Ramesh Bais is an Indian politician who served as a Member of Parliament seven times, representing the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. He is a former member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. He served as the Governor of Tripura (2019 to 2021) and Governor of Jharkhand (2021-2023). On 12 February 2023, he was appointed as the 23rd Governor of Maharashtra.
Wiki/Biography
Ramesh Bais was born on Saturday, 2 August 1947 (age 75 years; as of 2022) in Raipur, Madhya Pradesh (now in Chhattisgarh). His zodiac sign is Leo. He completed his schooling at Madhav Rao Sapre Higher Secondary School in Raipur, Chhattisgarh in 1966. He pursued a bachelor’s degree in Science in Bhopal.
An old picture of Ramesh Bais from 1992
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Hair Colour: Grey (Semi-bald)
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family & Caste
He belongs to a Kshatriya (Rajput) family in Raipur, Madhya Pradesh.
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Khomal Bais (deceased), and his mother’s name is Kejabai Bais.
Wife & Children
On 1 May 1968, he got married to Rambai Bais. They have a son named Ritesh Bais and two daughters.
Ramesh Bais with Rambai Bais
Ramesh Bais with his son, Ritesh Bais, and former President of India Ram Nath Kovind
Address
9, Ravi Nagar, Raipur – 492001, Chhattisgarh
Signature/Autograph
Ramesh Bais’ signature
Career
Politics
Member of Legislative Assembly
In 1978, he was appointed as the councillor of Raipur’s Municipal Corporation. In 1980, he won the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections from the Mandir Hasod constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. While he served as a member of the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly, he also served as a member of the Estimates Committee (1980-1982) and the Library Committee (1982-1985). From 1982 to 1988, he served as the Minister of State (Pradesh Mantri) of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh. In 1985, he lost the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly elections from the Mandir Hasod constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket to Satyanarayan Sharma of INC.
Member of Parliament
In 1989, he was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket after defeating Kair Bhushan of the Indian National Congress. From 1989 to 1990, he served as the Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh. From 1990 to 1997, he was a member of several committees including the Public Accounts Committee, Consultative Committee, and the Ministry of Steel and Mines. In 1992, he was appointed as the president of Madhya Pradesh Seeds and Farm Development Corporation. Meanwhile, he also served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 1996, he was re-elected to the 11th Lok Sabha from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. During his second term as a Lok Sabha member, he was a member of the Agriculture Committee, Petitions Committee, Consultative Committee, and Ministry of Industry. In 1998, he was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. During his third term as a Lok Sabha member (1999 to 2004), he served as the Union Minister of State holding several portfolios including steel, mines, chemicals and fertilizers, and information and broadcasting. He also served as the Minister of State (independent charge) for the Ministry of Environment & Forests.
Ramesh Bais as the Union Minister of State for Forest and Environment with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Sushma Swaraj
In 1999, he was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha (4th term) from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. During his fourth term as a Lok Sabha member, he was a member of various committees including Petroleum & Natural Gas and Committee of Public Accounts, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Power, Hindi Salahakar Samiti, and Ministry of Coal and Mines. On 5 August 2007, he became a Petroleum & Natural Committee member. On 1 May 2008, he became a member of the committee of Public Undertakings. In 2009, he was elected for the sixth time to the 15th Lok Sabha from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. From 2009 to 2014, he served as the chief whip of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Lok Sabha. Later, he became a member of the Committee of Public Undertakings, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Rules Committee, and Committee of Public Undertakings. In 2014, he contested and won the 16th Lok Sabha from the Raipur constituency on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket after defeating Satya Narayan Sharma of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 1,71,646 votes. During Bais’ seventh term as a member of Lok Sabha, he was appointed as the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Social Justice & Empowerment. He extensively conducted studies on the rights of persons with disability bill and the transgender persons (Protection of Rights) bill. In 2019, Ramesh Bais was denied the Bharatiya Janata Party ticket for the 17th Lok Sabha elections from the Raipur constituency.
Governor
After Bais was denied the BJP ticket for the 17th Lok Sabha elections from the Raipur constituency in 2019, he was appointed as the 18th Governor of Tripura on 29 July 2019. He held this post till 13 July 2021.
Former Chief Justice of Tripura High Court Sanjoy Koral (right) administering the oath as the 18th Tripura Governor to Ramesh Bais (left) at a Swearing-in Ceremony held in Agartala in 2019
He succeeded Droupadi Murmu as the Governor of Jharkhand and was appointed as the 10th governor of Jharkhand on 14 July 2021, a post he held till 12 February 2023.
Ramesh Bais taking the oath as the 10th Governor of Jharkhand at the Swearing-in Ceremony held at Raj Bhavan on 14 July 2021
On 12 February 2023, he was appointed as the 23rd Governor of Maharashtra by the President of India following the resignation of the preceding governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
Droupadi Murmu congratulating Ramesh Bais after he was appointed as the 23rd Governor of Maharashtra on 12 February 2023
Car Collection
He owns a Mahindra Scorpio.
Ramesh Bais’ car, Mahindra Scorpio
Assets & Properties
Movable Assets
- Bank Deposits: Rs. 35,06,702
- NSS and Postal Savings: Rs. 9,49,944
- LIC/Other Insurance Policies: Rs. 14,981
- Personal Loans: Rs. 85,000
- Other assets: Rs. 1,05,000
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,27,96,419
- Non-Agricultural Land: Rs. 1,62,78,860
Note: The given estimates of movable and immovable assets are according to the year 2014. It excludes the assets owned by his wife and dependents (minor).
Net Worth
Ramesh Bais’ net worth for the financial year 2014 was estimated to be Rs. 3.4 crores. It excludes the net worth of his wife and dependents (minors).
Facts/Trivia
- Ramesh Bais is an agriculturist.
- His hobbies include painting and gardening. Ramesh is also interested in woodcraft and interior decoration.
- He has organized several social and cultural activities including health camps, eye camps, rural development programmes, and sports competitions.
- In 2003, when Raman Singh was made Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bais was the major contender for the post; however, his name was withdrawn at the last hour.
- He was a close confidant of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister of India, until Vajpayee’s death in 2018.
Ramesh Bais with Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- He served as the president of the Chhattisgarh Archery Olympic Association.