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Devinder Kumar Sehrawat

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Devinder Kumar Sehrawat
Left Colonel Devinder Sehrawat and in right Shri Hardeep Puri
MLA, Sixth Legislative Assembly
In office
Feb 2014 – Feb 2019
Preceded bySat Prakash Rana
ConstituencyBijwasan
Personal details
Born (1965-10-30) 30 October 1965 (age 59)[1]
New Delhi, India[1]
Other political
affiliations
None
SpousePoonam (wife)
Children1 son & 1 daughter
ParentRam Prakash Sehrawat (father)[1]
ResidenceNew Delhi
EducationBusiness Management, BSc
Alma materIIM Ahmedabad &
Jawaharlal Nehru University[2]
ProfessionPolitician
Farmers Rally at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, 25 Nov 2011

Devinder Kumar Sehrawat is a retired colonel of the Indian Armed Forces and a politician. He is a farmer leader from rural belt of Delhi. As a former Member of the Sixth Legislative Assembly of Delhi,[1][2][3][4][5] he represented the Bijwasan constituency during his term[6][7] of New Delhi.

Early Life and Education

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Devinder Kumar Sehrawat was born in Mahipalpur, Delhi. He attended The Air Force School, Subroto Park, Delhi, as a boarding student. He earned a Post Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, a Master of Science (MSc) degree from Madras University, and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) from Jawaharlal Nehru University through the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Military Career

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Devinder Kumar Sehrawat served in the Indian Army for 20 years. He trained at the National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, where he captained the basketball team and received the book prize for achieving first place in "Overall Common Service Subjects" during his fourth term. Following NDA, he completed his military training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. At IMA, he earned the Jammu and Kashmir Medal for excelling in "Tactical Training" among his coursemates and held the prestigious position of Academy Under Officer for two terms during his final year.

Commission and Early Assignments

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Sehrawat served in the Indian Army for 20 years. He trained at the NDA in Pune, where he captained the basketball team and excelled academically. He continued his training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, receiving the Jammu and Kashmir Medal for Tactical Training and serving as Academy Under Officer.

Commissioned into the Infantry in 1987, Sehrawat underwent Commando training and specialized in counter-insurgency operations, high-altitude warfare, and logistics. He held key positions, including Deputy Commandant of a Field Ordnance Depot in Udhampur and command of a unit in Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, during Operation Parakram. He retired as a Colonel.

Leadership in Farmer Issues

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Sehrawat has been an advocate for farmers' rights in Delhi, focusing on land acquisition and rural development. His activism includes organizing mass protests, Maha Panchayats, and rallies to address issues such as inadequate compensation for land acquisitions and the lack of ownership rights under the Delhi Land Reforms Act.

Notable movements include:

  • Organizing a Maha Panchayat in 2010 to discuss land acquisition for the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
  • Leading a farmers’ protest at Jantar Mantar in 2011 to demand better compensation and transparency in land acquisition laws.
  • Advocating for amendments to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013, to include farmer-friendly provisions.

Civil Society and Activism

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Sehrawat played a key role in the India Against Corruption movement in 2011, which contributed to the push for the Lokpal Bill. He was a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and served on its National Executive Committee. He has also worked to preserve Delhi's cultural heritage, including efforts to save the Aravali Ridge and Sultan Garhi structures,[8] [9] and was recognized for his social impact in TOI in March 2013.[10]

He was one of the founder members of the Aam Aadmi Party, AAP and member of its first Executive Committee of the National Council, on formation of the party on 26 November 2012. He held the following responsibilities in the party- Member Land Acquisition Committee, Prabahari State of Haryana.[11]

Efforts to Save the Ridge. He galvanized the villagers in the efforts to save the Aravali Ridge in Vasant Kunj- Mahipalpur-Rangpuri area.[11][12][13][14][15]

Political career

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Sehrawat was elected as Member of Legislative assembly of Delhi in Feb 2015, representing the Bijwasan Constituency. His tenure was marked by initiatives in infrastructure, education, and environmental advocacy:

  • Proposing the Citizens Health Safety and Security from Electromagnetic Radiation Due to Mobile Towers Bill, 2015.
  • Filing public interest litigations to address waste management and school safety in Delhi.
  • Reviving a 400-year-old lake near Vasant Kunj and overseeing the completion of stalled infrastructure projects like the Bijwasan flyover.

In 2019, following the Pulwama attack, Sehrawat resigned from AAP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where he campaigned for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.[16][17][18]

Legislative Achievements

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He was elected as member of legislative assembly of Delhi in 2015, to represent Bijwasan Constituency:

Infrastructure development

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He made a plan and prepared a vision document for development of Bijwasan constituency, which entailed the development of the Delhi Airport area. Infrastructure development plans. Projects in this area were pending for decades, the planned projects for Common Wealth Games, Delhi-2010, had not got implemented. The constituency was one of the most water deficient areas in Delhi. The plan “Pehli Nazar”- The First Look of India,[31] was conceived, with the aim of 'Creating a lasting impression on the foreign visitors' and to safe guard the heath of the residents of Bijwasan Constituency in view of the Use of Ground Water for Drinking Purpose, due to total absence of piped water supply.

