View source for A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury

{{Short description|Indian politician (1927–2006)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = A. B. A. Ghani Khan Choudhury
| image               = Indian Minister Ghani Khan.jpg
| caption             = 
| birth_name          = Abu Barkat Ataur Ghani Khan Choudhury
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1927|11|1|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Malda, West Bengal|Malda]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| residence           = [[Sahazalalpur]], Malda City, Malda district
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2006|4|14|1927|11|1|df=y}}
| death_place         = [[Kolkata]], West Bengal, India
| office              = [[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation|Union Minister of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of India]]
| primeminister       = [[Rajiv Gandhi]]
| term_start          = 1985
| term_end            = 1987
| predecessor         = 
| successor           = 
| office1             = [[Ministry of Railways (India)|Union Minister of Railways, Government of India]]
| primeminister1      = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| predecessor1        = [[Prakash Chandra Sethi]]
| term_start1         = 2 September 1982
| term_end1           = 31 December 1984
| successor1          = [[Bansi Lal]]
| office2             = [[Ministry of Coal (India)|Minister of Coal]] with [[Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation|Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation]] & [[Ministry of New and Renewable Energy|New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge)]], [[Government of India]]
| primeminister2      = [[Indira Gandhi]]
| predecessor2        = 
| successor2          = 
| term_start2         = 1980
| term_end2           = 1982
<!-- -->| constituency3       = [[Malda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Malda]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://164.100.24.208/ls/lsmember/biodata.asp?mpsno=93 |title=Biographical Sketch: Member of Parliament 14th Lok Sabha: Choudhury, Shri A.B.A. Ghani Khan |website=[[Parliament of India]] |access-date=7 May 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615194145/http://164.100.24.208/ls/lsmember/biodata.asp?mpsno=93 |archive-date=15 June 2006}}</ref>
| office3             = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha ]]
| term_start3         = 1980
| term_end3           = 2006
| predecessor3        = [[Dinesh Chandra Joarder]]
| successor3          = [[Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury]]
| office4             = [[Minister (government)|Minister]] of [[Irrigation]] and [[Electric power|Power]], [[Government of West Bengal]]
| predecessor4        = 
| term_start4         = 1972
| term_end4           = 1977
| successor4          = <!-- -->
| constituency5       = [[Sujapur (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Sujapur]]
| office5             = [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|Member of West Bengal Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start5         = 1967
| term_end5           = 1980
| predecessor5        = Ashadulla Choudhury
| successor5          = Humayoun Chowdhury
| parents             = 
| relations           = [[Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury]] (brother)<br/>[[Abu Nasar Khan Choudhury]] (brother)<br/>[[Rubi Noor]] (sister)<br/> [[Isha Khan Choudhury]] (nephew) <br/>[[Mausam Noor]] (niece)
| alma_mater          = [[University of Calcutta]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]])
| party               = [[Indian National Congress]]
| spouse              = Ruth Khan Choudhury
| children            = 
| website             = 
| footnotes           = 
}}

'''Abu Barkat Ataur Ghani Khan Choudhury''' (1 November 1927 – 14 April 2006), known as '''Barkatda''' to his supporters,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ls-polls-2014-younger-bro-eyes-3rd-term-to-continue-barkat-das-malda-legacy/articleshow/34107236.cms|title=LS polls 2014: Younger bro eyes 3rd term to continue Barkat-da's Malda legacy|date=23 April 2014|work=The Economic Times|access-date=24 March 2019|archive-date=31 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331134844/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/ls-polls-2014-younger-bro-eyes-3rd-term-to-continue-barkat-das-malda-legacy/articleshow/34107236.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> was an [[Politics of India|Indian politician]] from [[West Bengal]], India. Choudhury was a senior leader of [[Indian National Congress]] party.

==Political career==
[[File:ABA Ghani Khan Choudhary oath takes as Railway Minister.jpg|thumb|Swearing-in as Railway Minister, 1982]]
Ghani Khan Choudhury was first elected as an [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] to the West Bengal state legislative assembly in 1957, winning the seat in 1962, 1967, 1971 and 1972. He served as a State [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet Minister]] in the [[Government of West Bengal]] from 1972 to 1977. First elected to the [[7th Lok Sabha]] in [[1980 Indian general election|1980]] from [[Malda (Lok Sabha constituency)|Malda]], Choudhury would go on to represent the constituency for eight straight terms,<ref name=":0" /> winning again in [[1984 Indian general election|1984]], [[1989 Indian general election|1989]], [[1991 Indian general election|1991]], [[1996 Indian general election|1996]], [[1998 Indian general election|1998]], [[1999 Indian general election|1999]] and [[2004 Indian general election|2004]]. From 1982 to 1984, Choudhury served as the [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]] in [[Indira Gandhi|Indira Gandhi's]] and [[Rajiv Gandhi]]'s governments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irfca.org/docs/railway-ministers.html|title=Railway Ministers|website=IRFCA|access-date=24 March 2019|archive-date=29 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529082342/http://www.irfca.org/docs/railway-ministers.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He took active part in introducing the [[Kolkata Metro|Kolkata Metro Railway]] and [[Kolkata Circular Railway|Circular Railways]] in the city of [[Kolkata]], and towards establishing the [[Malda Town railway station]] as one of the most important stations of the region. For his contributions, Choudhury is often respected as the architect of modern Malda.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Ghani_Khan_Choudhary_with_Indian_PM_Indira_Gandhi.jpg|thumb|ABA Ghani Khan Choudhary with Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]]]]
[[File:Mamata_Banerjee_meets_with_Ghani_Khan.jpg|thumb|ABA Ghani Khan Choudhary with current West Bengal Chief Minister [[Mamata Banerjee]]]]

