Rajendra Darda


Rajendra Jawaharlal Darda was a three-time Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Aurangabad. He was a Cabinet Minister for Education and Industry, Government of Maharashtra in India.Presently, Rajendra Darda is Editor-in-Chief of Lokmat Media Group.

Education

After graduating from Nagpur University, Darda received his diploma from the Government Institute of Printing Technology, Mumbai. Darda also attended a two-year advanced course in Graphic Arts from the London College of Printing.

Career

Darda is editor-in-chief of the Lokmat newspaper group.
Darda had also taught journalism courses at Nagpur University.

Author

Rajendra Darda published his first Marathi book "Zumbar", a travelogue narrating his experiences as a student in Europe and America in the 1970s. He has also penned a book "Vibrant Vignettes".. In the book "Aamche Vidyapeeth" eminent journalists threw light on his contribution to journalism. Darda has also authored articles on a variety of issues in Marathi, Hindi and English languages.

Politics

In 1999, he was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Aurangabad Assembly Constituency, Maharashtra. Darda became the Minister of State for Energy, Finance and Planning, and later the Minister of State for Home. He was re-elected MLA from Aurangabad Constituency in 2004 and Aurangabad Constituency in 2009. He became the Minister for Industries in the newly constituted Cabinet of Maharashtra Government in November 2009 and later served as the School Education Minister.

Personal life

Darda has two sons Karan and Rishi, and a brother Vijay Jawaharlal Darda who is Chairman of Lokmat and has served 3 times as an MP.
He is married to Ashoo Darda, who is the chairperson of Lokmat Sakhi Manch.