Digamber Singh

Digamber Singh (1 October 1951 - 27 October 2017)[3] was a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, hailing from the state of Rajasthan. He served as a cabinet minister in the Government of India. He represented Deeg-Kumher Assembly constituency of Bharatpur district in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.[4] Served in Government Medical Department until 1992. He was first elected to assembly in 1993, while serving as President of the party in Bharatpur. He served, first, as Minister of Health, Ayurveda & Family Welfare and later, from 2009 onwards, as Minister of Industries in the Government of Rajasthan. In 2015, he was appointed as Chairman of the "Bees Sutri Karyakram" or the "Twenty Point Programme" and held a Cabinet Minister status.[5] Singh was the BJP's face in Eastern Rajasthan for two decades[6]

Dr. Digamber Singh
Minister of Health, Dr. Digamber Singh, in Jodhpur, 2004.
ConstituencyDeeg-Kumher
President, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bharatpur
In office
1991-1994
MLA
In office
1993-2013
Succeeded byVishvendra Singh, INC
ConstituencyKumher
Cabinet Minister-Minister of Health, Ayurveda and Family Welfare, Government of Rajasthan
In office
2003-2008
Succeeded byNarpat Singh Rajvi, BJP
ConstituencyDeeg-Kumher
Cabinet Minister-Minister of Industries, Government of Rajasthan
In office
2008-2009
Succeeded byShanti Dhariwal, INC
ConstituencyKumher
Vice President of Rajasthan, Bharatiya Janata Party
In office
2013-2015
Chairman of Twenty Point Programme
In office
3 May 2015 - 27 October 2017
Succeeded byChandrabhan, INC
Cabinet Minister Incharge of Four additional schemes - Rural Development, Education, Law & Social Justice, Government of Rajasthan
In office
9 September 2016 - 27 October 2017
Personal details
Born(1951-10-01)1 October 1951
Barkhera Faujdar, Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Died27 October 2017(2017-10-27) (aged 66)
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Cause of deathMultiple Organ Failure
Resting placeDr. Digamber Singh "Samadhi", Bharatpur, Rajasthan
NationalityIndian
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
SpouseAsha Singh[1][2]
Children2 Dr. Shilpi Singh (daughter) and Dr. Shailesh Digamber Singh
Parent(s)Jawahar Singh and Ramkali Devi
Residence(s)354-55 Hanuman Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan
EducationBharatpur, Rajasthan
Alma materDr. Sampurnanand Medical College, Jodhpur

Early life and education

Digamber Singh was born on 1 October 1951, to a Hindu Jat family, in village Barkera Faujdar in Bharatpur district, Rajasthan.[7]

In 1973, he completed his MBBS from Dr. S.N. Medical College in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.[8]  

Paralysis attack

Shortly after his marriage in 1976, Singh suffered a paralysis attack. He had symptoms of muscle weakness and regular fatigue, and was hospitalised in AIIMS, New Delhi for a little less than a year. His treatment continued at home, and he took approximately two years to make a full recovery.[9]  

Medical career

Singh joined the government medical department as a gynaecologist in 1977. His initial posting was in Nagar tehsil and was later transferred to Kumher in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

In 1985, Singh resigned from his government designation and opened a private hospital in Bharatpur- Shree Digamber Hospital, today known as the Shree Digamber Group of Hospitals.

Political career
Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaign in support of Digamber Singh

Singh joined the Bharatiya Janta Party in late 1980s. He was first elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in 1993 from Kumher in Bharatpur at the age of 43.

Singh fought and lost in the 1996 general election to Natwar Singh. He was re-elected in 1998 as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). As an opposition leader, Singh was critical of the state congress government's negligence towards development projects in Eastern Rajasthan. Singh went on to win the 2003 Rajasthan election from Kumher, for the third consecutive time, the highest in the region, and was further appointed Cabinet Minister of Health & FW in Government of Rajasathan under the leadership of Vasundhara Raje. Singh's program for the revamping of government health facilities across the state, included setting up of ‘Seva Kendras’ at panchayat level and expanding the scope of government's healthcare schemes for the poor.[10] During Singh's tenure there were multiple government poverty relief schemes and programs in Rajasthan.[11] In 2008, Digamber Singh along with Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, launched the Rajasthan-Norway joint health program, aiming at polio eradication and modernisation of existing facilities and infrastructure.[12] In an interview with News 18, journalist Pratap Rao, termed Singh as the ‘trouble-shooting Minister’ of the government.[13]

He was appointed the Cabinet Minister for Industries in 2009.[14] Singh's leadership saw the emergence of numerous multi dynamic urban city and residential projects in the state. The FDI level rose by 9% under his tenure as multiple Special Economic Zones or SEZs were introduced in diverse regions of Rajasthan.[15][16] He was opposed to unemployment of educated youth, and invited IT MNC's of the country to establish facilities in Rajasthan, through government incentives. [17]

Prior to the 2008 Rajasthan Assembly Elections, delimitation of electoral constituencies took place and Bharatpur’s parliamentary seat was reserved for scheduled class while Singh's Kumher consistency was merged with Deeg to form the Deeg-Kumher Assembly constituency. Following these developments, then sitting Bharatpur BJP Member of Parliament, Vishvendra Singh, contested the assembly elections from Deeg-Kumher. The Bharatiya Janata Party chose Digamber Singh as its candidate from Deeg-Kumher, pushing Vishvendra Singh to join the Indian National Congress. Digamber Singh won the election. After defeating Vishvendra, Singh remarked: “I have put an end to two myths - one is that he (Vishvendra) is undefeatable and the other that 13 (13 Civil Lines, his residence) is an unlucky number".[18] Singh served as an MLA, after the Bharatiya Janta Party was voted out of power. Digamber Singh paraded 50+ MLAs in Raje's support which led to central leadership, under Rajnath Singh, deterring from its decision.[19]

