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{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1934)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Shanta Kumar
| image               = Shanta Kumar.jpg
| width               = 
| caption             = Kumar in 2006
| office              = 3rd [[Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh]]
| term_start          = 22 June 1977
| term_end            = 14 February 1980
| constituency        = 
| predecessor         = [[President's Rule]]
| successor           = [[Thakur Ram Lal]]
| term_start2         = 5 March 1990
| term_end2           = 15 December 1992
| constituency2       = 
| predecessor2        = [[Virbhadra Singh]]
| successor2          = [[Virbhadra Singh]]
| constituency_MP3    = [[Kangra (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kangra]]
| term_start3         = 16 May 2014
| term_end3           = 23 May 2019
| constituency3       = 
| term3               = 
| occupation2         = 
| predecessor3        = [[Rajan Sushant]]
| successor3          = [[Kishan Kapoor]]
| office4             = [[Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (India)|Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution]]
| term_start4         = 13 October 1999
| term_end4           = 30 June 2002
| constituency4       = Kangra
| primeminister4      = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| predecessor4        = 
| successor4          = [[Sharad Yadav]]
| office5             = [[Ministry of Rural Development (India)|Minister of Rural Development]]
| term_start5         = 1 July 2002
| term_end5           = 6 April 2003
| constituency5       = 
| primeminister5      = [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]
| predecessor5        = [[Venkaiah Naidu]]
| successor5          = [[Kashiram Rana]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1934|9|12}}
| birth_place         = [[Kangra district|Kangra]], Punjab, British India<br /> (now in [[Himachal Pradesh]], India)
| religion            = <!--only enter if it is sourced, per WP:BLP-->
| spouse              = Santosh Shailja
| residence           = Yamini Parisar, [[Palampur]], [[Kangra district|Distt. Kangra]], [[Himachal Pradesh]], India
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| nationality         = Indian
| party               = [[Bharatiya Jana Sangh]](till 1977)
[[Janata Party]](1977-1980)
[[Bharatiya Janata Party]](1980-Present)
| website             = 
| footnotes           = 
| date                = 
| year                = 
| source              = 
}}

'''Shanta Kumar Sharma''' (born 12 September 1934) is an Indian politician who was the [[List of Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh|3rd]] [[Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh]] and a Union Minister in the [[Government of India]]. He is a member of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. He was elected to the [[9th Lok Sabha]] from [[Kangra (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kangra constituency]] in 1989. He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998, 1999 and 2014 from the same constituency. He has written a number of books. He is the first and only person not of a Rajput background who has served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theprint.in/report/jai-ram-thakur-himachal-cabinet-rajput-flavour/25190/ | title=Jai Ram Thakur's Himachal cabinet has a distinctly Rajput flavour | date=27 December 2017 }}</ref>

==Early life==
Shanta Kumar Sharma was born to Jagannath Sharma and Kaushalya Devi on 12 September 1934 in Garhjamula, [[Kangra district]], Punjab Province.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok13/biodata/13HP03.htm |title=Biographical Sketch: Member of Parliament: 13th Lok Sabha |website=parliamentofindia.nic.in |access-date=2013-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201150852/http://parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok13/biodata/13HP03.htm |archive-date=2013-02-01}}</ref>

==Political career==
His political career began in 1963 when he was elected as a Panch in the [[Gram panchayat]] for Garhjamula. He was subsequently elected as a member of the Panchayat Samiti in [[Bhawarna]] and then was president of [[District Councils of India|Zilla Parishad]] in Kangra from 1965 to 1970.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/shanta-kumar-shri |title=National Portal of India |publisher=india.gov.in |access-date=2013-02-05}}</ref>

He was elected to the [[Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly]] in 1972. He remained a member till 1985. He was re-elected to the House again in 1990 and continued till 1992. He became the [[Chief Minister]] of Himachal Pradesh in 1977.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference3" /> He held the post till 1980 and came back to head the Government again in 1990 and stayed till 1992.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.niticentral.com/2012/12/shanta-kumar.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411114545/http://www.niticentral.com/2012/12/shanta-kumar.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-04-11 |title=Shanta Kumar : Niti Central |publisher=niticentral.com |access-date=2013-02-05 }}</ref> He had enforced "No Work, No Pay" policy during his second term as Chief Minister for strongly dealing with the striking government employees.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference3" /> He was the Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1985.<ref name="loksabhabio">{{cite web|url=http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/members/former_Biography.aspx?mpsno=418 |title=13th Lok Sabha Member Profile |publisher=Government of India |access-date=2014-06-22}}</ref>

He was elected to the [[9th Lok Sabha]] in 1989 from [[Kangra (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kangra]]. He was re-elected twice in 1998 and 1999. He was a senior minister in the [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]] government from 1999 to 2004.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference3">{{cite news |last1=Bipin |first1=Bhardwaj |title=After Advani, roads closed for veteran BJP leader Shanta Kumar too, party hunts for new face in Himachal |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/politics/after-advani-roads-closed-for-veteran-bjp-leader-shanta-kumar-too-party-hunts-for-new-face-in-himachal |access-date=24 February 2021 |publisher=National Herald |date=24 March 2019 |language=en}}</ref> He was Union Minister of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution from 1999 to 2002 and Union Minister of Rural Development from 2002 to 2004.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference3" /><ref name="loksabhabio"/>

