10 lesser-known facts about former civil aviation minister Suresh Prabhu – Birthday Special

Suresh Prabhu is a big name in Indian politicians. The present government holds the post of Union Minister of Commerce and Civil Aviation. He was born on 11 July 1953 in Mumbai (Maharashtra) turns 67 today. His father’s name was Prabhakar and his mother’s name was Sumati.

Facts about Suresh Prabhu:

1. Suresh Prabhu is a Chartered Accountant by profession. He has done B.Com (Hons), LLB, F.C.A. Has done Bombay University from Mumbai. He has also studied at the Delhi-based Chartered Accountancy Institute of India.
2. Suresh Prabhu has traveled to more than 80 countries in his political career so far. This includes Asia, Pacific, North America, Africa, Europe, and Latin America, etc. The maximum number of trips have been made while holding the post of Minister of Environment and Forests.
3. Suresh Prabhu was elected the chairman of the Maharashtra State Finance Commission for the first time in 1995. He was then a member of the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996. After this, members of the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998, 13th in 1999 and 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 have been elected for the fourth time.
4. He has also been the Railway Minister in the present Narendra Modi government. Prior to this, many ministries have also been under Atal Vihari’s rule. From 1998 to 2004, he was a minister in Ministries like Forest and Environment, Energy, Heavy Industries, Fertilizer and Chemical, and Public Enterprises.
5. Suresh Prabhu, MP from Rajapur in Maharashtra, had many hurdles in the way of becoming Railway Minister. The biggest hurdle in this was that Suresh Prabhu belonged to the Shiv Sena party. When the BJP expressed his desire to make him a minister with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Thackeray asked the BJP to make him a minister from his quota. In such a situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, irrespective of the dispute, first made Suresh Prabhu a member of the BJP, then sent an oath to the cabinet minister and sent him to the Rajya Sabha.
6. Suresh Prabhu’s full name is Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu.
7. Suresh Prabhu is married to journalist Uma Prabhu and they have a son Ameya Prabhu.
   
8. Suresh Prabhu is known for authorizing The Electricity Act of 2003, which helped to create securitization of dues from the states.
9. Suresh Prabhu also runs an NGO called Manav Sadhan Vikas Sanstha, a public charitable trust which was formed in 1998. The NGO works for the empowerment of the people.
10. Suresh Prabhu received the Goud Saraswat Brahmin Samaj Maharatha Award on 18 August 2016.