Mumbai South Lok Sabha Constituency

Candidate                   :Suryakanth Shinge

Age                             : 41 years

Address                      : 59, Ambedkar Sadan Currey Road, Mumbai 13

Educational status      : Graduate, Mumbai University

Occupation                 : Leader of Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh and Ladaku Mazdoor Union,
                                     political and social activist

Nominated by             : Lok Raj Sangathan, Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh, Ladaku Mazdoor Union,
                                      Purogami Mahila Sangathan, Hind Naujawan Ekta Sabha, and
                                     Communist Ghadar Party of India

Background                   :Over the past two decades, Mr. Suryakanth Shinge has been an active member of various social organizations in and around Mumbai which are fighting for the rights of workers from varied industries and segments, against manifold attacks on various sections of the people and for people's empowerment.

Born on 15th March 1968 in Balkumb Thane, Mr. Suryakanth Shinge was single handedly brought up by his mother who was a vegetable seller. After completing his secondary education he worked to support himself and contribute to his family. He did his BA. He was a quick learner and a skilled garment worker. In 1993, when he joined the garment industry, he became acutely aware of the inhuman conditions of the garment workers and was deeply motivated to fight for their rights. After being betrayed by various trade unions, he and his fellow workers formed their own union, the Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh.

The union Ladaku Garment Mazdoor Sangh empowers its members by insisting that all crucial decisions such as how to fight for their rights, when and how to compromise with the bosses etc. be taken only after discussion and approval by the general membership of the concerned unit. Apart from fighting for their economic demands, this Union also considers the social and political education of workers as its duty. In due course of time, these same set of people established the Ladaku Mazdoor Union for workers in other branches, which is based on the same principles. Suryakanth soon became aware that the problems faced by contract workers are a part and parcel of those that beset our society as a whole.

His growing political understanding and consciouness has made him an active member of various organizations that are fighting for workers rights and empowerment and which highlights issues that contribute to the economic and cultural development of the Indian people. Since then, at the local level, he has worked against the closures of various factories, against lay-offs, in struggles for getting adequate quantity and good quality of water for the working people, against those who attack women, for the rights of contract workers of different sectors, etc.