The correct answer is: D. Shanta Kumar
Shanta Kumar is an Indian politician who served as the 10th Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 1990 to 1992 and again from 1998 to 2003. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was a Union Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1998 to 2004.
He was born in 1934 in the village of Dharampur in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. He studied at the Government College, Dharamshala, and the Panjab University, Chandigarh. He started his career as a teacher and then joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1958. He served in various capacities in the IAS, including as the District Magistrate of Kangra and Shimla.
He resigned from the IAS in 1977 to join politics. He was elected to the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1977 and 1982. He served as the Minister of Finance and Planning in the Himachal Pradesh government from 1977 to 1980.
He was elected as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh in 1990. He was re-elected as the Chief Minister in 1998. He served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh till 2003.
He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2004. He was a Union Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 2004 to 2009. He served as the Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj in the Vajpayee government.
He is the author of several books, including “Himachal Past, Present and Future”.
The other options are incorrect because:
- Bal Govind is a politician who served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 1973 to 1977.
- Ramesh Chauhan is a politician who served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 1983 to 1985.
- Dev Raj Sharma is a politician who served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh from 1985 to 1990.