Chitra Sarwara Explained

Chitra Sarwara
Birth Date:	1975 3, df=yes
Birth Place:	Ambala Cantt, Haryana, India
Occupation:	Politician, Social Activist, Designer
Spouse:	^[1]
Children:	2
Parents:	Nirmal Singh^[2] Naib Kaur
Relatives:	UdayVir Singh(Brother) Chetak Singh(Brother) Noor Sarwara(Sister) Chitrangada Singh (sister-in-law)
Party:	Indian National Congress

Chitra Sarwara (Hindi: चित्रा सरवारा; born 18 March 1975) is daughter of Nirmal Singh Mohra and a second generation politician. She was a former member of Aam Aadmi Party led by Arvind Kejriwal^[3] and was appointed as State Vice President, Haryana since April 2023. She joined Indian National Congress in January 2024.

Prior to this, Chitra held the post of In charge North Zone, Aam Aadmi Party as Haryana, for nearly 1 year from June 2022 to March 2023. In her tenure AAP Haryana contested and won Zila Parishad Chairman, Zila Parishad members and an overall vote percentage of 13.89% in north zone alone.^[4]

Before this, she was National General Secretary Incharge Organization & Treasurer for Haryana Democratic Front-HDF, an independent registered political body in Haryana.

Erstwhile, as an Indian National Congress member, she has served as National General Secretary and Social Media Incharge for All India Mahila Congress.^{[5] [6]} She has also served as Senior Vice President Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee.^[7]

She was elected as a Municipal Corporator of Ambala Municipal Corporation, Haryana, on 13 June 2013.

In October 2019, She contested Vidhan Sabha from Ambala Cantt, Haryana, as an independent candidate and came second garnering more than 44.5 thousand votes.

Personal life

Her grandfather Hazara Singh Sarwara was an English and Urdu teacher and her grandmother Chinto Devi was a homemaker.

Parents

Chitra Sarwara was born on 18 March 1975, at Ambala Cantt, Haryana, to Nirmal Singh^[8]
and Naib Kaur. Her father is a politician who started his career in the 1970s with Indian Youth Congress, Haryana. He has been a member of Haryana Legislative Assembly for four terms from Naggal Constituency. Chitra Sarwara has three siblings- two younger brothers, UdayVir Singh and Chetak Singh and also a younger sister Noor Sarwara.

Spouse

Digvijay Singh Chahal,^[1] an international professional golfer and Son of Col. Niranjan Singh.

Children

The couple has two children, a daughter and a son. Their son was born with a rare and fatal disorder, biliary atresia that would affect and damage his liver completely. In December 2016, when he was merely 8 months old and in need of a liver transplant, Chitra donated her liver (part of it) to her child.

Education

She did her early schooling at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Ambala^[9] and Bhartiya Public School^[10] in Ambala Cantt. She later joined and completed her schooling from Motilal Nehru School of Sports,^[11] Rai, Sonipat in 1994.

She is an international Volleyball player, having won many State and National titles as a part of the Rai team. She represented Haryana in the National School Volleyball Championship in Purnia, Bihar in 1993 which was won by the Haryana team. She has attended India Camp in Bangalore and represented India against Sri Lanka in 1994 in volleyball matches.She graduated from National Institute of Design,^[12] Ahmedabad as an industrial designer specializing in furniture design.

Career

She worked with Tesseract Design ^[13] in Bangalore and then went on to Idiom Design and Consulting^[14] Bangalore. In Delhi, she worked as an independent design consultant and eventually as Design Head of the Delhi office of Idiom Design and Consulting.

While with Idiom Design and Consulting, she was Design Manager for developing the 2010 Commonwealth Games Image and Look program which involved developing the games branding from Logo to application of Image and Look program across city and collaterals.

