Abdul Nazir Sab

Abdul Nazir Sab
Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
In office 1983–1985
President of the Town Municipal Council, Gundlupet
Organizing Secretary of the Congress Committee, Mysore
President of Karnataka Kranti Ranga
Personal details
Born	25 December 1934 Ayanavaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Died	25 October 1988 Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Political party	Janata Party
Spouse	Ashraf Jehan Begum
Children	1 son, 4 daughters
Profession	Politician, agriculturist

Abdul Nazir Sab (1934–1988), a.k.a Neer Sab, was an Indian politician, agriculturist, and member of the Janata Party^[1] who served as the Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj in the Ramakrishna Hegde Cabinet from 1983 to 1985.^[2] He was a pioneer in advocating for the implementation of the Panchayat Raj system and the decentralization of political power.^[3][4]

Early life

Nazir Sab was born on 25 December 1934, in Ayanavaram, Tamil Nadu. He was commonly referred to as Neer Sab, meaning water in Kannada,^[4] due to his efforts in promoting the installation of hand pumps in every village.^[5]

Political career

Nazir Sab's political journey began as a social worker. He was mostly active in the education field. He would also organize farm laborers and advocate for the upliftment of marginalized communities. He served as the President of the Town Municipal Council, Gundlupet,^[6] and was the Organizing Secretary of the Congress Committee in Mysore.^[7] After completing his term as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) during Gundu Rao’s regime, he left the Congress (I) and joined the Janata-Ranga alliance. He was the President of Karnataka Kranti Ranga.^[8][9]

Ramakrishna Hegde was the Chief Minister of Karnataka when the Janata Party came to power in 1983. His government focused on social welfare and rural development.^[3] In 1983, Nazir Sab was appointed as the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister.^[10] During his tenure, he introduced a scheme for decentralized democracy across the country. Under his leadership, the Panchayat Raj Institution was empowered. Karnataka was one of the first states to implement the Panchayat Raj system in India by enacting the Karnataka Zilla Parishads, Taluk Panchayat Samithies, Mandal Panchayats, and Nyaya Panchayats Act, 1985, commonly known as the Act of 1983. This legislation was based on the recommendations of the Ashok Mehta Committee and was drafted by Nazir Sab. The bill was introduced in the State Assembly in 1983, and the Act received the assent of the President of India in 1985.^[11][12]

Sign boards, Administrative Training Institute, Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj (ANSSIRD&PR), Mysore, Karnataka

Death

Nazir Sab was diagnosed with cancer and went to the US for treatment.^[13] In his final days, he returned to his native Gundlupet. He was admitted to the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology in Bangalore, where he passed away on 25 October 1988, at the age of 54. He was survived by his wife, Ashraf Jehan Begum, one son, and four daughters. In 2005, a statue of Nazir Sab was placed at the Zilla Panchayat office in Bangalore.^[14] The Abdul Nazir Sab State Institute of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj was set up in Mysore in 1989 after his name. The institute provides training in rural development and decentralized governance for elected representatives of Panchayat Raj Institutions.^[15]

The Government of Karnataka created a chair at the Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development Research (CMDR) to conduct research on various aspects of decentralized decision-making.^[16]

References

1. "Hegde's gamble to put up two Cabinet ministers for Legislative Council seats pays off". India Today. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
2. Aji, Sowmya. "Unsung sheroes". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
3. Mathew, George (2011). Two Decades of New Panchayati Raj in Karnataka: Issues, Options, and Lessons. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-8069-767-8.
4. "Abdul Nazir Sab was an ideal personality: PGR Sindhia". Star of Mysore. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
5. "A Tableau Of Feelings". Outlook India. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
6. "Abdul Nazir Sab". kla.kar.nic.in. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
7. "Minister emphasises role of gram panchayats in ushering in growth". The Hindu. 12 September 2015. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
8. "Bangarappa revokes decision to merge Kranti Ranga with Janata Party". India Today. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
9. "Hegde's gamble to put up two Cabinet ministers for Legislative Council seats pays off". India Today. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
10. "Karnataka CM Ramakrishna Hegde survives Congress(I)'s attempts to topple his Government". India Today. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
11. "A politician with elan". Frontline. 12 February 2004. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
12. Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act Amendment Committee (November 2014). "The Path to Gram Swaraj in Karnataka" (PDF). Retrieved 25 August 2024 – via concernedforworkingchildren.org.
13. "THE STATE OF MY STATE - Where the interests of mining and real estate come first". Telegraph India.
14. ನ್ಯೂಸ್, ಕಲ್ಪ (9 July 2021). "ಮೈಸೂರು: ಸಚಿವ ಈಶ್ವರಪ್ಪ ಅವರಿಂದ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ ನಜೀರ್ ಸಾಬ್". kalpa.news. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
15. Sripad, Ashwini M. (14 November 2023). "49,000 women gram panchayat members to be trained in leadership skills". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
16. Nadkarni, M. V.; Sivanna, N.; Suresh, Lavanya (7 August 2017). Decentralised Democracy in India: Gandhi's Vision and Reality. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-351-60083-5.