Since the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, this October - November, many of our friends have left us alone. My friend and an associate MLA Haji Hussain Ansari was a very honest, soft-spoken simple-living politician, who, after suffering the brunt of poverty, was elected an MLA from Madhupur, a remote area of the State. The untimely demise of the Minority Welfare Minister is an irreparable loss in the social political life of the State. My tribute to him; may the almighty give him peace.
Former Chief Secretary of the State Prem Prakash Sharma, who also served as Principal Secretary, Health, died of Covid-19 and Brain Trauma at Medanta Hospital, Gurugram. Before joining Jharkhand cadre, Sharma was Registrar, Cooperative Societies in Bihar. During his tenure, our region Bahragora was approved for the establishment of a government rice mill and financial grant was received from the government.
PP Sharma, known as PP among his friend friends, got huge exposure in the administrative area in comparison to any senior IAS officer in Jharkhand. He attended the National Conference of Health and Family Welfare Department several times with me. He took the initiative to establish a medical university in Jharkhand. He attempted to develop Itki Sanatorium as an All India TV Diagnostic and Treating Center. He also tried to develop the Public Health and Vaccination Center at Namkum as All India Health Hygiene and Public Welfare Institute by removing the encroachment of 65 acres of land in Namkum and the office of Directorate NRHM and all National Health Programs there. He collaborated in every way with Brigadier Chakraborty and Dr. Nizami for the up-gradation and development of CIP Kanke, RINPAS Kanke.
At the time of State’s establishment, there were only three medical colleges, Rajendra Medical College Ranchi, MGM Jamshedpur and Patliputra Medical College, Dhanbad. The level of RMCH was upgraded to RIMS and upgraded to Super Specialty Hospital. The process of establishing a new medical college in Jamshedpur was started with the cooperation of SAIL, CIL and Tata Manipal for the establishment of new medical colleges at Dumka, HEC Ranchi, Coal India Hazaribagh, Palamu and Bokaro to increase the medical personnel in the State.
The law against use of tobacco was enacted to prohibit the production and sale of tobacco and its products. For this, a lot of pressure was put on me and the Health Secretary on behalf of the famous Tobacco Lobby. He gave me full support to bring the Health and Medical Service back on track and reconstruction and construction of the infrastructure which was destroyed in succession from Bihar to Bihar.
I never considered him my secretary, but respected him as my fellow friend and a knowledgeable and skilled administrative officer, but he followed the protocol. Today, when there is a tussle between the ministers and secretaries, PP Sharma’s behaviour is exemplary for all administrative officials.
Environment lover PP Sharma built a huge farm house on the land he inherited from his father, an ex-soldier, which tourists used to visit. He spent half of his time in his Ashok Nagar residence and farm house.
The demise of PP Sharma has caused irreparable damage to the administrative fraternity of the State and the country. His administrative skills will always be remembered for his meticulous knowledge and study on any subject. He is survived by his wife and only daughter and son-in-law.
His wife Anita Sharma was a patient of Obesity, High BP, Diabetes, and Arthritis, Spondylitis. She was a reporter, columnist of famous English newspapers like The Times of India, The Indian Express, HT and The Pioneer.
My heartfelt tributes to him; may his soul rest in peace and my condolences to his family and the bereaved.
(The writer was the first Health Minister of Jharkhand and the views expressed in the article are his own.)