Ajit Kumar Panja (13 September 1936 – 14 November 2008) was a Union minister of state in the Government of India. He was a member of Indian National Congress party but left it to join Trinamool Congress. He was born in Calcutta, and studied law at the Scottish Church College, Calcutta and at the Lincoln's Inn. His Native village was a small village in Burdwan district, named Majigram. A lawyer by profession, he authored many books. He was also a stage actor who enacted the role of Ramakrishna Paramahansa in Kolkata.

Life and career

Ajit Kumar Panja was born in Kolkata on 13 September 1936. His father was Dhanapati Panja.^{[citation needed]}

Apart from political career he started performing on stage theatre in the role of "Sri Ramakrishma Paramhansa" in the play "Sri Sri Ramakrishna" (made according to the story of Noti Binodini written by Late. Brajendra Kishore Dey) organised by Kolkata High Court Advocate's Drama Association in India. The play was staged in London and USA (Washington, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles).

Ajit Panja died of oral cancer on 14 November 2008 at the Peerless Hospital.^[1]

Positions held

• 1971,1972-77 Member, West Bengal Legislative Assembly and 1982–84
• 1971-72 Cabinet Minister, Judiciary and Parliamentary Affairs (Home), West Bengal
• 1972-77 Cabinet Minister, Health and Family Planning and Water Supply,
• 1973 Member, All India Congress Committee (A.I.C.C.)
• 1977 President, District Congress Committee (D.C.C.) (I), North Calcutta, West Bengal
• 1980-81 President, Pradesh Congress Committee (P.C.C.)(I), West Bengal
• 1984 Elected to 8th Lok Sabha
• 1985-86 Union Minister of State, Planning
• 1986 Union Minister of State, Food and Civil Supplies
• 1986-88 Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge)
• 1988-89 Union Minister of State, Finance
• 1989 Re-elected to 9th Lok Sabha (2nd term)
• 1990 Member, Committee of Privileges Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Finance
• 1990-91 Member, Committee on Public Accounts Member, Informal Consultative

Committee, Railway Zone

• 1991 Re-elected to 10th Lok Sabha (3rd term)
• 1991-93 Union Minister of State, Information and Broadcasting (Independent Charge)
• 1993-95 Union Minister of State, Coal (Independent Charge)
• 1996 Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (4th term)
• 1996-97 Member, Committee on Energy Member, Business Advisory Committee
• 1998 Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (5th term) Chief Whip, West Bengal Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party
• 1998-99 Member, Committee on Industry Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of

Urban Affairs and Employment Chairman, West Bengal Trinamool Congress

• 1999 Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (6th term)
• 13 Oct 1999 to 2004 Union Minister of State, External Affairs

Books published

• Encephalitis Attack in West Bengal
• CPM Gun Shoot to Kill (English and Bengali)
• Ganatantra Hatya (Bengali)
• Siksha Khethre Nairajya (Bengali)
• Sansad Bichitra (Bengali)
• PM (Sh. V.P. Singh) challenged to prove charges (English)
• Dunkel Agreement (Bengali)
• Unemployment Problems in India How to solve it (Bengali)
• Era of Excellence of Narasimha Rao Govt 4th Yr-Major Achievements and Decisions
• Mining Medicines Hand Book for Health Workers and Mine Workers