Son of late Shri Lal Singh; born on May 29, 1948 at village Majharnu (Jogindernagar), Distt. Mandi; B.A. & LL.B.; educated at Punjab University, Chandigarh; married to late Smt. Hima Devi; one son and three daughters; Agriculturist & Advocate.
Active member of various organizations during college years; elected to State Legislative Assembly in 1977 on Janata Party ticket; joined Congress Party in 1980; was re-elected to the Assembly in 1982 (Independent), 1990, 1993, 1998 as Congress Party nominee and in December, 2007 as Bhartiya Janata Party nominee.
Remained Member: H.P. State Land Reforms Committee, DRUC, Northern Railway, Social Audit Panel, Ministry of Communications, Govt. of India, National Institute of Rural Development; Director, F.C.I. (H.P.), 1985-88, and Himachal Gramin Bank , 1985-88; Chairman, Govt. Committee on payment of Ex-gratia grants to Small & Marginal Farmers.
Minister of State,i) Panchayats and Prison Welfare, 1979-80, ii) Co-operation and Education, 1982-83, iii) Civil Supplies and Co-operation, 1984-85; Chairman Public Accounts Committee, 1990-91; Revenue Minister, 1993-98; before being elevated to the Office of Speaker on March 30, 1998 resigned from the Congress Party to remain un-attached; and Public Works & Revenue Minister from January 2008-2012 . As Speaker, participated in various CPA and All India Presiding Officers Conferences.
Elected to the State Legislative Assembly for a seventh term in December, 2012.
- Special Interest : Sports and Reading.
- Travels Abroad : As delegate CPA (H.P. State Branch) attended 44th CPA Conference held in Newzealand, 45th Conference in Trinidad (Tobago), 46th Conference in England, 47th Conference in Australia and 48th Conference in Namibia.
- Awards: Recipient of Vijaya Shree Award given by the International Friendship Society of India, 1986.