Manas Chaudhuri | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist Politician |
| Parent | Parsva Nath Chaudhuri |
| Relatives | Ardhendu Chaudhuri |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Manas Chaudhuri is an Indian journalist and the former editor ofShillong Times, an English-language daily published from theMeghalayan capital ofShillong.[1] He won as a legislator to the Shillong Assembly twice from Mawprem constituency as an independent candidate.[2] He is a former cabinet minister of the State[3] and servedShillong Times as its Editor[4] from 1978 to 2008, when he resigned from the post forPatricia Mukhim to take over.[5] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of thePadma Shri, in 2005, for his contributions to Indian journalism.[6] He is the founder of the Ardhendu Chaudhuri Charitable Trust.
Chaudhuri is former editor ofThe Shillong Times since 1978; for 30 years he has almost single-handedly brought it up as Meghalaya's premier English daily. He has earned respect in the field of journalism in the Northeast in general and Meghalaya in particular, on one hand, for his courageous exposes of corruption in high places and, on the other, for his fiercely independent, but liberal, editorial policy.
Chaudhuri is the founding president ofthe Shillong Press Club and past president of Meghalaya Editors' & Publishers' Association. He is a member of the selection committee of theMedia Exchange Programme of the National Foundation for India, New Delhi.
He is associated with a host of educational and cultural institutions of Shillong. He has been the honorary secretary of theRilbong PN Chaudhuri Secondary School, Shillong, uninterruptedly for 40 years (which is a record of sorts) and helped the school grow almost from a scratch to a position of respectability. He is the president of the governing body of theLady Keane Girls' Higher Secondary School. Chaudhuri is a trustee ofSri Aurobindo Institute of Indian Culture. He is the president of theRilbong Sports & Cultural Club, one of the most active youth organisations of Meghalaya engaged in multi-dimensional social, cultural and sports activities. Chaudhuri is a past district governor ofRotary International District 3240 and a past master of the Freemasons' Lodge. In 1998 he ledRotary International's Group Study Exchange Team from District 3240 to Ohio, US. He also led a Rotary Friendship Mission to Bangladesh in 1996.
Chaudhuri was part of the prime minister's press entourage to Pakistan, Thailand, UK, Cuba, Philippines, Russia, Germany, Brazil and US with Dr. Manmohan Singh.
He is the recipient of the Padmashree Award in 2005, "Pride of Shillong" Award instituted by Geetali—a reputed cultural organisation of Shillong.
He was elected as a Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly in 2005 as an independent candidate securing 52% popular votes. In 2008, he was re-elected with a thumping margin; and served as a Cabinet minister holding portfolios like Higher & Technical Education, Information & Public Relations etc. During his tenure as Minister, he took a number of measures to reform education system of Meghalaya. Introduction of pension benefits of college teachers and lecturers, creation of girls’ hostels, construction of lavatories, libraries, and creation of music university in Shillong. It was during his tenure that Meghalaya's Education Policy was adopted and implemented. In 2013, he contested theMeghalaya Legislative Assembly elections as a candidate of theIndian National Congress (INC) fromSouth Shillong and lost to Sanbor Shullai. He again lost the 2018Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections to Shullai, who this time was aBJP candidate.
With a view to maintaining transparency and probity to public life, Sri Chaudhuri provided full statement of accounts of all the money received by him as an MLA and their appropriation. This initiative was lauded by no less a person, the then Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
He is the managing trustee ofArdhendu Chaudhuri Charitable Trust (created to perpetuate the memory of his brother who died in helicopter crash while on tour as an MLA). The Trust has been undertaking multifarious welfare activities in the spirit of “Service Above Self” out of his personal contributions. He is one of few elected public representatives in the country who donated all his earnings as MLA for serving the less fortunate. He has conceived and implemented a unique initiative called “Aahar” under which some 300 poor and hungry people are being provided with a wholesome free meal every day. The project enters its 100th day of existence on 1 January 2019. The entire cost of this project is being borne out of his personal contribution to the ACCT, under whose banner, project Aahar is alive and kicking.
He is married to Shobha Chaudhuri. They have three children: Shreya, Esha, and Aneesh.
