Renuka Chowdhury

{{short description|Indian politician}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Renuka Chowdhury | image = The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women & Child Development, Smt. Renuka Chowdhury briefing the media persons about forthcoming East Asia Gender Equality Ministerial Meet, in New Delhi on December 04, 2007.jpg | caption = Renuka Chowdhury during a media press meet in New Delhi in December 2007. | office1 = Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women and Child Development | prime_minister1 = Manmohan Singh | term_start1 = 29 January 2006 | term_end1 = 22 May 2009 | predecessor1 = ''Office Established'' | successor1 = Krishna Tirath | office2 = Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism | prime_minister2 = Manmohan Singh | term_start2 = 23 May 2004 | term_end2 = 28 January 2006 | predecessor2 = Jagmohan | successor2 = Ambika Soni | office3 = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | term_start3 = 10 October 1999 | term_end3 = 18 May 2009 | predecessor3 = Nadendla Bhaskara Rao | successor3 = Nama Nageswara Rao | constituency3 = Khammam | office4 = Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare | prime_minister4 = I. K. Gujral | term_start4 = 9 June 1997 | term_end4 = 19 March 1998 | predecessor4 = Saleem Iqbal Shervani Minister of State (Independent Charge) | successor4 = Dalit Ezhilmalai Minister of State (Independent Charge) | office5 = Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | term_start5 = 3 April 2024 | term_end5 = | predecessor5 = Badulgula Lingaiah Yadav | successor5 = | constituency5 = Telangana | term_start6 = 3 April 2012 | term_end6 = 2 April 2018 | predecessor6 = M. V. Mysura Reddy | successor6 = Banda Prakash | constituency6 = * Telangana (30 May 2014 - 2 April 2018) * Andhra Pradesh (3 April 2012 - 29 May 2014) | term_start7 = 3 April 1986 | term_end7 = 2 April 1998 | constituency7 = Andhra Pradesh | predecessor7 = Syed R Ali | successor7 = Yadlapati Venkata Rao | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|8|13|df=y}} | birth_place = Visakhapatnam, Andhra State, India | party = Indian National Congress {{small|(1998–present)}} | other_party = Telugu Desam Party {{small|(1984–1998)}} | spouse = Sreedhar Chowdhury (m. 7 October 1973) | alma_mater = Karnatak University | children = 2 | occupation = Politician, social Worker }}

'''Renuka Chowdhury ''' (born 13 August 1954) is an Indian politician and a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Indian National Congress. she represented the political party in the Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh and currently in Telangana. She has also served as the Union minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Women and Child Development and Tourism in the Government of India.

==Early life== Born to Air Commodore Suryanarayana Rao and Vasundhara on 13 August 1954 in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).<ref name="Career">{{cite web |title=Members Bioprofile |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/memberbioprofile.aspx?mpsno=100&lastls=14 |publisher=Lok Sabha |accessdate=26 May 2020}}</ref> Renuka is the eldest of three daughters. She studied at the Welham Girls' School, Dehradun and received her B.A

==Career==

thumb|Renuka Chowdhury in her office as Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism in New Delhi on May 24, 2004|left

Chowdhury entered politics in 1984 as a member of Telugu Desam Party.<ref name="Debut">{{cite news |last1=Phadnis |first1=Aditi |title=Renuka Chowdhury, 'Rajini of Rajya Sabha' unlikely to make a return |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/renuka-chowdhury-rajini-of-rajya-sabha-unlikely-to-make-a-return-118021100647_1.html |accessdate=26 May 2020 |work=Business Standard |agency=Business Standard Private Limited |publisher=Business Standard |date=12 February 2018}}</ref> She was a member of the Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms and Chief Whip of Telugu Desam Parliamentary party from 1986 to 1998.<ref name="RS">{{cite web |title=Untitled - Rajya Sabha |url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/larrdis/Page_98_193.pdf |publisher=Rajya Sabha |accessdate=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref name="Telugu Desam">{{cite web |title=Political Complexion of Rajya Sabha |url=https://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/rsat_work/CHAPTER%E2%80%9410.pdf |publisher=Rajya Sabha |accessdate=26 May 2020}}</ref> She was also the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare from 1997 to 1998 in the cabinet of H. D. Deve Gowda. She left Telugu Desam Party to join Congress party in 1998.<ref name="Joining">{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Barun |title=RENUKA RUSH TO OPEN MAMATA FLANK IN ANDHRA PRADESH |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/renuka-rush-to-open-mamata-flank-in-andhra-pradesh/cid/925953 |accessdate=26 May 2020 |work=The Telegraph (Kolkata) |agency=ABP Group |date=11 April 1999}}</ref> In 1999 and 2004, she was elected to the 13th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively representing Khammam. Other positions include memberships on the Committee on Finance (1999–2000) and Committee on the Empowerment of Women (2000–2001).<ref name="Career"/>

