Sheila Dikshit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sheila Dikshit
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| President of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee | |
| In office 11 January 2019 – 20 July 2019 |
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| National President (INC) | Rahul Gandhi |
| Preceded by | Ajay Maken |
| Succeeded by | Subhash Chopra |
| 20th Governor of Kerala | |
| In office 11 March 2014 – 4 September 2014 |
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| Chief Minister | Oommen Chandy |
| Preceded by | Nikhil Kumar |
| Succeeded by | P. Sathasivam |
| 6th Chief Minister of Delhi | |
| In office 4 December 1998 – 27 December 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Sushma Swaraj |
| Succeeded by | Arvind Kejriwal |
| Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 4 December 2008 – 28 December 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Constituency Established |
| Succeeded by | Arvind Kejriwal |
| Constituency | New Delhi |
| In office 3 December 1998 – 3 December 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Kirti Azad |
| Succeeded by | Constituency Abolished |
| Constituency | Gole Market |
| Member of parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 1984–1989 |
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| Preceded by | Chhotey Singh Yadav |
| Succeeded by | Chhotey Singh Yadav |
| Constituency | Kannauj |
| Member of Indian delegation United Nations Commission on the Status of Women |
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| In office 1984–89 |
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| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 1984–1989 |
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| Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 March 1938 Kapurthala, Kapurthala State, British India (present-day: Punjab, India) |
| Died | 20 July 2019 (aged 81) New Delhi, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Vinod Dikshit |
| Children | 2, including Sandeep Dikshit |
| Alma mater | Miranda House, University of Delhi |
Sheila Dikshit (born Kapoor; 31 March 1938 – 20 July 2019) was an important Indian politician. She holds the record for being the longest-serving Chief Minister of Delhi. She was also the longest-serving female chief minister of any Indian state. She served for 15 years, starting in 1998.
Dikshit led the Congress party to win three elections in a row in Delhi. After losing the December 2013 elections, she briefly served as the Governor of Kerala in 2014. Later, she was chosen as a candidate for Chief Minister in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election but decided not to run. She became the president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee in January 2019 and held this position until she passed away in July of the same year.
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Early Life and Education
Sheila Kapoor was born on 31 March 1938. Her birthplace was Kapurthala in British India. This area is now part of Punjab, India. She came from a Punjabi family.
She went to the Convent of Jesus and Mary School in New Delhi. After school, she studied history at Miranda House, which is part of the University of Delhi. She earned a Master of Arts degree.
Political Journey
Sheila Dikshit began her political career in the 1980s. Rajiv Gandhi, who became the Prime Minister in 1984, chose her to be part of his team of ministers. From 1984 to 1989, she represented the Kannauj area in the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is one of the two houses of the Indian Parliament.
As a member of Parliament, she worked on important committees. She also led a committee to celebrate 40 years of India's independence. She represented India at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for five years. From 1986 to 1989, she served as a Union Minister. This meant she was a minister in the government. She worked in Parliamentary Affairs and later in the Prime Minister's Office. In 1990, she led a movement in Uttar Pradesh to fight against unfair treatment of women. She and 82 other people were put in jail for 23 days because of this.
Before her time in Parliament, in the early 1970s, she was the chairperson of the Young Women's Association. She helped set up two successful hostels for working women in Delhi. She was also the secretary of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
In 1998, Sheila Dikshit became the Chief Minister of Delhi. She held this important position for 15 years, until 2013. During her time as Chief Minister, she represented the Gole Market area in the 1998 and 2003 elections. Later, from 2008, she represented the New Delhi area.
In the 2013 Delhi elections, her party did not win. Arvind Kejriwal became the new Chief Minister. Sheila Dikshit resigned on 8 December 2013. She continued as a caretaker Chief Minister until the new government took office. In March 2014, she was appointed the Governor of Kerala. She resigned from this role five months later. In 2019, she ran for the Lok Sabha elections again but did not win.
Family Life
Sheila Dikshit was married to Vinod Dikshit. His father, Uma Shankar Dikshit, was an independence activist and a former governor. Vinod Dikshit was an officer in the Indian Administrative Service.
Sheila Dikshit had two children. Her son, Sandeep Dikshit, was also a member of Parliament. Her daughter is named Latika Dikshit Syed.
Passing Away
Sheila Dikshit passed away on 20 July 2019. She was 81 years old. She had been admitted to a hospital in New Delhi. The Delhi government announced two days of mourning after her death. She was given a state funeral, which is a special ceremony for important public figures.
Awards and Recognition
- 2008 Best Chief Minister of India, by Journalist Association of India
- 2009 Politician of the Year by NDTV
- 2010 Dara Shikoh award by Indo-Iran Society
- 2013 Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award 2013 by ALL Ladies League for Outstanding Public Service.
Gallery
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Sheila Dikshit meets Prime Minister Modi.
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Sheila Dikshit handing over the Olympic Torch to Indian Olympic Association president Shri Suresh Kalmadi at the beginning of the Olympic Torch Relay in 2004
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Sheila Dikshit inaugurates Alshifa Hospital in New Delhi
