B. C. Khanduri


Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri, AVSM, is an Indian politician. He was Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2007 to 2009 and 2011 to 2012. He was a Member of Parliament in the 16th Lok Sabha|16th] Lok Sabha representing the Garhwal parliamentary constituency of Uttarakhand and is a senior member of the Bharatiya Janta Party. Earlier, he was a cabinet minister, Ministry of [Surface Transport (India)|Ministry of Surface Transport] of the Third [Council of Ministers of Atal Bihari Vajpayee|government] headed by the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Family and personal life

Khanduri was born at Dehradun in 1934. His parents were Jai Ballabh Khanduri, a journalist, and Durga Devi Khanduri, a social activist. Khanduri is married to Aruna Khanduri. He has a son Manish Khanduri and daughter Ritu Khanduri Bhushan.

Educational profile

Khanduri is B.Sc., B.E. and M.I.E.. He is also a post-graduate in defence management. He studied at College of [Military Engineering, Pune], Allahabad University, Institute of Engineers, New Delhi, and Institute of Defence Management, Secunderabad.

Army career

Khanduri served in Indian [Army Corps of Engineers|Corps of Engineers], Indian Army, from 1954 to 1991. Positions held in the army include:
  • Commander of Regiment
  • Chief Engineer in the Army
  • Commander of an Engineering Brigade
  • Additional Military Secretary at Army Headquarters
  • Additional Director General in the Engineer-in-Chief's division at the Army Headquarters
In 1983, he received the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal from the President of India for his extraordinary contribution to the Indian Army. He retired as a major general.

Political career

He had shown patriotism during the freedom struggle as a student. Khanduri was first elected to Lok Sabha from Garhwal in Uttarakhand in 1991 and in subsequent elections. He was the Minister of State of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways from 2000 to 2003 in the Union government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He was elevated to cabinet rank in 2003, and held the post until the end of the tenure of the NDA government in May 2004. He is a senior leader of Bhartiya Janata Party, having served on various parliamentary committees. As a minister, he implemented BJP's National Highways Development project. At the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, he executed the National Highways Development Plan of the NDA and gave shape to the Golden Quadrilateral Project connecting the major Indian cities and the North–South and East–West Corridor Project.
In February 2007, he led the BJP to victory in the assembly elections in Uttarakhand and was subsequently chosen to be the new Chief Minister of the state. Among Khanduri's first accomplishments as Chief Minister was to cut expenses by reducing his own security and that of politicians and administrative officials, cutting back on their allowance for foreign trips and restricting the use of the Chief Minister's discretionary fund to the projects approved by the district magistrates. Following his election, he toured the entire state to gain first hand information about the conditions of the people. On 11 September 2011, Khanduri announced the setting up of a stronger Lokayukta to check rampant corruption. The Uttarakhand Government approved the draft of the Lokayukta Bill, bringing within its ambit all the ministers, including the Chief Minister, the MLAs and the government servants including IAS and IPS officers, with a provision of life imprisonment or more severe punishment. The eco-friendly and sustainable industrial development of the state is, inter-alia, among the top priorities of Khanduri.

Political positions held

He also represented Departments of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and Law and Company Affairs, and was a convener of the Subcommittee on Personnel Policy of Central Paramilitary Forces under different capacities.

Public image

While he presided over the state government of Uttarakhand he pushed for the implementation of a strong Lokayukta bill, citizen charter and a transparent transfer policy for state employers. The passage of the Lokayukta earned Khanduri praise from Anna Hazare, who urged the Union government and other state governments to follow suit. The bill, however, has not been accepted by the Union of India. Presidential approval was given on 17 October 2013.

Social activities

Khanduri has overseen the activities of the Chandra Ballabh Trust, an educational trust in Garhwal initiated by his grandfather in 1917. He is also associated with other organisations in various capacities including Purva Sainik Seva Parishad, Parvatiya Sanskriti Parishad in Dehradun, Govind Ballabh Pant Himalaya Environment and Development Committee and the Wild Life Society of India
He was also the chairperson of the Uttaranchal Pradesh Sangarsh Samiti.