Elattuvalapil Sreedharan, popularly known as "Metro Man" of India, is all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) months ahead of Kerala polls. Both the Delhi Metro and Konkan Railway were built under the leadership of E Sreedharan. He will be formally joining the BJP during the 'Vijaya Yathra' which is being organised from February 21. The 88-year-old engineer, who has been an advisor for the Kochi Metro project for the Kerala government, said that now he is going to focus on BJP centric activities.
Here are some of the interesting fact about the "Metro Man" of India:
1. Sreedharan was born in Karukaputhur, a taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala, on June 12, 1932.
2. The soon-to-be BJP member studied at one of India’s leading technical universities -- Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada.
3. At the beginning of his career, Sreedharan worked as a lecturer at the Kozhikode’s Government Polytechnic.
4. In 1953, he successfully cleared the Indian Engineering Services Exam and joined the Indian Railway Service of Engineers.
5. Sreedharan was in charge of the implementation of the first-ever metro of India, the Kolkata metro, in the early 1970s.
6. In 1997, the then Chief Minister of Delhi Sahib Singh Verma appointed him as the managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
7. After successfully helming both the Kolkata and Delhi Metro, Sreedharan became an advisor for Kochi and Lucknow Metro Project. Additionally, Sreedharan’s advice is also sought for metro projects in cities like Jaipur and Lucknow and the state of Andhra Pradesh.
8. Unlike many other government officials, Sreedharan has been vocal about his political views. In 2019, he had expressed his disagreement with campus politics.
9. The "Metro Man" was awarded second-highest civilian honour Padma Vibhushan in 2008 and in 2001, he was given Padma Shri award, the fourth highest civilian award.
10. In 2013, the Government of Japan awarded him with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver star.