Ajit Jogi

Ajit Pramod Kumar Jogi (29 April 1946 29 May 2020) was an Indian politician, who has served as the 1st Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh from 2000 to 2003 and a member of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly from Marwahi from 2018 to 2020 and from 2001 to 2013.

He was born on April 29, 1946, at Gaurela in Marwahi district of Chhattisgarh in a Christian Family.

He is survived by wife Renu Jogi who is MLA from Kota constituency and son Amit Jogi who is a former MLA.

He was a gold medalist in Mechanical Engineering.

He began his professional career as a lecturer in one of the engineering colleges of Raipur city.

After completion of his IAS training he was deputed at Raipur as District Magistrate.

He was chosen by then Chief Minister Prakash Chandra Sethi to be collector for Sidhi district.

He later served as the collector of Shahdol, Raipur and Indore districts.

He was considered a bright officer in his role as an IAS officer.

He grasped the issues quickly which enabled him to guide his political seniors correctly, as he had a good knowledge on rules and regulations.

He was known for having good memory.

He could quote the sections from acts at appropriate moments.

Even his juniors in court work used to emulate his work.

He was college topper and hence won the University Gold Medal in 1968.

He studied law at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.

After having worked briefly as a lecturer at the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, he was selected for two of the most coveted civil services of India; the Indian Police Service and the Indian Administrative Service.

He was selected for the Indian Police Service aged 22.

Two years later he was selected for Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

He was posted in his home state, Madhya Pradesh as an IAS officer.

When Arjun Singh became Chief Minister in 1980, he appointed Ajit Jogi as the collector for Raipur and later that of Indore.

Ajit Jogi was introduced couple of times by Arjun Singh to Rajiv Gandhi, who was President of Congress Party, who took special interest in him and a guiding factor for him to quit professional service to enter politics.

He quit the civil services in 1986 and joined Indian National Congress party.

Later he became member of Rajya Sabha aged 40.

He was nominated for the second time too for Rajya Sabha in year 1992, during Prime Ministership of Late P. V. Narasimha Rao.

In 1998, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from Raigarh, a constituency reserve for members of Scheduled Tribe and won.

However, he lost the Lok Sabha elections in year 1999 from Shahdol.

In year 2000 his daughter Anusha committed suicide.

However, he rose to prominence after creation of state Chhattisgarh from the state of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000, when he was chosen to be its first Chief Minister.

In year 2000, Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, and Sonia Gandhi as President of Congress, chose him as Chief Minister of the newly carved state.

Though he did not have political experience which was considered a limitation, his immense experience as Government servant and intelligence made him comfortable in the role and adjust easily.

As Chief Minister he had complete grip on state affairs.

However BJP won the state's maiden elections held in December 2003, and Ajit Jogi's Congress government was unseated.

He also served as a member of Lok Sabha from Mahasamund from 2004 to 2008 and from Raigarh from 1998 to 1999 and member of Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh from 1986 to 1998 and district collector of Raipur in Office from 1978 to 1981.

In year 2004, he met with a car crash while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Mahasamund, which left him paralysed from waist downwards.

However he kept himself physically active for close to 16 years and remained active in politics.

During his last days he was working on his autobiography.

In the course of his professional work in Sidhi district, he was introduced to Arjun Singh, a prominent politician from Madhya Pradesh, who later became his mentor in politics.

Though BJP retained power by winning elections in year 2008 and 2013, Ajit Jogi retained his prominence in State Congress party.

He was a member of Indian National Congress till 2016 and the founder of the political party named Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and the 1st President of the party from 2016 till he died in 2020.

Jogi studied Mechanical Engineering at Maulana Azad College of Technology (MACT), Bhopal.