Starting sports varsity priority for Anirudh

Bhanu P Lohumi

Establishing a sports university and metalling of left-out roads are top priorities of Anirudh Singh, a second-time Congress MLA from the Kasumpti Assembly constituency, which encircles the state capital.

All schools in the segment have been upgraded as senior secondary schools and all panchayats connected with roads. As many as 95 per cent of the roads are metalled and Anirudh Singh's focus is now on metalling left-out roads, for which work is in progress. 

"There is a great potential for sports in Shimla and the adjoining areas, but lack of an adequate sports infrastructure is acting as a hindrance. The setting up of a sports university will not only go a long way in enabling budding talent to excel at the national and international level, but will also curb drug abuse among the youth," Anirudh Singh told the Himachal Tribune. 

"During my first term, I was successful in getting an Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Mashobra and link my constituency via Fagu to Sirmaur. I also set up a 250-bed hospital in Chamyana, an extension of the IGMC.

A scion of the erstwhile Koti state, Anirudh is among the few MLAs, who have carved out a niche for themselves in politics. "I had no political affiliation but my family was inclined towards the Congress and most of the people in my social circle were Congressmen, which prompted me to join the Youth Congress," he says.

Fortyone-year-old Anirudh made his foray into electoral politics from the grassroots level and was elected as a Zila Parishad member from Chamyana Ward No. 22 twice in 2005 and 2010. He also served as the chairman of the Shimla Zila Parishad for two years from January 2011 to January 2013 and resigned after he was elected to the state Assembly.

An active member of the Youth Congress, he remained vice-president and general secretary of the state unit of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and national coordinator of the IYC.

Elected to the 12th Vidhan Sabha in December 2012, he remained Member, Public Undertakings, Subordinate Legislation and Rule Committees during 2013-17. He was re-elected to the state Assembly in 2017, defeating Vijay Jyoti Sen of the BJP, who is the sister-in-law of Pratibha Singh, the wife of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and Kuldeep Tanwar of CPM, also from the Koti royal family.

Born on January 27, 1977, to Trivikram Singh at Shimla, Anirudh is a graduate and is married to Chetna Singh. He has a son and a daughter. He is an agriculturist, businessman and a political and a social worker.

He is fluent in Hindi, English, Sanskrit and Punjabi. His favourite pastimes include cricket, reading, travelling and music.

Anirudh Singh (41)

Party: Congress

Qualification: Graduation 

Constituency: Kasumpti  

Political background

• Elected as Zila Parishad member from Chamyana Ward No. 22 twice in 2005 and 2010. Also served as chairman, Shimla Zila Parishad for two years.
• Elected to the 12th Vidhan Sabha in December 2012, he remained Member, Public Undertakings, Subordinate Legislation and Rule Committees during 2013-17
• He was re-elected to the state Assembly in 2017

Favourite pastimes: Cricket, reading, travelling and music

Focus: Establishing a sports university and metalling left-out roads, for which work is in progress