President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday nominated four distinguished individuals—eminent lawyer Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, Kerala BJP leader C Sadanandan Master, former diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and historian Dr Meenakshi Jain—to the Rajya Sabha. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the official notification, stating that the nominations were made under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution, which allows the President to nominate individuals with special knowledge or practical experience in fields such as literature, science, art, and social service.
Ujjwal Nikam, one of the country’s most well-known public prosecutors, has been at the forefront of several landmark cases. He is most noted for securing the death penalty for Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. In the 2024 general elections, Nikam contested the high-profile Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket, though he was unsuccessful.
The party had dropped its two-time MP Poonam Mahajan to field Nikam, who has been a vocal advocate for capital punishment and is known for his belief that 'only the corrigible can be reformed.' His legal career includes high-profile cases such as the 1993 Bombay blasts, the Gulshan Kumar murder, the Pramod Mahajan murder case, the Marine Drive rape case, and the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla has served India in several top diplomatic positions, including as Foreign Secretary, Ambassador to the United States, High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and Ambassador to Thailand. He also served as the Chief Coordinator of India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, playing a central role in managing the global summit. His extensive diplomatic experience is expected to bring valuable insights to the Rajya Sabha.
C Sadanandan Master, a senior BJP leader from Kerala, is a significant political figure in the Kannur region. A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary based in Mattanur, he became nationally known after a brutal political attack in 1994 in which his legs were hacked off by CPM cadres. The same day, SFI leader KV Sudheesh was killed in a retaliatory act of violence. Despite the physical setback, Master continued to be politically active and was included in the BJP's first list of candidates for the 2016 Kerala Assembly elections. He contested from the Koothuparambu constituency and remains an influential voice in the BJP’s Kerala unit, also working extensively as a teacher and social worker.
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Dr Meenakshi Jain is a respected historian with a focus on medieval and colonial India. She has served as an Associate Professor of History at Gargi College, University of Delhi, and held research positions such as Fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Senior Fellow at the Indian Council of Social Science Research.
She has authored several critically acclaimed books, including Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples, The Battle for Rama, Sati: Evangelicals, Baptist Missionaries and the Changing Colonial Discourse, Rama and Ayodhya, and Parallel Pathways: Essays on Hindu–Muslim Relations (1707–1857). She also co-edited the three-volume The India They Saw, a collection of foreign accounts of India from the 8th to the mid-19th century. In 2020, she was awarded the Padma Shri for her scholarly contributions.
Reacting to the nominations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the President’s decision and lauded each nominee for their distinguished service in their respective domains. Speaking about C Sadanandan Master, the Prime Minister said that his life exemplifies courage and an unyielding stand against injustice.
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He noted that despite facing brutal violence, Master continued his work with commitment towards youth empowerment and social service. On Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Modi described him as a skilled diplomat and strategic thinker who played a key role in India’s foreign policy and G20 leadership, adding that his presence would enrich parliamentary discussions.
The Prime Minister hailed Ujjwal Nikam as an exemplary legal mind who has consistently upheld constitutional values and worked to deliver justice in some of India’s most important cases. He acknowledged Nikam’s devotion to law and his unwavering commitment to safeguarding the dignity of citizens through the judicial process.
On Dr Meenakshi Jain, the Prime Minister commended her scholarly work in education, history, and political thought, stating that her contributions have significantly enriched academic and cultural discourse. The four nominations were made to fill vacancies caused by the retirement of previously nominated Rajya Sabha members.
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