Arun Jaitley (1952-2019)

Arun Jaitley was an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 2014 to 2019. Born on December 28, 1952, in Delhi, India, Jaitley was a prominent figure in Indian politics for over four decades until his death on August 24, 2019.

Jaitley was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was known for his political acumen and expertise in economic and financial matters. He held several important positions in the party and the government, including Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Indian Parliament), Minister of Defence, and Minister of Law and Justice.

Jaitley graduated from the University of Delhi with a degree in commerce in 1973 and went on to study law at the same university. He began his career as a lawyer in 1977 and was appointed as the Additional Solicitor General of India in 1989. He was also a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India and argued several high-profile cases.

Jaitley's entry into politics began in the late 1970s when he joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organization. He later became a member of the BJP and played an important role in the party's rise to power in the 1990s.

In 1999, Jaitley was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat and was appointed as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting in the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He later served as the Minister of Law and Justice from 2000 to 2002 and the Minister of Commerce and Industry from 2003 to 2004.

Jaitley was a key strategist and spokesperson for the BJP during the 2014 general elections, which the party won by a landslide. He was appointed as the Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs in the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaitley played a crucial role in implementing several economic reforms, including the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, and the Digital India initiative.

Jaitley was also instrumental in implementing several measures to boost foreign investment in India, including liberalizing foreign direct investment (FDI) rules and simplifying the process for foreign companies to do business in the country. He was also a vocal advocate for privatization and disinvestment of state-owned enterprises.

In addition to his role as Finance Minister, Jaitley also served as the Minister of Defence from 2014 to 2017. During his tenure, he initiated several modernization and reform measures in the Indian Armed Forces, including the implementation of the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for retired soldiers.

Jaitley was a prolific writer and contributed articles to several newspapers and journals on a wide range of subjects, including economics, politics, and law. He was also a keen sports enthusiast and played cricket at the university level.

In 2018, Jaitley underwent a kidney transplant surgery and took a leave of absence from his ministerial duties. He continued to remain active in politics and was widely regarded as one of the BJP's most influential leaders.

Jaitley's death on August 24, 2019, was widely mourned by political leaders across the country. Prime Minister Modi described him as a "valued friend and a towering leader" and praised his contributions to the country's economic and political development.

In conclusion, 

Arun Jaitley was a highly respected and influential figure in Indian politics.