Know everything about the four new entrants to Rajya Sabha

The Union government on Wednesday nominated noted musician Ilaiyaraaja, track-and-field icon PT Usha, screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade to Rajya Sabha. The four new entrants to Rajya Sabha belong to southern states— Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, respectively. The President nominates 12 Rajya Sabha members on the […]

The Union government on Wednesday nominated noted musician Ilaiyaraaja, track-and-field icon PT Usha, screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade to Rajya Sabha. The four new entrants to Rajya Sabha belong to southern states— Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, respectively.

The President nominates 12 Rajya Sabha members on the recommendation of the Government. They are chosen in accordance with Article 80(3) of the Constitution, which states that they must have special knowledge or practical experience in areas such as literature, science, art, and social service. Let us take a look at the backgrounds of these new members of Rajya Sabha:

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Ilayaraja:

Music genius Ilaiyaraaja has composed songs in several Indian languages and won numerous awards, including the national award five times in his nearly five-decade career. The maestro received the Padma Bhushan in 2010 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2018.

PT Usha:

In the 1980s, Usha, also known as the Payyoli Express, dominated track and field events. She won 11 Asian Games medals, including four gold medals in Seoul in 1986. In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she finished fourth, just missing a medal. She founded Usha School of Athletics after retiring from competitive athletics, training over 100 national and international-level athletes.

V Vijayendra Prasad

Prasad is a prominent screenwriter in Telugu cinema. He is the father of popular filmmaker SS Rajamouli and has worked in Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi films, including blockbusters such as ‘Mersal’ in Tamil, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ in Hindi, and the ‘Baahubali’ series and ‘RRR’ in Telugu. All of these films were dubbed in multiple languages.

Veerendra Heggade:

Heggade has been the Dharmadhikari of the Dharmasthala Temple since the age of 20. He is a well-known philanthropist, and founded the Rural Development and Self-Employment Training Institute to raise awareness about self-employment opportunities and train rural youth.

Ilaiyaraaja, Usha, Prasad, and Heggade will serve until July 2028. The Upper House of Parliament now has nine nominated members, including lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani, dancer Sonal Mansingh, politician Ram Shakal, author and columnist Rakesh Sinha, and former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. Three nominated positions are currently vacant.