Harcharan Singh Brar

For other people called Harcharan Singh, see Harcharan Singh.

Harcharan Singh Brar (21 January 1922 - 6 September 2009) was an Indian politician belonging to the Punjab unit of Indian National Congress. He was the 26th Chief Minister of Punjab and held this position from 31 August 1995 to 21 November 1996. He succeeded the assassinated Chief Minister Beant Singh.

Personal life

He was born on 21 January 1922 in the village of Sarai Naga on National Highway 16, between Sri Muktsar Sahib and Kot Kapura to Balwant Singh. He graduated from Government College, Lahore. He married Gurbinder Kaur Brar. He had a son Kanwarjit Singh Brar, who is also an MLA from Muktsar and a daughter Kanwaljit Kaur.

Political career

Brar was a member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha five times: from Muktsar in 1960-62, re-elected in 1962-67 and 1992–97, Giddarbaha in 1967-72, Kotkapura in 1969-74. He served as the Governor of Odisha from February 1977 to September 1977, and Governor of Haryana from 24 September 1977 to 9 December 1979. He took over as chief minister of Punjab on 31 August 1995 after the assassination of the chief minister Beant Singh in a bomb blast outside the Punjab and Haryana Secretariat in Chandigarh. He is credited with the creation of Muktsar and Moga districts out of Faridkot district. He has also served as Minister of Irrigation and Power, and Minister of Health and Family Welfare.

Death

Brar died in his native village Sarai Naga on 6 September 2009 after a long illness at the age of 87 years.