== Early life==
Ghani Khan was the son of Abu Hyat Khan Chowdhury and Saleha Khatoon.

==Controversy ==
Choudhury had claimed to be a barrister-at-law, called to the Bar from one of London's Inns of Court, while providing biographical information to the Indian Parliament.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 March 1986|title=WORLD NEWS|pages=6|work=Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995)|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118108964|access-date=18 September 2020}}</ref> However, the claim was found to be false by an election tribunal, and Choudhury was criticised by opposition politicians, such as [[Jyoti Basu]] (himself a barrister from London, who had also threatened to bring a motion against Choudhury), [[George Fernandes]] and [[Indrajit Gupta]].<ref name="Ghani Khan not bar-at-law, charges Bosu">{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|609787296}} |title=Ghani Khan not bar-at-law, charges Bosu |newspaper=The Times of India |date=3 March 1981 |page=17}}</ref> Choudhury attributed the incorrect information to an "oversight".<ref name="Ghani Khan not bar-at-law, charges Bosu"/>

== Personal life ==
Ghani Khan Choudhury was married to Esther who left India in 1963 and settled in Switzerland. They had three children.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Malda after 24 yrs - Ghani children stake claim to property |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/in-malda-after-24-yrs-ghani-children-stake-claim-to-property/cid/745089 |access-date=17 June 2023 |work=The Telegraph |date=29 January 2007 |language=en |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207050224/https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/in-malda-after-24-yrs-ghani-children-stake-claim-to-property/cid/745089 |url-status=live }}</ref> Choudhury's siblings, all politicians, are [[Abu Nasar Khan Choudhury]], [[Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury]] and [[Rubi Noor]].

==Legacy==
[[Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute of Engineering & Technology]] (GKCIET), Malda, West Bengal was established in 2010 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India under the mentorship of the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur and in the memory of Choudhury.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://old-website.gkciet.ac.in/ |title=Ghani Khan Choudhury Institute of Engineering and Technology |website=old-website.gkciet.ac.in |access-date=17 June 2023 |archive-date=17 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617102434/https://old-website.gkciet.ac.in/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=West Bengal govt comes to rescue: Malda tech institute gets affiliation |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/west-bengal-govt-comes-to-rescue-malda-tech-institute-gets-affiliation-2900190/ |work=The Indian Express |date=8 July 2016 |language=en |archive-date=17 June 2023 |access-date=17 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617102434/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/west-bengal-govt-comes-to-rescue-malda-tech-institute-gets-affiliation-2900190/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite news |url=http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Apr152006/national234122006414.asp |title=Ghani Khan dead |date=15 April 2006 |newspaper=[[Deccan Herald]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311040443/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Apr152006/national234122006414.asp |archive-date=11 March 2007}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/15/stories/2006041506511200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502070048/http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/15/stories/2006041506511200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 May 2006 |title=Ghani Khan's death leaves a void in politics |date=15 April 2006 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}
* {{cite news |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/2005/May/22/6996_668283%2C001600560001.htm |title=The monarch of Malda |date=22 May 2005 |newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930061121/http://www.hindustantimes.com/2005/May/22/6996_668283%2C001600560001.htm |archive-date=30 September 2007}}

{{West Bengal Legislative Assembly5}}
{{Railway Ministers of India}}
{{Eleventh to Fourteenth Lok Sabha, West Bengal}}
{{First to Tenth Lok Sabha, West Bengal}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudhury, A.B.A. Ghani Khan}}
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from West Bengal]]
[[Category:People from Malda district]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Bengali Muslims]]
[[Category:India MPs 2004–2009]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1967–1969]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1969–1971]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1971–1972]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1972–1977]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1977–1982]]
[[Category:Railway ministers of India]]
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1984–1989]]
[[Category:India MPs 1989–1991]]
[[Category:India MPs 1991–1996]]
[[Category:India MPs 1996–1997]]
[[Category:India MPs 1998–1999]]
[[Category:India MPs 1999–2004]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from West Bengal]]
[[Category:20th-century Bengalis]]
[[Category:West Bengal MLAs 1951–1957]]
[[Category:Presidents of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee]]