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A Ra Harikrishnan    

A Ra Harikrishnan from Chennai has become the 87th Grandmaster of India after securing his final GM norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival held in France.  

A Ra Harikrishnan, 23, from Chennai, started chess at 5, earned his FIDE rating at 7, and became an IM in 2018. He secured GM norms in Switzerland, Spain, and France. Since 2022, he has trained under Shyam Sundar and is preparing for tournaments in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.  

Harsh Vardhan Shringla  

Harsh Vardhan Shringla has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President of India to fill one of the four vacant nominated seats.  

A 1984 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Shringla served as Foreign Secretary of India, Ambassador to the U.S., and High Commissioner to Bangladesh. His first ambassadorial post was in Thailand. An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, he also coordinated the G-20 Summit hosted by India in November 2023.    

Ujjwal Nikam  

Senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President to represent legal and public service eminence.  

Nikam is a noted criminal lawyer known for his role as Special Public Prosecutor in high-profile cases like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and the 1993 Bombay blasts. He has decades of legal experience under TADA and has received numerous awards. In 2024, he was also fielded by the BJP from Mumbai North in the Lok Sabha elections.  

C. Sadanandan Master  

Kerala BJP veteran C. Sadanandan Master has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President for his service in public life and education.  

A lower primary school teacher from Kannur, lost both legs in a suspected CPI(M) attack in 1994 and is considered a “living martyr” by the BJP. He contested the 2021 Kerala Assembly elections and served as President of the National Teachers’ Union. He is associated with the RSS think tank Bharatiya Vichara Kendram.  

Dr. Meenakshi Jain  

Historian Dr. Meenakshi Jain has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the President in recognition of her contribution to Indian historical scholarship.  

A former Associate Professor at Gargi College, Delhi University, she has been a fellow of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, member of ICHR, and senior fellow at ICSSR. Her notable books include The Battle for Rama, Sati, Parallel Pathways, and Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples. She was also awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for her contributions to literature and education.