He was elected to the [[Rajya Sabha]] from Himachal Pradesh in 2008.<ref>[http://164.100.47.5/newmembers/Website/Main.aspx Members Page<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In 2014, he was elected to the [[16th Lok Sabha]] from Kangra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.in/himachal-pradesh/parliamentary-constituencies/kangra.html|title=Kangra(Himachal Pradesh) Lok Sabha Election Results 2014 with ...}}</ref> In 2014-15 he chaired a committee on the restructuring of the [[Food Corporation of India]] (FCI).<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 January 2015|others=Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution|title=Recommendations of High Level Committee on restructuring of FCI|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=114860|access-date=2021-11-25|website=Press Information Bureau, Government of India}}</ref>

==Personal background==

He was married to Santosh Shailja in 1964.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference2">{{cite news |title=Former Himachal Pradesh CM Shanta Kumar's Wife Dies of Covid |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/india-news-former-himachal-pradesh-cm-shanta-kumars-wife-dies-of-covid/368751 |access-date=24 February 2021 |publisher=Outlook |date=29 December 2020}}</ref><ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference1" /> He has three daughters Indu Sharma, Renu Mujumdar, Shalini Sathyan and a son Vikram Sharma.<ref>{{cite news |title=Senior BJP leader Shanta Kumar, son admitted to Mohali hospital for Covid-19 treatment |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/senior-bjp-leader-shanta-kumar-son-admitted-to-mohali-hospital-for-covid-19-treatment20201230164944/ |access-date=24 February 2021 |work=ANI News |publisher=ANI |date=30 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> His wife died in December 2020 due to coronavirus at [[Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College Kangra|Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College]], Tanda.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference1">{{cite news |title=Former Union minister Shanta Kumar to undergo Covid treatment at Mohali hospital |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/former-union-minister-shanta-kumar-to-undergo-covid-treatment-at-mohali-hospital/story-WVXYe0GXpGQzee7ASBskgI.html |access-date=24 February 2021 |work=Hindustan Times|date=30 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> She worked as teacher in initial years but later quit her job and switched over to writing and social work among women and underprivileged sections and also wrote some books.<ref name="Shanta Kumar Reference2" />

== Election results ==
{{Election box begin|title=[[2014 Indian general elections|General Election, 2014]]: [[Kangra (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kangra]]}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Bharatiya Janata Party|candidate=Shanta Kumar|votes=4,56,163|percentage=57.05|change=+8.37|}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Indian National Congress|candidate=[[Chander Kumar]]|votes=2,86,091|percentage=35.79|change=-9.76|}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Aam Aadmi Party|candidate=[[Rajan Sushant|Dr. Rajan Sushant]]|votes=24,430|percentage=3.06|change=+3.06|}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=None of the above|candidate=[[None of the above|None of the Above]]|votes=8,704|percentage=1.09|change=+1.09|}}
{{Election box majority|votes=1,70,072|percentage=21.27|change=+18.13|}}
 {{Election box turnout|votes=7,99,445|percentage=64.46|change=+9.31|}}{{Election box hold with party link||winner=Bharatiya Janata Party|loser=Independent (politician)|swing=+8.37}}
{{Election box end}}

==Writing==
Kumar's books include:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nocorruption.in/mps/kumar-shanta/|title=Kumar Shanta |access-date=2016-06-22}}</ref>

*''Dharti Balidan Ki'', 1962
*''Himalaya Par Lal Chhaya'', 1964
*''Vishwa Vijeta Vivekanand'', 1968
*''Lajo'', 1976
*''Man Ke Meet'', 1976
*''Kaidi'', 1976
*''Jyotirmayi'', 1977
*''O Pravasi Meet Mere'', 1977
*''Mrigtrishna'', 1980
*''Kranti Abhi Adhoori Hai'', 1985
*''Deewar Ke Us Paar'', 1995
*''Rajneeti Ki Shatranj'', 1997
*''Tumhare Pyar Ki Pati'', 1999
*''Vrinda'', 2007
*A Patriot monk Swami Vivekananda, 2012

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Bharatiya Janata Party chief ministers|state=collapsed}}
{{16th LS members from Himachal Pradesh}}

{{Authority control}}
{{Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Shanta}}
[[Category:People from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Bharatiya Janata Party]]
[[Category:Chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:India MPs 1999–2004]]
[[Category:India MPs 1989–1991]]
[[Category:India MPs 1998–1999]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:India MPs 2014–2019]]
[[Category:Leaders of the opposition in Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Chief ministers from Janata Party]]
[[Category:Janata Party politicians]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Jana Sangh politicians]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]
[[Category:Himachal Pradesh MLAs 1977–1982]]
[[Category:Himachal Pradesh MLAs 1982–1985]]
[[Category:Himachal Pradesh MLAs 1990–1992]]