In May 2004 she became the Minister of State for Tourism in the UPA I government. She was the Union minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Women and Child Development in the UPA I government from January 2006 to May 2009. In the May 2009 Lok Sabha elections, Renuka Chowdary was defeated by Nama Nageswara Rao of TDP from Khammam by 1,24,448 votes.<ref>[http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/archiveofge2009/Stats/VOLI/25_ConstituencyWiseDetailedResult.pdf Election Commission of India, General Elections, 2009 (15th LOK SABHA)]</ref> The Mumbai newspaper, ''Mid Day'', reported in 2009 that, in response to "Sri Ram Sena's Valentine's Day threat" Chowdary said that youth should "swarm" pubs and make a point to the "moral police brigade".<ref>(June 2009)[http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/feb/060209-pub-bharo-renuka-choudhury-sri-ram-sene-valentine-day-bangalore.htm After jail bharo, it's pub bharo] Mid Day, retrieved 30 March 2012</ref> After the 2009 Mangalore pub attack by the Sri Ram Sena Chouwdary commented that Mangalore had been "talibanized". This resulted in a case being filed against her by the town's mayor, accusing her of glorifying isolated incidents and making generalized comments about the city.<ref>(17 February 2009)[http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090083808 Mangalore Mayor drags Renuka to court] NDTV</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Talibanisation-is-happening-in-Karnataka-Renuka/420503/ |title=Talibanization is happening in Karnataka - Renuka Chowdary |access-date=17 February 2009 |archive-date=11 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211033315/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Talibanisation-is-happening-in-Karnataka-Renuka/420503/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The "Pub Bharo" campaign was actually being headed by her younger daughter Tejaswini.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indiarun.wordpress.com/2011/05/29/hasan-ali-stayed-with-renuka-chaudhary/|title = Hasan Ali Stayed with Renuka Chaudhary|date = 29 May 2011}}</ref>

Chowdary became a spokesperson for the Congress and was re-elected to Rajya Sabha in 2012,<ref>(25 March 2012) [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3220774.ece 55 elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha] the Hindu, retrieved 30 March 2012</ref> and 2024 from Telangana.<ref name="RS Polls: Ajay Maken, Renuka Chowdhury Among Congress Candidates For Raj, K'taka, Telangana">{{cite news |last1=ABP News |title=RS Polls: Ajay Maken, Renuka Chowdhury Among Congress Candidates For Raj, K'taka, Telangana |url=https://news.abplive.com/news/india/rajya-sabha-elections-ajay-maken-renuka-chowdhury-among-congress-candidates-for-rajasthan-karnataka-telangana-1664452 |access-date=14 February 2024 |work= |date=14 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214123021/https://news.abplive.com/news/india/rajya-sabha-elections-ajay-maken-renuka-chowdhury-among-congress-candidates-for-rajasthan-karnataka-telangana-1664452 |archive-date=14 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Congress names Renuka Chowdhury, Anil Yadav as Rajya Sabha nominees">{{cite news|last1=The Hindu|first1=|title=Congress names Renuka Chowdhury, Anil Yadav as Rajya Sabha nominees|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/congress-names-renuka-chowdhury-anil-yadav-as-rajya-sabha-nominees/article67845308.ece|accessdate=15 February 2024|date=14 February 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240215053019/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/congress-names-renuka-chowdhury-anil-yadav-as-rajya-sabha-nominees/article67845308.ece|archivedate=15 February 2024|language=en-IN}}</ref><ref name="Renuka Chowdhury, Anil Kumar Yadav, Ravichandra declared elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha">{{cite news |last1= |first1= |date=21 February 2024 |title=Renuka Chowdhury, Anil Kumar Yadav, Ravichandra declared elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/renuka-chowdhury-anil-kumar-yadav-ravichandra-declared-elected-unopposed-to-rajya-sabha-882844 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623134646/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/politics/renuka-chowdhury-anil-kumar-yadav-ravichandra-declared-elected-unopposed-to-rajya-sabha-882844 |archive-date=23 June 2024 |access-date=23 June 2024 |work= |language=en}}</ref>

