Amit Mitra
Encyclopedia
Amit Mitra is an India
n economist and politician representing All India Trinamool Congress
and the current Finance Minister
of the Indian state of West Bengal
. He is the incumbent MLA
in the West Bengal state assembly from the Khardaha
state assembly constituency. Cited as a giant killer
in the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
defeating Asim Dasgupta
, the former West Bengal Finance Minister. Mitra previously served as the Secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
and graduated from Presidency College with a degree in Economics. During college life he was one of the best debaters in West Bengal in inter-college debate competitions. Dr. Mitra secured his masters from the Delhi School of Economics
and further completed his PhD in 1978 from Duke University
in the USA. Dr. Mitra is also included in Duke University
's list of distinguished alumni.
Dr. Mitra considers Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
, Dr. Amartya Sen
and K. N. Raj among his teachers.
and Franklin & Marshall College
for over a decade before returning to India. He received the prestigious Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, 1990.
He joined the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and rose to be its secretary-general. He resigned as secretary-general of FICCI on May 18, 2011 upon his election as state assembly representative.
During his tenure, he transformed FICCI into a professional organisation to research and formulate India's policy during its 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.
He served as an Additional Director of 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 Organisation and the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council. He was associated with Planning Commission as a member of the expert group on equitable development. 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.
on the invitation of Mamata Banerjee
and contested during the state assembly election of 2011
from the Khardaha state assembly constituency. He was attributed a giant killer
after the election as he defeated state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta
by a margin of 26,154 votes. 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.
Dr. Amit Mitra is in the Executive Council of Vivekananda International Foundation, (VIF) is a New Delhi-based think tank set up with the collaborative efforts of India's leading security experts, diplomats, industrialists and philanthropists under the aegis of the Vivekananda Kendra.
The left front scoffed at Amit Mitra as not merely being a candidate contesting on a Trinamool Congress ticket. They reflected, “He represents the real neoliberal face of TMC hidden under the garb of populist demagogy.”
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n economist and politician representing All India Trinamool Congress
All India Trinamool Congress
The All India Trinamool Congress is a state political party in West Bengal. Founded in 1 January 1998, the party is led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress is currently the second largest member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition...
and the current Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
of the Indian state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. He is the incumbent MLA
MLA
- Organizations :* Modern Language Association, United States of America** The MLA Style Manual, its works cited page guidelines* Massachusetts Library Association* Medical Library Association, United States...
in the West Bengal state assembly from the Khardaha
Khardaha (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
Trinamool Congress did not contest this seat in 2006-1977-2006:In the 2006, 2001, 1996, 1991 and 1987 state assembly elections, Asim Dasgupta of CPI, won the Khardaha seat defeating his nearest rivals Mahadeb Basak of BJP in 2006, Ranjit Kumar Mukherjee of Trinamool Congress in 2001, Chinmoy...
state assembly constituency. Cited as a giant killer
Giant-killing (disambiguation)
Giant-killing or giant killer may refer to:*Upset, in a contest, especially in sport, when an underdog beats the strong favourite*killing a literal giant **Jack the Giant-Killer, fairy story**Jack the Giant Killer...
in the West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
The West Bengal state assembly election, 2011 was held in six phases between 18 April and 10 May 2011 for all the 294 seats of the Vidhan Sabha in the state of West Bengal in India. The Trinamool Congress won an absolute majority of seats. Swami Ramdev backed Mamta and actively campaigned with his...
defeating Asim Dasgupta
Asim Dasgupta
Dr. Asim Dasgupta, also known as Dr. Asim Kumar Dasgupta, was the Minister for Finance and Excise in the Left Front ministry in the Indian state of West Bengal. He was the MLA of Khardaha constituency for twenty-four years until 13 May 2011, when he was defeated by FICCI secretary general Amit...
, the former West Bengal Finance Minister. Mitra previously served as the Secretary general of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Family
The son of Haridas Mitra, a former Deputy Speaker of the West Bengal legislative assembly and Bela Mitra, his maternal grand-father was Suresh Chandra Bose, elder brother of 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, a railway station on the Howrah-Bardhaman chord line, is named after her.Education
Mitra was schooled at Calcutta Boys' SchoolCalcutta Boys' School
Calcutta Boys' School was founded by the Rev. James Mills Thoburn , and was opened in 1877...
and graduated from Presidency College with a degree in Economics. During college life he was one of the best debaters in West Bengal in inter-college debate competitions. Dr. Mitra secured his masters from the Delhi School of Economics
Delhi School of Economics
Delhi School of Economics , commonly referred to as DSE or D School, is a centre of post graduate learning of the University of Delhi. The centre is situated in the university's North Campus in Maurice Nagar, and is surrounded by a host of other prestigious academic institutions of the country...
and further completed his PhD in 1978 from Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
in the USA. Dr. Mitra is also included in Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
's list of distinguished alumni.
Dr. Mitra considers Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
, Dr. Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen
Amartya Sen, CH is an Indian economist who was awarded the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his contributions to welfare economics and social choice theory, and for his interest in the problems of society's poorest members...
and K. N. Raj among his teachers.
Early career
He taught at Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
for over a decade before returning to India. He received the prestigious Sears-Roebuck Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching, 1990.
He joined the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and rose to be its secretary-general. He resigned as secretary-general of FICCI on May 18, 2011 upon his election as state assembly representative.
During his tenure, he transformed FICCI into a professional organisation to research and formulate India's policy during its 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.
He served as an Additional Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd from March 25, 2003 to March 24, 2006. At the request of Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
, 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 Organisation and the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council. He was associated with Planning Commission as a member of the expert group on equitable development. 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 CongressAll India Trinamool Congress
The All India Trinamool Congress is a state political party in West Bengal. Founded in 1 January 1998, the party is led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress is currently the second largest member of the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition...
on the invitation of Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee is the 11th and current chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal. She is the first woman to hold the office. Banerjee founded All India Trinamool Congress in 1997 and became chairperson, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
and contested during the state assembly election of 2011
West Bengal state assembly election, 2011
The West Bengal state assembly election, 2011 was held in six phases between 18 April and 10 May 2011 for all the 294 seats of the Vidhan Sabha in the state of West Bengal in India. The Trinamool Congress won an absolute majority of seats. Swami Ramdev backed Mamta and actively campaigned with his...
from the Khardaha state assembly constituency. He was attributed a giant killer
Giant-killing (disambiguation)
Giant-killing or giant killer may refer to:*Upset, in a contest, especially in sport, when an underdog beats the strong favourite*killing a literal giant **Jack the Giant-Killer, fairy story**Jack the Giant Killer...
after the election as he defeated state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta
Asim Dasgupta
Dr. Asim Dasgupta, also known as Dr. Asim Kumar Dasgupta, was the Minister for Finance and Excise in the Left Front ministry in the Indian state of West Bengal. He was the MLA of Khardaha constituency for twenty-four years until 13 May 2011, when he was defeated by FICCI secretary general Amit...
by a margin of 26,154 votes. 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.
Awards
Amit Mitra is a Padma Shree Award Winner. 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. He is also the recipient of highest civilian Awards conferred by President of the Republic of Italy in 2007.Ideology
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.Dr. Amit Mitra is in the Executive Council of Vivekananda International Foundation, (VIF) is a New Delhi-based think tank set up with the collaborative efforts of India's leading security experts, diplomats, industrialists and philanthropists under the aegis of the Vivekananda Kendra.
The left front scoffed at Amit Mitra as not merely being a candidate contesting on a Trinamool Congress ticket. They reflected, “He represents the real neoliberal face of TMC hidden under the garb of populist demagogy.”