President Droupadi Murmu has nominated philanthropist and author Sudha Murty to the Rajya Sabha. Lauding her contribution in diverse fields, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that her presence in the Upper House of the Parliament is a powerful testament to “nari shakti” (women's power).
"I am delighted that the President of India has nominated @SmtSudhaMurty Ji to the Rajya Sabha. Sudha Ji's contributions to diverse fields including social work, philanthropy and education have been immense and inspiring. Her presence in the Rajya Sabha is a powerful testament to our 'Nari Shakti', exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping our nation's destiny. Wishing her a fruitful Parliamentary tenure," PM Modi wrote on X.
Replying to the Prime Minister, Sudha Murty said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve the nation.
"Thank you, Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji. It is my privilege and honour to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha by our Hon'ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji @rashtrapatibhvn. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve our nation," she said.
The 73-year-old, whose nomination comes on the occasion of International Women's Day, is the wife of Infosys Co-Founder N.R. Narayana Murthy. She is the chairperson of the Murty Trust and has authored several books in the past.
She was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2006 and the Padma Bhushan in 2023 by the central government.
The president of India nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha for their contributions in the fields of social services, arts, literature and sciences.
In recent years, several individuals from different walks of life have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha, bringing diversity in representation to the Upper House.
Here's a look at some of the past few Rajya Sabha nominations by the Indian president:
1. Satnam Singh Sandhu
Son of a farmer, Sandhu is one of India's leading educationists. He was instrumental in establishing the Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) in Mohali and also founded the Chandigarh University in 2012. Besides this, he has been actively involved in large-scale community efforts to improve health and wellness through his two NGOs — Indian Minorities Foundation and the New India Development Foundation. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in January earlier this year.
2. V Vijayendra Prasad
A renowned screenwriter and film director, Prasad has worked in Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Tamil films. Some of his notable works include the Baahubali franchise, RRR, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Manikarnika, Magadheera and Mersal. He is the father of veteran filmmaker SS Rajamouli. Prasad was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the president in July 2022 in the field of cinema.
3. Ilaiyaraaja
Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja has been a part of the Indian entertainment industry for over four decades and has composed thousands of songs for hundreds of films in his career. For his contributions to the field of cinema, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2018. Ilaiyaraaja was nominated to the Upper House in July 2022 in the field of arts.
4. PT Usha
One of the greatest female athletes India has ever produced, PT Usha has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979 and has won four Asian gold medals and seven silver medals. In December 2022, she was elected as the president of the Indian Olympic Association unopposed. PT Usha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in the field of sports in July 2022.
5. Veerendra Heggade
A renowned philanthropist, Heggade has been honoured with multiple awards for his numerous contributions. Heggade became the 21st dharmadhikari (temple chief) of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala in 1968 at the age of 20. He is also the first head of a temple from Karnataka to be nominated to the Upper House of Parliament.
He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in July 2022.
