Virendra Verma


Virendra Verma was an Indian politician, born in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh. He served as the Governor of Punjab and the Administrator of Chandigarh as well as the Governor of Himachal Pradesh.

Personal life

Virendra Verma was educated in J.H. School in Shamli, then DAV/SD High School in Muzaffarnagar and after his graduation attained an L.L.B. in 1943 from Meerut College, Meerut. Verma married Rameshwari Devi in June 1940 and together had one son and two daughters.
He had special interests in education, agriculture, and sports. Additionally, Verma took deep interest in the uplifting of farmers, Mazdoors, backward classes/scheduled castes, and Harijans.
He had, in his career, visited the U.S., Canada, Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, England, the Netherlands, France, West Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Egypt, and the U.A.E.

Political career

Virendra Verma was previously associated with the Indian National Congress while holding the following positions and memberships: President of the District Board, Muzaffarnagar, member of the District Congress Committee, Muzaffarnagar, member of the Executive Council of U.P. Congress, member of the All India Congress Committee, and member of the Congress Working Committee.
In 1978 INC split, Virendra Verma, P.V. Narasima Rao, Pranab Mukherji, Kamlapati Tripathi, A.P. Sharma, and Buta Singh stayed with Indira Gandhi. Protesting the arrest of Indira Gandhi by the Janata Party government in 1978, Virendra Verma led 1200 satyagrahis, courted arrest and was lodged in the Muzaffarnagar district jail twice.
Additional positions and memberships held include: Vice President of the U.P. Sugarcane Co-operative Union Federation,, member of the Indian Central Sugarcane Committee & UP-Bihar Sugarcane Board, member of the State Transport Authority, chairman of the Indian Sugarcane Development Council, head of the U.P. Sugar Mills Nationalization Committee, member of the U.P. Legislative Assembly, chairman of the Public Undertakings Committee U.P., Deputy Minister of Co-operatives in UP, Cabinet Minister in U.P. ministries of Irrigation, Power, Industries, Labor, Education, Technical Education and Home, Agriculture Minister of U.P., Lok Dal party leader in the Rajya Sabha M.P., member of Committee on Privilege in the Rajya Sabha, member of the Joint Select Committees of parliament on the Lok Pal Bill and the Indian Medical Council Bill, Rashtriya Lok Dal Vice President, Deputy Leader of the Janata Dal and National Front parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha, and returned upon re-election to the Rajya Sabha.
Virendra Verma was appointed the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh on 14 June 1990. He took over as Governor of Himachal Pradesh on 19 December 1990. He was a member of the 12th Lok Sabha from Kairana Lok Sabha constituency.

Political offices