Rabi Ray

Rabi Ray (1926 – 2017) was Indian politician and Speaker of the Ninth Lok Sabha from 19 December 1989 – 9 July 1991, which heralded a new era of parliamentary democracy in India, since there was a 'hung Parliament' for the first time in the history of Indian Parliament.

He was born on 26 November 1926 in Bhanagarh village in the Puri district of Orissa, graduated in History from the premier College of the State, Ravenshaw College, Cuttack and later studied Law in Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack. The foundation of his future political career was laid when he was elected President of the Ravenshaw College Students Union in 1948-49.

He participated in the Freedom Movement of India. In early 1947, while doing his graduation, he courted arrest in connection with the unfurling of the National Flag. He joined the Socialist Party as its member in 1948. During 1953-54, he held the post of the Joint Secretary, All India Samajwadi Yuvak Sabha. In 1956, under the leadership of Dr. Rammanohar Lohia, he founded the Socialist Party in Orissa. Later, in 1960, he became the national General Secretary of the Party for about a year.

In 1967, he was elected to the Fourth Lok Sabha from the Puri constituency in the State of Orissa. He was the Leader of the Parliamentary Group of the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP) during this period. In 1974, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Orissa.

He became Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in January 1979 under Prime Minister Morarji Desai. The General Elections to the Ninth Lok Sabha were held in 1989 and Rabi Ray returned to the Lok Sabha on the Janata Dal ticket from the Kendrapara constituency in Orissa. He was elected Speaker of the Lok Sabha on 19 December 1989 and his tenure ended on 9 July 1991.

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Rabia al Adawiyya, Rabies, Rabindranath Guha, Rabindranath Tagore, Rabri