By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Gordon Brown, who took over as the 52nd prime minister following Tony Blair's resignation Wednesday, has been among the first British politicians to recognize the opportunities and challenges India presents to Britain's economy.
India figures prominently in his interaction with the press, particularly its growing role in global issues such as climate change.
As Brown, 56, begins his stint in 10 Downing Street, India and Britain appear set for a new phase in their relationship in which economy, trade and business will become the predominant buzzwords.
A political heavyweight in the Labour party, Brown will not really have to exert much to deal with Indian leaders, in particular Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with whom he developed a rapport during a visit to India in January.
Brown and Manmohan Singh share a strong academic background in economics: both have doctorates in the subject, Brown from the Edinburgh University and Manmohan Singh from Oxford. Manmohan Singh too served as India's finance minister before becoming the prime minister. Brown has trodden the same path.
Brown has been a regular in meetings of the Labour Friends of India, a lobby within the Labour party comprising MPs, ministers and party leaders.
At a recent meeting of the group, he said: "I value my contacts with India and want to convey my thanks to Labour Friends of India for the constructive and positive role it plays in parliament."
Brown has never let his political vision be blurred even though he was left blind in his left eye when he was kicked in the head in a rugby match during his student days.
Brown, rather reluctantly played second fiddle to Blair during the latter's decade as prime minister but is now all over the news media, putting forth his vision for the Labour party and Britain. Indeed, many have a 'Brown bounce' as the day of entering 10, Downing Street neared.
Born in 1951, Brown was educated at Kirkcaldy High School and Edinburgh University, where he gained First Class Honours and then a Doctorate. He was Rector of Edinburgh University and Chairman of the University Court between 1972 and 1975.
From 1976 to 1980, Brown lectured at Edinburgh University and then Caledonian University before taking up a post at Scottish TV (1980 – 1983).
After becoming an MP, Brown was the Chair of the Labour Party Scottish Council. Before becoming Shadow Chancellor in 1992 he held two other senior posts on the Opposition front bench – Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary.
Brown has had a number of works published including Maxton, The Politics of Nationalism and Devolution and Where There is Greed. He has also edited a number of books including John Smith: Life and Soul of the Party and Values, Visions and Voices.
Brown's Ph.D. thesis was titled 'Labour's struggle to establish itself as the alternative to the Conservatives (in the early part of the 20th century)'. For a while, he lectured at the Edinburgh and Caledonian universities, and also had a brief stint as a journalist at Scottish TV in the early 1980s.
Brown, a Scot, was elected to parliament as a Labour MP for Dunfermline East in 1983, and became the opposition spokesman on trade and industry in 1985. He was the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1987 to 1989 and then Shadow Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, before becoming Shadow Chancellor in 1992.
After the sudden death of Labour leader John Smith in May 1994, Brown was one of those tipped as a potential party leader.
It has long been rumoured that a deal was struck between Blair and Brown at the Granita restaurant in Islington, in which Blair promised to give Brown control of economic policy in return for Brown not standing against him in the leadership election.
Brown has headed the Treasury since 1997. In June 2004, he became Britain's longest continuously serving Chancellor of the Exchequer since the 1820s, overtaking David Lloyd George who served for seven years and 43 days between 1908 and 1915.
With an image of a workaholic, serious and sombre politician, Brown's record in office has been hailed across party lines. Called the 'Iron Chancellor', he has won widespread praise for having secured Britain's economic stability.