Former Foreign Secretary Shringla, Special Public Prosecutor in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case Ujjwal Nikam, Kerala teacher C. Sadanandan Master, and historian Meenakshi Jain have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India.
The nomination announcement in the Gazette on Saturday (July 12, 2025) noted that they are being nominated to fill the vacancies caused due to retirement of nominated members. In total, the President of India nominates 12 persons as her nominees to the Rajya Sabha — persons known for their eminence in the fields of arts and letters, and public service. Out of these 12, four seats are currently vacant.
Mr. Shringla is a former Foreign Secretary and a former Ambassador to the United States, Bangladesh and Thailand. He also served as Chief Coordinator for India’s G20 Presidency in 2023.
Mr. Nikam, a known figure in the legal circles, has served as a government counsel in the Mumbai terror attacks case. He was fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 General elections as a candidate from the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha seat
C. Sadanandan Master, a BJP member and teacher from Kerala, was fielded as a candidate by the party in the 2021 Assembly elections. Mr. Sadanandan, a victim of political violence, lost both his legs as they were chopped off by CPI(M) cadre near his native village of Perinchery on January 25, 1994.
Dr. Jain is a historian and a former Associate Professor of history at Gargi College, University of Delhi. (AGENCIES)
