Ilaiyaraaja, PT Usha, Dr Veerendra Heggade nominated to Rajya Sabha

New Delhi, July 6: Athlete PT Usha, music composer Ilaiyaraaja, filmmaker V Vijayendra Prasad and philanthropist Dr Veerendra Heggade have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

The President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha from people who have special knowledge or practical experience in art, literature, science and social service. The rationale behind this principle of nomination is to provide eminent persons a place in the Rajya Sabha without going through the process of election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated all the nominees on Twitter.

PM Modi said that PT Usha is an inspiration for every Indian. "Her accomplishments in sports are widely known but equally commendable is her work to mentor budding athletes over the last several years. Congratulations to her on being nominated to the Rajya Sabha," he stated.

Talking about Ilaiyaraaja, the Prime Minister said that the musician has enthralled people across generations. "His works beautifully reflect many emotions. What is equally inspiring is his life journey- he rose from a humble background and achieved so much. Glad that he has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha," he added.

The PM further stated that V Vijayendra Prasad's works showcase India's glorious culture. "Shri filmmaker V Vijayendra Prasad Garu is associated with the creative world for decades. His works showcase India's glorious culture and have made a mark globally. Congratulations to him for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha," the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

Congratulating Heggade, he wrote, "Shri Veerendra Heggade Ji is at the forefront of outstanding community service. I have had the opportunity to pray at the Dharmasthala Temple and also witness the great work he is doing in health, education and culture. He will certainly enrich Parliamentary proceedings."

Interestingly, all four nominees are from South India.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah too congratulated four eminent personalities, who were nominated to the Rajya Sabha. "Congratulations to PT Usha Ji, Shri V. Vijayendra Prasad Ji, Shri Veerendra Heggade Ji and Shri Ilaiyaraaja Ji on being appointed to the Rajya Sabha. You have made outstanding contributions in your respective fields & have made the nation proud with your dedication and hard work," Shah tweeted.