Former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray passes away

Rabi Ray, former Speaker of Lok Sabha, passed away on 6 March 2017 after a prolonged illness in Cuttack. He was 91.

Ray was also an eminent socialist politician, a Gandhian, and had also served as a former Union minister.

About Rabi Ray

• Born on 26 November 1926, Rabi Ray passed obtained his bachelor’s degree in History from the Ravenshaw College in Cuttack.

• Later, he studied Law in the Madhusudan Law College in Cuttack.

• In 1948, he joined the Socialist Party as its member.

• During 1953-54, he held the post of the Joint Secretary of the All India Samajwadi Yuvak Sabha.

• Under the leadership of Rammanohar Lohia, Ray founded the Socialist Party in Orissa in 1956.

• In 1967, he was elected to the 4th Lok Sabha from Puri constituency in Orissa.

• He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Orissa in 1974. He completed his term in Rajya Sabha in 1980.

• From January 1979 to January 1980, he served as the Union minister of Health and Family Welfare in Morarji Desai Ministry.

• In 1989, he was re-elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from the Kendrapara constituency in Orissa as a Janata Dal candidate.

• On 19 December 1989, he was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the 9th Lok Sabha.