President Droupadi Murmu has nominated four well-known personalities to the Rajya Sabha. The new members are Ujjwal Nikam, a senior lawyer, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a former Foreign Secretary, C Sadanandan Master, a social worker from Kerala, and Meenakshi Jain, a historian and educationist. These nominations fill four vacant seats in the Upper House of Parliament.
The nominations were announced on July 13, 2025, to fill the seats vacated after the retirement of earlier nominated members.
Under Article 80 of the Indian Constitution, the President can nominate people from fields like literature, science, art, and social work. These nominations honor their remarkable work and bring their knowledge and experience to important discussions in Parliament.
Who Are the New Rajya Sabha Members?
Ujjwal Nikam:
Ujjwal Nikam is one of India’s most famous lawyers. He worked as a special public prosecutor in big cases like the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. He also fought cases involving the murders of music producer Gulshan Kumar and BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. In 2016, he received the Padma Shri award. Last year, he contested Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai North Central but lost.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla:
Shringla is a senior diplomat who served as India’s Foreign Secretary from 2020 to 2022. He was also in charge of organizing the G20 Summit in India in 2023. Earlier, he worked as India’s Ambassador to the United States and High Commissioner to Bangladesh. He is respected for his role in strengthening India’s relations with other countries.
C Sadanandan Master:
Sadanandan Master is a social worker and teacher from Kerala. In 1994, he lost both legs in an attack by alleged CPI(M) workers. Despite this, he continued working for people and became a strong voice for social causes. He also served as the president of the National Teachers’ Union and is part of the RSS think tank, Bharatiya Vichara Kendram.
Meenakshi Jain:
Meenakshi Jain is a well-known historian and researcher. She has written many books on Indian history and culture. In 2020, she was honored with the Padma Shri award for her contribution to education. She has also been a member of the Indian Council of Historical Research.
How Will They Contribute?
These four new faces are set to bring fresh perspectives and expertise to Parliament:
-
Ujjwal Nikam knows the law very well. He can share ideas to make justice and security stronger.
-
Harsh Vardhan Shringla has worked in foreign countries. His experience can help in India’s relations with the world.
-
C Sadanandan Master has worked closely with people in villages. He can raise important issues about common people and social work.
-
Meenakshi Jain has studied India’s history and culture deeply. She can add value to talks about education and heritage.
Together, they can help make parliamentary debates more meaningful and ensure that laws reflect both expertise and empathy.
PM Modi Congratulates Them
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all four. He praised Ujjwal Nikam for his work in law, Shringla for his diplomatic skills, Sadanandan Master for his courage and dedication, and Meenakshi Jain for her valuable research.
Why It’s Important
The nomination of these four personalities brings a mix of legal expertise, diplomatic experience, academic knowledge, and grassroots social work to the Rajya Sabha. Their years of hard work in their fields mean they can offer new ideas and real-world insights in shaping the country’s policies. With voices like these in Parliament, discussions are likely to be richer and decisions more balanced, helping the nation move forward in a thoughtful way.