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje ties "Rakhi" to Minister Digamber Singh, August 2017

Singh lost the 2013 elections. The Bharatiya Janta Party was voted back to power and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje sought Singh in the Cabinet. Therefore, Singh was asked to contest the bypoll from Surajgarh, Jhunjhunu.[20][21] however, he was unsuccessful. In 2015, Digamber Singh rescinded the party request for his nomination to Rajya Sabha, he however accepted his appointment as Vice President of the Rajasthan BJP . Following Singh's diagnosis in 2015, he was appointed Chairman of the Twenty Point Program, held a Cabinet Minister status, and possessed power to intervene in as many as 20 miniseries of the government.[22] In 2016, Singh was charge was extended to 24 ministries of the government, as he got additional charge of education, rural development, law and social justice. Digamber Singh was termed as the “Unannounced Deputy Chief Minister” or a “Super Cabinet Minister” by senior legislator - Ghanshayam Tiwari. Despite his failing health, Digamber Singh was considered as the closest aid to the Chief Minister and also the most influential minister in the state.[23]

Membership of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
SI No. Assembly Tenure Constituency Party
1. 10th Rajasthan

Legislative Assembly

 1993-1998 Kumher Bharatiya Janata Party
2. 11th Rajasthan

Legislative Assembly

 1998-2003
3. 12th Rajasthan

Legislative Assembly

 2003-2008
4. 13th Rajasthan

Legislative Assembly

 2008-2013 Deeg-Kumher
Positions Held In Government of Rajasthan
SI. No Post Department of Ministry Tenure
1. Cabinet

Minister

 Medical and Health Services (ESI), Medical Education, Ayurveda, Family Welfare & Indian Medical Methods 2003-2008
2. Cabinet

Minister

 Industry State Enterprise 2008-2009
3. Cabinet

Minister

 Twenty Point Programme & Four Additional Schemes 2015-2017
4. Cabinet

Minister

 Incharge for Rural Development, Education, Law and Social Justice 9 September 2016 - 27 October 2017

Death
Singh in 2016

Singh was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in April 2015. On October 18, after a lengthy illness, he was hospitalised at EHCC Hospital, Jaipur. He died on October 27, 2017.[24][25]

References
  1. "Digamber Singh Biography - About family, political life, awards won, history". Elections in India. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  2. "नहीं रहीं स्व. डॉ दिगंबर सिंह की धर्मपत्नी आशा सिंह, अंत्येष्टि में शामिल हुए कई भाजपा नेता | BJP leader late Digamber Singh wife Asha Singh died in Bharatpur". Patrika News (in Hindi). 31 August 2021. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  3. "Former Rajasthan minister Digamber Singh passes away". 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  4. "It's king v/s Singh in Deeg-Kumher". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  5. "राज्य सरकार ने दिगंबर सिंह को बनाया बीसूका उपाध्यक्ष, कैबिनेट मंत्री का दर्जा | Digambar singh became bisuka in jaipur - Dainik Bhaskar". Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  6. Bohra, Sanjay (13 November 2017). "BJP looks for prominent Jat leaders in Rajasthan". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  7. "भाजपा नेता दिगंबर सिंह का निधन, गांव के लड़के ने ऐसे तय किया MBBS से मंत्री तक का सफर | Dr Digamber Singh Caste Family and Biography". 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  8. "भाजपा नेता दिगंबर सिंह का निधन, गांव के लड़के ने ऐसे तय किया MBBS से मंत्री तक का सफर | Dr Digamber Singh Caste Family and Biography". 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  9. Singh, Ramveer Verma (1 October 2017). Jeevan Path ke Padhchin. ISBN 978-9383147816.
  10. "Telemed link connects Delhi hospital to rural health centres". mint. 26 August 2007. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  11. "Rajasthan Government Provides Free Dengue Tests for Patients". Medindia. 4 October 2006. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  12. "New Norway-India programme on health launched in Rajasthan". mint. 7 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  13. "Rajasthan's Health Minister Dr. Digambar Singh with Pratap rao". YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. "Rajasthan government to focus on attracting more foreign investments". The Economic Times. 7 August 2015. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  15. "Infosys BPO - Second BPO Campus in Jaipur | Press Releases | Newsroom". www.infosysbpm.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  16. "Bhiwadi SEZs get a kickstart". www.rediff.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  17. "Set up IIT in Kota: Rajasthan tells Centre". Financialexpress. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  18. "13-Civil Lines, no more an unlucky' address for politicos". The Times of India. 19 December 2008. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  19. "Vasundhara Raje's aide kicks up a political storm in Rajasthan". India Today. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  20. "Raje camp to field Digambar Singh". The Times of India. 20 December 2009. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  21. "Digamber gets ticket; Congress grins as BJP fights rebellion". The Times of India. 28 August 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  22. India, Press Trust of (26 June 2015). "Rajasthan govt appoints Digamber Singh as 20-point program VC". Business Standard India. Archived from the original on 4 January 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  23. "CM Vasundhara Raje appoints her trusted lieutenant and ex-minister Digamber Singh as vice-prez of state committee for planning, implementing and coordination of the 20-point programme. Singh, who lost last assembly election, has been accorded status of a cabinet minister". The Times of India. 26 June 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  24. "BJP leader Digambar Singh dies". The Indian Express. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  25. "राजस्थान बीजेपी के कद्दावर नेता डॉ. दिगंबर सिंह का निधन". News18 हिंदी (in Hindi). 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
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