The current Speaker of the Uttaranchal Vidhan Sabha Sh. Yashpal Arya was born in Village Tyunra of Ramgarh Tehsil in Nainital District, he belongs to a not very privileged family.

On his father Sh. Nand Ram's migration to Haldwani in the search of employment, Sh. Arya got the opportunity to study at the Primary School, Devalchaur, and the Mahatma Gandhi Inter College. He completed his Intermediate from Nainital, and went on to study in MB College.

He lost his parents while a student and had to endure many vicissitudes. He continued his struggle, however, and became interested in the students' movement while in MB College, becoming its Chief Prefect. He began taking active part in politics and joined the Congress party.

Seeing the effort put in by him, the party made him President of the Haldwani Block Youth Congress. In 1982, he was elected Pradhan of Gram Sabha Chadayal. In 1984, he became President of the Nainital Youth Congress and remained so till 1989.

In 1989, he was made the party candidate from the Khatima Vidhan Sabha constituency. He won this election and became a member of the UP Assembly for the first time. In 1993 he won once again from Khatima.

In 1987, he had been made President of the Udham Singh Nagar District Congress Committee. In this period he was given the responsibility of being the MP's representative.

He has been an active member of a number of social and cultural organisations. He is the Patron of the Kumaon Shilpkar Sewa Sansthan and remains committed to the development of that section of society.

He has been elected to the Uttaranchal Vidhan Sabha from the Mukteshwar constituency on the Congress ticket, defeating the BJP's former Forest Minister, Srichand.

He is married to wife Pushpa and has one son.