Notable Works as MLA

During his tenure as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, Devinder Kumar Sehrawat undertook several significant infrastructure and development projects in the region. Some of his notable achievements include:

  • Infrastructure Development:
    • Completion of Northern Bypass: Overseeing the completion of the Northern Bypass from near the CNG Pump on Mahipalpur-Vasant Kunj Road to NH-8 near Aero City Hotel, a project implemented by the Delhi Development Authority at a cost of Rs 90 lakh.
    • Revival of 400-year-old Lake: Initiating the revival of a historic lake near Vasant Kunj in the Shankar Vihar Cantonment, with support from the Ministry of Defence.
    • Completion of Bijwasan Flyover and Underpass: Resolving long-standing issues and completing the Bijwasan Flyover and Underpass, which had been stalled for seven years.

Urban Development and Public Services

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    • Removal of Encroachments: Leading efforts to remove encroachments on government school land in Samalka and Gram Sabha land near the DC office, and constructing a 106-room government school and a Baraat Ghar for Kapashera residents.
    • Water Supply: Providing water supply to areas like Raj Nagar, Mahipalpur, Rangpuri Complex, Shahbad Mohammadpur, Dhool Siras, Bamnoli, Bharthal, and Bagdola.
    • Land Allocation: Allocating land for the Dada Bhaiyya Complex in Bijwasan and approving the development of sports complexes in Kapashera and Nangal Dewat.
  • Public Amenities:
    • Road Infrastructure: Recarpeting the Mahipalpur-Vasant Kunj Road and installing safety grills on the divider to improve traffic flow.
    • Community Development: Proposing the development of a multi-utility recreation and fitness center, a water body, and a 200-bed hospital in Mahipalpur.

These initiatives significantly improved the quality of life for the residents of the region and showcased Sehrawat's commitment to public service.

He Resigned from Aam Aadmi Party, after Pulwama incident. He joined BJP in May 2019 during Delhi leg of the Lok Sabha elections and actively campaigned for BJP,[32] resulting in second highest margin in Bijwasan constituency [33] amongst the 10 Vidhan Sabha Constituencies under South Delhi Parliamentary seat.

Posts held

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# From To Position Comments
01 2014 2019 Aam Aadmi Party, Member of Legislative Assembly for Bijwasan
02 2021 2023 President in Delhi at Akhil Bhartiya Poorv Sainik Seva Parishad

Honours and Recognition

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Member Profile". Legislative Assembly official website. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Candidate affidavit". My neta.info. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Election result". Election commission of India. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  4. ^ "High drama at Delhi Secretariat". The Hindu. 7 March 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Will not support Cong. or BJP even if it means re-election: AAP". The Hindu. 27 October 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  6. ^ "AAP's 1st manifesto for Bijwasan". The Times of India. 29 October 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  7. ^ "AAP's Devinder Sehrawat wears Army pride on his sleeve". The Times of India. 31 March 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  8. ^ dash, dipak (25 October 2010). "Farmers Slam Government for selling land to private firms".
  9. ^ "Farmers' protest on Jaipur Road on Tuesday". Hindustan Times. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Home ministry orders complex in 'Ridge' area". The Times of India. 11 March 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b Singh, Darpan (8 February 2013). "Activists join villagers to save ridge from concrete, plan stir".
  12. ^ Chitanglia, Risha (11 March 2013). "home ministry order complex in ridge".
  13. ^ Sengupta, Nandita (27 May 2012). "Delhi Plays Reluctant Host to Mayannmars Nowhere People".
  14. ^ "Local residents resent Bangladeshi refugees". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  15. ^ ""Penalty has exposed doublespeak"". The Hindu. 14 February 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  16. ^ "AAP's 'son of soil' Colonel sets up war room". The Times of India. 23 March 2014. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Farmers agitate as state govts profit from land prices". The Times of India. 10 May 2011. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Original inhabitants of Delhi may meet the fate of Red Indians in US, says Colonel Devinder Sehrawat". The Indian Express. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Motion | Legislative Assembly". delhiassembly.delhi.gov.in. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  20. ^ "How the Vadra-DLF exposé has endeared Kejriwal to farmers". Firstpost. 5 November 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  21. ^ "col devinder sehrawat video on ryan school children - Google Search". www.google.co.in. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Mahipalpur hunts for Rs 2cr missing road". The Times of India. 9 September 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  23. ^ "Inquiry into Mahipalpur missing road". The Times of India. 2 October 2012. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Bijwasan's MLA wants to end wait for new hospital". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Col. Devinder Sehrawat vs. South Delhi Municipal Coroporation & ANR". www.the-laws.com. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  26. ^ "Schoolboy's death: Delhi HC issues notice to SDMC, Ryan International School". DNA India. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  27. ^ "School death: HC issues notice to SDMC, Ryan International". Business Standard. 2 February 2016.
  28. ^ "School death: PIL seeks action over 'criminal neglect'". The Times of India. 2 February 2016. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Delhi HC asks govt, SDMC and Ryan International school to reply to PIL". Hindustan Times. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Delhi High Court takes stand for students' safety in govt, private schools". India Today. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  31. ^ Trikha, Bhavini (6 July 2016). "Mahipalpur to become a heritage hub".
  32. ^ "⚡Shiv Sena Appoints Colonel Devinder Sehrawat As Party's Delhi Unit President". LatestLY. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  33. ^ "Bijwasan Assembly Constituency Election Result - Legislative Assembly Constituency". resultuniversity.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  34. ^ "Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2023". www.pib.gov.in. Retrieved 18 January 2024.