Prakash Karat

  • General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

  • 56 years

  •  Graduated from Madras Christian College, awarded medal for best outgoing student for all- round activities.

  • Post-Graduate degree M.Sc (Politics) from University of Edinburgh, Britain.  He was rusticated from the University in 1970 for anti-apartheid protest action which was suspended on good behaviour. 

  • Joined CPI(M) in 1970.

  • Worked as aide to A.K. Gopalan, leader of the CPI(M) Parliamentary groups for two years. 

  • President     --     Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union(1972-1973)

  • President     --     Students Federation of India (1974-1979)

  • Worked underground for one a half years during the Emergency in India in 1975-76.

  • Arrested twice. Spent 8 days in prison.

  • Secretary     --     Delhi State Committee of CPI(M)  (1982-1985)

  • Elected to Central Committee of CPI(M) in 1985

  • Elected to Polit Bureau of CPI(M) in 1992.

  • Member, Editorial Board of `The Marxist’, theoretical journal of the CPI(M).

  • Managing Director of LeftWord Books, a leading Leftwing publishing house.

  • Author of books:  i ) Language, Nationality and Politics in India (1972) ii) Edited "A World to Win" Essays on the Communist              Manifesto (1999), iii) Edited “Across Time and Continents: A tribute to Victor Kiernan” (2003)

  • Married to Brinda Karat,  Member of the Central Committee of the CPI(M).