Debi Prasad Pal
Encyclopedia
Debi Prasad Pal is a Senior Advocate practicing in the Supreme Court of India
and High Courts of India
. He is a former Minister of State for Finance, a former Judge
of Calcutta High Court
and a three-time former Member of Parliament
(MP) in Lok Sabha
.
. His father was noted scholar and educationist Aswini Kumar Pal and mother was Sarala Bala Pal. He did his bachelors studies in Presidency College and got his M.A. degree from Calcutta University. He was awarded the prestigious Doctor of Letters
(D.Litt.) degree soon after that for his outstanding contribution to English literature. He got his Doctor of Laws
(LL.D.) degree in 1961 for his seminal work. He stood first throughout his academic career. He is the son-in-law of Justice Radhabinod Pal, who was an International Judge.
. He beat his political and legal guru Ashoke Kumar Sen
by a huge margin. He was chosen to be the Union Minister of State for Finance by the then Prime Minister of India P. V. Narasimha Rao
. He worked with Finance Minister Manmohan Singh
, the current Prime Minister of India. He was also elected for the Lok Sabha in the years 1991 and 1996. He briefly joined Trinamool Congress after getting an invitation from its leader Mamata Banerjee
but eventually came back to the Congress.
along with the then Prime Minister of India Atal Behari Vajpayee as India's representative. He was the chairman of the Finance Commission of India and a member of the Planning Commission of India.
and High Courts of India
. He is considered to be one of the fine lawyers of India in taxation matters. He was one of the highest paid lawyers and was one of the highest income-tax payers in India.
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
and High Courts of India
High Courts of India
India's unitary judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the national level, for the entire country and the 21 High Courts at the State level. These courts have jurisdiction over a state, a union territory or a group of states and union territories...
. He is a former Minister of State for Finance, a former Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of Calcutta High Court
Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William on 1 July 1862 under the High Courts Act, 1861. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court...
and a three-time former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) in Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
.
Early life and education
Debi Prasad Pal was born in 1927 in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. His father was noted scholar and educationist Aswini Kumar Pal and mother was Sarala Bala Pal. He did his bachelors studies in Presidency College and got his M.A. degree from Calcutta University. He was awarded the prestigious Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
(D.Litt.) degree soon after that for his outstanding contribution to English literature. He got his Doctor of Laws
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
(LL.D.) degree in 1961 for his seminal work. He stood first throughout his academic career. He is the son-in-law of Justice Radhabinod Pal, who was an International Judge.
Legal career
Dr. Pal started practicing in the Calcutta High Court in 1959. He was thereafter appointed as a justice in the High Court but resigned within 6 months to rejoin private practice.Political career
He started his political journey as a member of the Congress party. He contested the Lok Sabha election for the first time in 1989. He was selected by the Congress (I) for the Calcutta North-West parliamentary constituencyCalcutta North West (Lok Sabha constituency)
Calcutta North West was one of the 543 parliamentary constituencies in India. The constituency centred on the north-western part of Calcutta in West Bengal.-Assembly segments:...
. He beat his political and legal guru Ashoke Kumar Sen
Ashoke Kumar Sen
Ashoke Kumar Sen was an Indian barrister, a former Cabinet minister of India, and an Indian parliamentarian....
by a huge margin. He was chosen to be the Union Minister of State for Finance by the then Prime Minister of India P. V. Narasimha Rao
P. V. Narasimha Rao
Pamulaparti Venkata "Narasimha Rao" was the ninth Prime Minister of India . He led an important administration, overseeing a major economic transformation and several home incidents affecting national security of India. Rao accelerated the dismantling of the Licence Raj. He is often referred to as...
. He worked with Finance Minister 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...
, the current Prime Minister of India. He was also elected for the Lok Sabha in the years 1991 and 1996. He briefly joined Trinamool Congress after getting an invitation from its leader 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...
but eventually came back to the Congress.
Union Minister of Finance
As Finance Minister, he went to the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
along with the then Prime Minister of India Atal Behari Vajpayee as India's representative. He was the chairman of the Finance Commission of India and a member of the Planning Commission of India.
Philanthropy
Dr. Pal is well known for his charity work. He is one of the founder members of Cancer Foundation of India.Senior Advocate
Currently he practices in the Supreme Court of IndiaSupreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial forum and final court of appeal as established by Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India...
and High Courts of India
High Courts of India
India's unitary judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the national level, for the entire country and the 21 High Courts at the State level. These courts have jurisdiction over a state, a union territory or a group of states and union territories...
. He is considered to be one of the fine lawyers of India in taxation matters. He was one of the highest paid lawyers and was one of the highest income-tax payers in India.