Sandesh Gulhane Explained

Sandesh Gulhane
Honorific-Suffix:	MSP
Office:	Scottish Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Term Start:	16 September 2021
Leader:	Douglas Ross
Predecessor:	Annie Wells
Office1:	Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow
Term Start1:	8 May 2021
Birth Date:	22 January 1982
Birth Place:	London, England
Party:	Scottish Conservatives
Profession:	General practitioner
Alma Mater:	Imperial College London

Sandesh Prakash Gulhane (born 22 January 1982) is a British doctor and Conservative politician who has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region since May 2021.^[1] He is the Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. Gulhane is the first Hindu and first man of Indian descent to be elected to the Scottish Parliament.^{[2] [3]}

Early life and education

Gulhane was born and educated in London, England; he has two children. His parents, Prakesh and Pushpa Gulhane, were from Amravati in Maharashtra, India.^[4]

He studied at Imperial College London, having been a doctor since 2006.^[5] He operated as a general practitioner in Glasgow,^[6] having previously worked as an orthopaedic registrar in hospitals in the city and East Kilbride, after moving to Scotland around 2011.^[7] Before then, he was based in Birmingham and Newcastle upon Tyne.^[8] He was Club Doctor as part of the medical staff of SPFL football club Queens Park F.C. from 2017 until August 2021.^[9] Gulhane continues to work one day per week as a GP.^[10]

Political career

Gulhane stood as the Conservative candidate for the Glasgow Pollok constituency^[8] and Glasgow regional list at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, and was elected for the Glasgow region.^{[11] [12]}

On 16 September 2021, Gulhane was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, following the resignation of Annie Wells from the role.^[13]

In August 2023, he announced his candidacy to be the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate in East Renfrewshire at the 2024 general election.^[14]

See also

• List of British Indians
• List of ethnic minority politicians in the United Kingdom

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gulhane, Sandesh, (born 22 Jan. 1982), General Practitioner, Glasgow, since 2019; Member (C) Glasgow, Scottish Parliament, since 2021 . 2024-01-04 . WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO . en . 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u295974.
2. News: Aitken . Mark . As a large batch of MSPs with young children settles in for new parliament, we ask how easy it is to juggle life as a politician and a parent . 3 June 2021 . The Sunday Post . DC Thomson Media . 16 May 2021.
3. Web site: New Scottish MSP and doctor didn't hug newborn daughter for weeks due to fear of passing on Covid from NHS frontline. Bradley. Jane. Bussey. Katrine. 27 May 2021. The Scotsman.
4. Web site: In a first, Indian origin doctor becomes Scotland MP. 17 May 2021. ETV Bharat.
5. News: Thomson . Jack . Doctor in the house: interview with Sandesh Gulhane MSP . 8 September 2021 . Holyrood Website . 23 June 2021 . en.
6. News: Covid in Scotland: Indian community prepares for a restricted Diwali. BBC News. 12 November 2020.
7. Web site: I wanted to be that person. Gulhane. Sandesh. 25 June 2019. BMA Scotland.
8. News: Scottish Election 2021: Doctor standing for Tories in Glasgow Pollok . Drew . Sandelands . . 22 April 2021. 8 May 2021.
9. Web site: Medical Staff. Queens Park F.C..
10. News: Boothman. John. 19 September 2021. Tory MSP backs ‘principles’ behind assisted dying bill. en. The Times. 2021-09-20. 0140-0460. subscription.
11. News: Scotland Election 2021 > Glasgow Pollok . . 8 May 2021.
12. News: Scotland Election 2021 > Glasgow . . 8 May 2021.
13. Web site: Glasgow MSP steps down from front bench role for health reasons. Paterson. Stewart. 2021-09-20. Glasgow Times. en.
14. Web site: Meighan . Craig . 2023-08-14 . Scottish Tory MSP announces bid to become MP at next election . 2023-09-03 . STV News . en-GB.