Chandreshwar Prasad Thakur (born 3 September 1931). also known as C. P. Thakur, is an Indian physician and politician. He is former member of Rajya Sabha, a former minister in the Government of India, and a leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He was a cabinet minister from 1999 to 2004 in the BJP government.
He is known for his contribution in finding medication for Kala-azar. He proposed the development of AIIMS hospital Patna in central government and got it approved. One Crossing (Chowk) near AIIMS hospital, Patna has been named "Dr C P Thakur Chowk" in honour of his contribution to Bihar and its people.
As a physician, Thakur did extensive research for the treatment of Kala-azar. In 2017, he became the first Indian medical scientist to receive a lifetime achievement award from the World Health Organization.[3]
He was elected to Lok Sabha from Patna constituency in 1984.
Positions held
He has held the following government positions:
1984 Elected to Eighth Lok Sabha
1990-91 Chairman, Kala-azar Spot Assessment Committee Government of India
1990-93 Member, Advisory Committee on Kala-azar Government of India
1991 Member, Expert Kala-azar committee to formulate prevention programme for Kala-azar, Government of India
1998 Member, Twelfth Lok Sabha (2nd term)
1998-99 Member, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests; and its Sub-Committee on Ganga Action Plan Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs
1999 Member, Thirteenth Lok Sabha (3rd term)
22 Nov 1999-26 May 2000 Union Cabinet Minister, Water Resources
27 May 2000 – 30 June 2002 Union Cabinet Minister, Health and Family Welfare
29 Jan 2003-May 2004 Union Cabinet Minister, Small Scale Industries, Development of North-Eastern Region
April 2008 Elected to Rajya Sabha from Bihar
Aug. 2008 onwards Member, Committee on the Empowerment of Women
Aug. 2008- May 2009 Member, Committee on Information Technology
May 2009 onwards Member, Court of the Jawaharlal Nehru University
Aug. 2009 onwards Member, Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Aug. 2012 onwards Member, Committee on Information Technology
Aug. 2012 onwards Member, Committee on Empowerment of Women
Jan. 2016 onwards Chairman, The Scouts/Guides Organisation