Document BJP, Spokesperson of BJP, Manipur Pradesh, Office Modernization committee and Coordinator to Election Commission for BJP, Manipur Pradesh among others.
