This article originally appeared at www.ncrkhabar.com
An otolaryngologist by profession, he pioneered the Pulse Polio immunization campaign as the health Minster of Delhi during 1993-98. The National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP) introduced under his supervision was adopted as a model and implemented throughout India, leading to the elimination of the Wild Poliovirus Type 2 by 1999.
With the vernacular tag of Doctor Saab Dr. Harsh Vardhan is known for transparency at the work place. During his term as Health minister in Delhi government (1993-98), he was remarkably accessible. He also worked as Education minister in Delhi govt.
The second child of late Om Prakash Goel and Snehlata Devi, Dr Harsh Vardhan was born in December 1954. He has an older sister and younger brother.
Education
Harsh Vardhan had his schooling in the Anglo-Sanskrit Victoria Jubilee Senior Secondary School in Daryaganj. Later on he opt for medical profession and did his MBBS from GSVM Medical College, Kanpur and later MS with specialisation in ENT.
The Polical HV
Dr Harsh Vardhan, former president of BJP, Delhi Pradesh, entered the political fray in 1993 for the first time when the people of Delhi voted for their first legislative assembly. He is currently a MLA of the Delhi assembly from the Krishna Nagar constituency. He has never lost an election to the Assembly, and has served in various capacities in the state cabinet during BJP's reign (1993-98), including Health Minister, Law Minister and Education Minister.
In Delhi politics Dr Harsh Vardhan maintains a low profile. Very few who follow Indian politics are aware that Dr Harsh Vardhan had pioneered the Pulse Polio program in India. He launched it first in Delhi, his home city, which was then home to 10 per cent of polio cases in India.
In January 2001, then Prime Minister Vajpayee honored him with Rotary International’s “Polio Eradication Champion Award”. He is the first Indian to receive this prestigious award. Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral once commented at an international event: “If I have to single out one minister for an outstanding award in India, then my first choice will be Dr Harsh Vardhan”.
Family Life
Married to Nutan, a specialist in hospital administration who preferred to be a homemaker, Dr Harsh Vardhan has two sons – Dr Mayank Bharat, who has done his MBBS and MBA from Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. Sachin who did his Accountancy and Finance graduation from Monash University and at present works for Ernst and Young and a daughter, Inakshi, who finished her graduation B.com (Hons) from Delhi University recently. His demeanour is uncharacteristic of Indian politicians. He lives in the house built by his father in Krishna Nagar.
A followers of all faiths he tirelessely works with Imams of mosques all over India to help implement polio immunisation among poor Muslim communities. For this hie were awareded as “best professional” in April 2008 by the prestigious Ghalib Academy of New Delhi.
A Tale of Two Drops
In December 2004, Dr Harsh Vardhan came out with his own account on how he conceived and implemented the Pulse Polio programme. The book, titled - A Tale of Two Drops (English)/ Kahani Do Boondo ki (Hindi), was released by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
As President of the Delhi Pradesh unit of the BJP, Dr Harsh Vardhan rebuild the party’s structure from the grass roots to the top most level. The resolve of the common worker was restored and soon the BJP returned on the winner’s track. In April 2007, the party recaptured the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and in 2008, the Delhi Cantonment Board. Right now he is in-charge of Haryana State on behalf of national BJP.
Vision for Delhi
Mrs. Sheila Dixit must have a tough time ahead who poses herself for a cosmopolitan makeover of Delhi as Dr. Harsh Vardhan has always a good script at this plank. It is Dr Harsh Vardhan’s dream to make Delhi an international city, equipped with world-class infrastructure with an inclusive culture.
Since 2003, as the leader of the principal opposition party of Delhi, Dr Harsh Vardhan has campaigned relentlessly against corruption and misgovernance. He won the respect and admiration of Delhites for defending their human, civic, environmental and consumer rights. Some of the major issues highlighted by him are corruption in power privatization, the proposal to privatize Delhi’s water, unauthorized colonies, Commonwealth games scam the fast-running electronic meters, price hike and BRT.
For bringing the multi-storey parking facility to his constituency, despite in opposition he showed his determination to work. A city with multitude of agencies and civic authorities it was a difficult one. Moreover with Congress in Delhi and in center as well, it was almost an impossible task, he says. He reaffirms “Delhi will become the leading city of the world, showcasing the best of India’s progress”.
Amit Sinha is a bilingual Columnist. He can be contacted at facebook.amit
