Harish Janartha

Harish Janartha is an Indian politician and current MLA of Shimla Assembly constituency, Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Janartha won the 2022 Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly election defeating former MLA Suresh Bhardwaj. With Janartha's win, the INC won the constituency after 15 years. Janartha, in 2017, contested the 2017 elections from Shimla as an Independent candidate but lost. He joined back Indian National Congress in 2019.

Janartha graduated from Panjab University in 1986.

Early life and family
Harish Janartha, born on May 18, 1965, in the village of Kashani-Tikkar (Rohru), is a prominent Indian politician and social activist from the Shimla district. He is the son of Late Smt. Roshna Janartha and Late Sh. Jawahar Janartha. Harish is a graduate, having received his education at Bishop Cotton School, Shimla, and Punjab University, Chandigarh. He is married to Smt. Kusum Janartha, and the couple has one son.

Political Career and Activism
Harish Janartha's political journey began with his association with the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) from 1982 to 1986. He continued to play an active role in politics, serving in various capacities, including the State Youth Congress from 1986 to 1994 and the District Congress Committee in Shimla from 1994 to 2000. His commitment to public service is evident from his roles as an Executive Council member (Finance) at Himachal Pradesh University and an Executive Member of the Pradesh Congress Committee from 2012 to 2022.

In municipal governance, Harish Janartha served as a Councillor for the Municipal Corporation in Shimla twice, first from 2002 to 2007 and then from 2007 to 2012. He demonstrated leadership as the Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation, Shimla, from 2007 to 2012. His contributions extended to the tourism sector, where he served as the Vice Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) from 2013 to 2017. In April 2022, he assumed the role of Vice President at the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee.

Legislative Role
Harish Janartha achieved a significant milestone in his political career when he was elected to the State Legislative Assembly in December 2022. Recognizing his capabilities, he was nominated as a Member of the Public Administration, General Development, and Member Amenities Committees.

Personal life
Beyond his political endeavors, Harish Janartha is known for his special interest in social services. Sports are his favorite pastime.

International Engagements
Harish Janartha's global exposure includes travels to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, the UK, and Scandinavian countries.