Arun Shourie
Born on November 2, 1941
Biography
India's most prolific and renowned journalist-cum-politician, Arun Shourie, has played a vital role in stabilising India's economy to a great extent. Arun Shourie was born in Jallandhar, Punjab on November 2, 1941. He was awarded a Doctorate degree in Economics from Syracuse University of New York. Later, he served as an economist with the World Bank between 1967 to 1978.His tenure as the editor of Indian Express heralded a new era in Indian journalism. 
It was during the Internal Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 that Shourie started fighting against the attrition of civil liberties and uncovering corruption in the highest echelons of the government.
His battle against the government's proposal to introduce a defamation bill is the most famous event in the history of Indian Press. He joined Bhartiya Janata Party in 1998 and since then he has been a minister in the BJP-led coalition overnment.Presently (2004), he is the Union Minister of State for Planning and Programme Implementation.
He has written 15 books which include "Worshiping False Gods", "Eminent Historians - Their Technology, Their Line, Their Fraud", "Missionaries in India" and "The World of Fatwas" among others.