New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on his birthday, saying his efforts to further strengthen parliamentary democracy are commendable. Birla, an MP from Kota and Lok Sabha Speaker, turned 60 on Wednesday. "Birthday greetings to Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla Ji. His efforts to further strengthen our Parliamentary democracy are commendable," Modi said in a tweet.
"He (Birla) is also admired for his rich intellect and Constitutional knowledge.Praying for his long and healthy life," the prime minister said. "Happy birthday to Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla ji. He is playing an important role in running the House smoothly and increasing the dignity of the House by further strengthening the parliamentary procedures. I wish him a healthy and long life," Shah said.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya extended birthday greetings to Birla and wished for his long life. "Happy birthday to Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla ji. Your contribution in strengthening the democratic process and public welfare work through the Parliament has been important. I wish you a long life from God," Mandaviya tweeted.
Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Best wishes to Lok Sabha Speaker On Birla on his birthday. Under your able guidance & effective administration, Lok Sabha is witnessing unprecedented outputs and outcomes!"
Birla is the 17th and current Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He serves as a Member of Parliament for the Kota-Bundi constituency in Rajasthan. Born on 23 November 1962, Om Birla completed his Master in Commerce from Government Commerce College, Kota and Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University, Ajmer.
In 2003, he defeated Shanti Dhariwal, of the Congress by a margin of 10,101 votes, to win his first assembly election from Kota South. Subsequently, he won the Assembly polls in 2008 and 2013. An agriculturist and social worker, the low-profile leader has been active in politics from his student days and served as state unit president of the Bhartiya Yuva Morcha in 1991 and as vice president at the national level.
He was the Parliamentary Secretary (MoS rank) in the Vasundhara Raje government from 2003 to 2008. In the last Lok Sabha, Birla was a member of the Standing Committee on Energy in Parliament and a member of the Committee on Petitions and Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
He has also been in charge of the organisational revamp in 2018 when the then Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was drawing flak from the public. He has also initiated several social welfare programs, including launching in 2012 Paridhan, an initiative which engages in distributing clothes and books for the poor and opening several blood donation camps. He has started medicine banks which supply medicines free of cost and initiated free meal programs for the poor.