===Parliamentary Committees===

* Member, Committee on Finance (1999-2000) * Member, Committee on the Empowerment of Women (2000-2001) * Member, Committee on Government Assurances (May 2012 – Sept. 2014) * Member, Committee on Finance (May 2012 – May 2014) * Member, Business Advisory Committee (May 2013 – Sept. 2014) * Member, Committee on Agriculture (Sept. 2014–Present) * Member, House Committee (Sept. 2014–Present) * Member, General Purposes Committee (April 2016 – Present) * Chairperson, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests (April 2016 – 2018) * Member, Committee on Commerce (Sept. 2024 onwards) * Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Oct. 2024 onwards)

==Elections Contested== ===Lok Sabha=== {| class="sortable wikitable" ! Year ! Constituency ! colspan="2"|Party ! Votes ! % ! Opponent ! colspan="2" |Opponent Party ! Opponent Votes ! % ! Result ! Margin ! % |- ! 1999 | rowspan="4"|Khammam | {{Party name with color|Indian National Congress|rowspan=4}} | 328,596 | 34.7 | Baby Swarna Kumari | {{Party name with color|Telugu Desam Party|rowspan=3}} | 320,198 | 33.8 | {{yes2|Won}} | 8,398 | 0.9 |- ! 2004 | 518,047 | 50.63 | rowspan="3"|Nama Nageswara Rao | 409,159 | 39.99 | {{yes2|Won}} | 108,888 | 10.64 |- ! 2009 | 344,920 | 33.36 | 469,368 | 45.39 | {{no2|Lost}} | -124,448 | -12.03 |- ! 2019 | 399,397 | 35.04 | {{Party name with color|Telangana Rashtra Samithi}} | 567,459 | 49.78 | {{no2|Lost}} | -168,062 | -14.74 |- |}

===Rajya Sabha=== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Position ! colspan="2" |Party ! Constituency ! From ! To ! Tenure |- | Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (1st Term) | {{Party name with color|Telugu Desam Party|rowspan=2}} | rowspan="3"|Andhra Pradesh | 3 April 1986 | 2 April 1992 | '''{{ayd|1986|4|3|1992|4|2}}''' |- | Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (2nd Term) | 3 April 1992 | 2 April 1998 | '''{{ayd|1992|4|3|1998|4|2}}''' |- | rowspan="2"|Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (3rd Term) | {{Party name with color|Indian National Congress|rowspan=3}} | 3 April 2012 | 29 May 2014 | '''{{ayd|2012|4|3|2014|5|29}}''' |- | rowspan="2"|Telangana | 30 May 2014 | 2 April 2018 | '''{{ayd|2014|5|30|2018|4|2}}''' |- | Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (4th Term) | 3 April 2024 | ''Incumbent'' | '''{{ayd|2024|4|3}}''' |}

==References== {{commons category}} {{wikiquote}} {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * [https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/renuka-chowdhury Renuka Chowdhury profile] at India.gov.in

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, Renuka}} Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Telangana Category:Telugu politicians Category:India MPs 1999–2004 Category:India MPs 2004–2009 Category:Union ministers of state of India with independent charge Category:Union ministers from United Andhra Pradesh Category:Women in Telangana politics Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Visakhapatnam Category:Bangalore University alumni Category:Telugu Desam Party politicians from Telangana Category:Women's ministers of India Category:Rajya Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh Category:People from Khammam district Category:Lok Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh Category:Women in Andhra Pradesh politics Category:20th-century Indian women politicians Category:21st-century Indian women politicians Category:Women union ministers of state of India Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha Category:Women members of the Rajya Sabha Category:Welham Girls' School alumni