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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Venkataraman, Ramaswamy


born December 4, 1910, Rajamadam, Madras [now Tamil Nadu], India

Indian politician, government official, and lawyer who was president of India from 1987 to 1992.

Venkataraman studied law at the University of Madras and began his legal practice in 1935. He became involved in India's independence struggle and was consequently jailed by the British (1942–44). After his release he continued to practice law, and in 1950 he was elected to independent India's Provisional Parliament as a member of the Congress Party. He subsequently was a member of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian parliament) from 1952 to 1957 and from 1977 onward. From 1957 to 1967 he was minister of industry and labour for the state of Madras. Venkataraman eventually joined the central government, serving as minister of finance and industry (1980–82) and minister of defense (1982–84). After serving as vice president of India in 1984–87, he was elected to the largely ceremonial post of president in July 1987.

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