Sushma Swaraj

About Sushma Swaraj

Sushma Swaraj was an Indian politician and member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. She was the Union Minister for External Affairs in the government of India. She had served as a member of parliament for the sixth term and was the leader of opposition in the 15th Lok Sabha. She twice became MLA from Haryana during 1977-1982 and 1987-1990, and once from Delhi in 1998. In October 1998 she held the position of the first woman chief minister of Delhi. Her political career graph is a manifestation of her role in Indian politics. She held key positions both as a member of the ruling party and as that of opposition. She was a role model for many such young women who aspire to tread the path of Indian politics.

In 1977, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister, at the age of 25 years. In 1996, during the thirteen-day government under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee, she took a revolutionary step of live telecasting of Lok Sabha debates as the union cabinet minister for Information and Broadcasting. Sushma Swaraj was the All India Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party as also the official spokesperson of the party.

Sushma Swaraj personal background

Sushma Swaraj was born on 14 February 1952 at Ambala cantonment to Shri Hardev Sharma and Shrimati Laxmi Devi. Her father was an eminent member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. She completed her graduation in B.A with Political Science and Sanskrit as major subjects from the S.D. College of Ambala Cantonment. She did a degree course in LL.B. from the Department of Laws of the Punjab University at Chandigarh. In 1970 she received the Best Student award from S.D. College, Ambala Cantonment.

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She was excellent in extracurricular activities. Some of her interests include classical music, poetry, fine arts and drama. She is also a keen reader of poetry and literature. Sushma Swaraj was declared the best cadet of N.C.C. of the S. D. College for three consecutive years. A state-level competition held by the Language Department of Haryana saw her winning the best Hindi Speaker award for three consecutive years. She also became the best speaker in Hindi of Punjab University in the A. C. Bali Memorial declamation contest and there she was awarded the university colour. She has won several awards of distinction in rhetoric contests, debates, recitations, dramas and other cultural activities. She was the President of Hindi Sahitya Sammelan of the State of Haryana for four years.

Sushma Swaraj Elections result

Year	Constituency	State	Status
2014	Vidisha	Madhya Pradesh	Won
2009	Vidisha	Madhya Pradesh	Won

Sushma Swaraj married Shri Swaraj Kaushal, a criminal lawyer and a senior advocate of the Supreme Court of India on 13 July 1975. Shri Swaraj Kaushal became the youngest Governor in the country in 1990. During 1990 to 1993, Shri Swaraj Kaushal served as Governor of Mizoram. From 1998 to 2004, he was a Member of the Parliament. Their daughter, Bansuri Kaushal, is an Oxford University graduate and also a Barrister at Law from the Inner Temple.

Professional background of Sushma Swaraj

In 1973 Sushma Swaraj started practicing as an Advocate before Supreme Court of India.

How did she enter politics?
Considered as the leader of the next generation, the inception of Sushma Swaraj in Indian politics was as a student leader in the year 1970. Many protests against the government of Indira Gandhi were organized by Sushma Swaraj. She is an exceptional speaker and campaigner, who, after joining the Janata Party, got actively involved in campaigning against the Emergency. Her quest in Indian politics saw her as the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and later as the first woman Leader of Opposition. She became the State President of Janata Party in Haryana at an early age of 27 years.

Her major achievements

• In 1977, at the age of 25 years, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest Cabinet Minister in India
• In 1979, at the age of 27 years, she became the Janata Party’s State President in Haryana
• Sushma Swaraj holds record of becoming the first woman spokesperson of a national-level political party.
• Sushma Swaraj holds credit of becoming the first woman Chief Minister.
• She is also the first woman Union Cabinet Minister.
• Sushma Swaraj also boasts of being the first woman Leader of Opposition.

Political journey of Sushma Swaraj

• Sushma Swaraj was a member of the National Executive of Janata Party for four years
• For four years she held President position of Janata Party in the state of Haryana
• For two years she remained the all India Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party
• In 1977, Sushma Swaraj was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Haryana when she was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister in Haryana. She became the youngest Cabinet Minister in India and held eight portfolios from 1977 to 1979 that includes Social Welfare, Labour and Employment
• In 1987 Sushma Swaraj was re-elected from the Haryana Legislative Assembly. This time again she became the Cabinet Minister holding the portfolios of Civil Supplies, Food and Education from 1987 to 1990
• In April 1990, Sushma Swaraj was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha
• In 1996 Sushma Swaraj became member of the 11th Lok Sabha for the second term
• In 1996 during the thirteen-day government under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee, she was inducted as the Union Cabinet Minister for Information and Broadcasting. She took a revolutionary step of live telecasting Lok Sabha debates.
• In 1998 she was re-elected as a Member of the 12th Lok Sabha for the third term.
• From 13 October to 3 December 1998, she became the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi.
• In November 1998 she was elected an MLA from Hauz Khas Assembly constituency of Delhi Assembly, but she resigned from the position to retain the Lok Sabha seat.
• In April 2000 Sushma Swaraj was again elected as a Rajya Sabha member.
• From 30 September 2000 to 29 January 2003 she remained the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
• From 19 March to 12 October 1998, she was the Union Cabinet Minister in the  Information and Broadcasting and Telecommunications (additional charge) sector.
• From 29 January 2003 to 22 May 2004, she was the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and also Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
• In April 2006 she was re-elected as member of Rajya Sabha for the fifth term.
• On 16 May 2009 Sushma Swaraj was elected as a member of the 15th Lok Sabha for the sixth term.
• She became the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on 3 June 2009 in the Lok Sabha.
• On 21 December 2009. Sushma Swaraj became the first woman Leader of the Opposition when she replaced Shri Lal Krishna Advani.
• On May 26, 2014, Sushma Swaraj became the Union Minister for External Affairs in the government of India.
• She has been a member of various committees, such as:
  • Committee on Public Undertakings
  • Library Committee
  • Committee on Subordinate Legislation of Haryana Legislature
  • Committee on Government Assurances of the Rajya Sabha
  • Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Human Resource Development
• She also held memberships in:
  • Hindi Salahakar Samiti of the Ministry of Law & Justice
  • Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
  • Committee on Ministry of Communications
  • General Purposes Committee of Rajya Sabha
  • Committee on Televising the proceedings of Parliament
  • Philatelic Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Communications
  • Member of the Executive of Indian Parliamentary Group
• Sushma Swaraj was nominated to the panel of Vice-Chairmen of Rajya Sabha
• She was the chairperson of:
  • Joint Committee on Catering in Parliament Complex
  • Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha 

Awards Won by Sushma Swaraj

• She was given the Best Speaker award by the Haryana State Assembly.
• Sushma Swaraj received the Best Parliamentarian award twice in the years 2008 and 2010. She is the first-ever and the only woman MP to receive the Outstanding Parliamentarian award.