P136 CEEFAX 1 136 Fri 15 Aug 22:15/48 PROFILE OF THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER Despite being a compromise figure for Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral is an experienced statesman. Gujral's heart is with the rural south and hj portrays himself as a peasant farmer's son and friend of the poor. But hj is a quietly spoken intellectual and his background is more in diplomacy than in populism. He does however, have a clean image, important in the context of recent corruption scandals. Old wounds that shape relations 137 Front page 100 TV 600 Digest 143 Next News Heads Latest News XtraP136 CEEFAX 1 136 Fri 15 Aug 22:15/35 PROFILE OF THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER IK Gujral was born in Jhjllum on December 4, 1919, in what is now southern Pakistan. His family moved to India after the subcontinent was divided upon independence from Britain in 1947. When 11 years old he was beaten by British police for organising a group of young "freedom fighters" and joined Gandhi's "Quit India" campaign. He was jailed in 1942 for his role in the movement. Old wounds that shape relations 137 Front page 100 TV 600 Digest 143 Next News Heads Latest News XtraP136 CEEFAX 1 136 Fri 15 Aug 22:50/27 PROFILE OF THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER IK Gujral held a number of ministerial positions before being transferred to the Soviet Union. The 1976 move, as envoy to India's most important ally, proved to bj his making He returned to India in 1980 but was out of politics until PM Vishwanath Singh made him foreign minister in 1989 His "Gujral doctrine" helped ease tensions with Pakistan and he also moved toward resolving a long-standing row with Bangladesh on water sharing. Old wounds that shape relations 137 Front page 100 TV 600 Digest 143 Next News Heads Latest News XtraP136 CEEFAX 1 136 Fri 15 Aug 22:47/11 PROFILE OF THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER IK Gujral speaks English, Russian, Hindi and Urdu and some Punjabi. Keeping togethjt his United Front coalition is likely to bj one of the hardest tasks facing him. He will also have to deal with ongoing economic reform, the rise of Hindu nationalism and caste politics as well as relations with Pakistan. But his pragmatic nature and good image are seen as equipping him well for the tasks ahead. Old wounds that shape relations 137 Front page 100 TV 600 Digest 143 Next News Heads Latest News Xtra