HUL’s Ganguly, Dua, Rao to get RS nominations

NEW DELHI: Former chairman of Hindustan Unilever AK Ganguly, journalist HK Dua and eminent scientist CNR Rao, chairman of the Science Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, are likely to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha soon.

Their names, it’s learnt, have been cleared by the government, and a formal announcement to this effect is likely to be made early next week. They are expected to fill up the slots created by the superannuation of veteran film actor Hema Malini, journalist Chandan Mitra, wrestler-turned-film actor Dara Singh and Dr Narain Singh Manaklao.

Their six-year stint in the Rajya Sabha came to an end in August this year.

The government, however, is yet to find replacements for another former ISRO chairman Dr K Kasturirangan and ex-RBI governor Bimal Jalan, who too bowed out of the
House of Elders in August this year after completing their six-year term. Dr Kasturirangan was subsequently made a member of the Planning Commission.

Mr Dua has served as editor of The Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, The Times of India and is at present head of The Tribune. A Padma Bhushan awardee, he was also media advisor to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.