Shourie adds ICT feather to his cap

CIOL Bureau, CNS

BANGALORE: With the IT and Communications ministry also under his belt, Shourie is seen as one of the most powerful ministers, already making inroads in the disinvestment of oil sector.

This is part of the cabinet revamp in the wake of the upcoming nine state elections and national poll in 2004, Mahajan along with Uma Bharati and Jana Krishnamuthy have been called back to work for the party. Taking over as the minister of an Industry, which has made India a super power, Shourie has a tough job ahead, especially after Mahajan had left a mark with his contributions (please look at CIOL for a detailed report.)

Born in Jullundur, Punjab, 61-year old Shourie had exposed major scandals and government corruption, including what is known as "India’s Watergate", during his journalistic days as the editor of Indian Express. He received his doctorate in economics from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, and served as an economist with the World Bank between 1967 and 1978. Shourie also worked from 1972 to 1974 as a consultant to the Indian Planning Commission, then the arena of major controversies within the government, and made his first foray into journalism by writing several critical articles on economic policy. He was appointed executive editor of the Indian Express on Jan. 1, 1979. A short stint as the executive editor of the Times of India in 1986, ended with Shourie being back in the Indian Express Group in 1987.






Shourie is learnt to have devoted his time in writing books and regular columns, which appeared in different languages in 30 newspapers across India. His writings have gained him a vast following, as well as many enemies, across the country. He has earned many national and international awards, including the World Press Review’s International Editor of the Year and The Freedom to Publish Award of the Indian Federation of Publishers.





Shourie joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1998 and has been a minister of state in the BJP-led coalition government since November 1998.