Political career

• In 2013, Sarwara was elected as an independent municipal corporator from Ambala Cantt, a newly formed municipal corporation.
• In March 2015, she joined the Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee as a State Coordinator for Observers & Co-observers of Rohtak-Karnal Division (Minus Bhiwani and Kaithal) and as a spokesperson under the leadership of the dynamic State President Smt. Sumitra Chauhan
• In May 2015, she organised a massive women's symposium on Martyr's Day, Sh Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary. "Rajiv Gandhi- Ek Vyaktitav, Ek Soch" was attended by senior state INC leadership and women from Ambala.
• In 2016, she was appointed as the Senior Vice President of the Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee.
• In 2017, during the tenure of All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) President Smt. Shobha Oza, Sarwara was appointed as Social Media Incharge. She started the first concerted effort by the organisation to build its online presence. On 13 Dec 2017, the website of the All India Mahila Congress was launched by Indian National Congress President Sh. Rahul Gandhi during The Way Ahead, a Mahila Congress workshop organised by AIMC president Sushmita Dev. In 2017, the Mahila Congress started a signature campaign, #WomenFor33.^[15] More than 10,000 signatures were collected in Ambala for this campaign. Sarwara was part of AIMC delegation led by Sushmita Dev that submitted the signatures collected to the president of India, Sh. Ram Nath Kovind, on 14 October 2017.
• In March 2018, she was appointed as Secretary of the All India Mahila Congress.^[16] Sarwara continued the long-standing project of developing an individual identity and logo for the Mahila Congress. On 7 August 2018, the Mahila Congress logo and flag was launched by INC President Sh. Rahul Gandhi during the Mahila Adhikaar Sammelan.^[17] Sarwara was appointed as General Secretary of the All India Mahila Congress on 30 Aug 2018.
• On 30 September 2018, Sarwara organised women's programs in Ambala as a part of Mahila Adhikaar Yatra.^[18]
• In October 2019, after being denied the ticket by the Indian National Congress, Sarwara ran as an independent candidate from Ambala Cantt constituency. She received more than 44thousand votes, while the Indian National Congress candidate only received 8thousand votes.
• In December 2019, Sarwara was appointed as National Treasurer,^[19] Haryana Democratic Front.
• In October 2020, she was appointed as National General Secretary and Office Incharge,^[20] Haryana Democratic Front.
• On 29 May 2022, Sarwara was appointed as one of the star campaigners of Aam Aadmi Party for the Municipal Council & Municipal Committee election, which was held on 19 June 2022 across 46 cities of Haryana.
• On 23 June 2022, appointed as Incharge,^[4] Aam Aadmi Party North Zone, Haryana.
• In April 2023, appointed as State Vice President,^[21] Aam Aadmi Party, Haryana.
• On 5 January, rejoined Indian National Congress.

Social front

The Light Within

The Light Within (TLW): Launched as an informal professional and social networking platform for women in Ambala. Idea was to get women professionals, achievers and contributors from diverse fields to work together, pool efforts and do something to make a difference to improve our lives and society.

Under TLW, organised preparatory workshops in all Ambala Government Senior Secondary Schools to help students ready for exams with tips and tricks on stress management, memory enhancement and how to attempt exams under this banner.

Organised workshops on menstrual hygiene for distributing free sanitary napkins amongst girl children from financially challenged backgrounds in collaboration with NGOs, Gynecologists and social workers.

Later on TLW Transformed into Nari Shakti with wider base and more widespread activities.

iHELP - Welfare Information Helpline

- Welfare Information Helpline: In 2013, collaborating with enthusiastic youngsters and Team Suraksha team. It's a toll free social welfare Information helpline, where anyone can call and receive details of various Social Welfare Schemes provided by Government of Haryana and correct information on Forms, due procedures, offices involved.

iHelp camps

grew from a mere helpline to camps where teams led by Chitra would visit an area, complete with free forms of schemes, printers for scanning documents and stamps for sign and have mass form verification/ filling camps for all those who needed to apply for any government scheme.

still continues as a toll-free call service.

Social activities

• In July 2014, an INC Ambala team led by Sarwara organised a Blood Donation Camp to honour the Kargil Martryrs. The event collected over 200 Bags of blood and Smt. Pratibha Singh, widow of Kargil Martyr Vinay Choudhary, graced the event as the Chief Guest and Indian Army Medical team came to collect Blood donations themselves too.
• On 20 Aug 2017, Sarwara helped private hospital to organize an eye checkup camp in Village Machhonda.
• In Aug 2018, organized a flood relief Camp for Kerala. The two day donation camp saw Ambala turn out in massive numbers to participate.
• In 2018, Sarwara organised various camps in Ambala Cantt to educate women on menstrual hygiene.
• On Yoga Day 2019, Chitra along with Poonam Sangwan organised a yoga camp in Village Shahpur of Ambala Cantt.
• In July 2023, when Ambala hit by a Heavy Flood which covered almost all the urban area's as well as villages of Ambala Cantt. Chitra visited all the areas and tried to help peoples stuck in houses due to the water logging.
• In July 2023, Chitra along with her team tried to supply Drinking Water, Provide food to the people which got affected due to the flood.
• In August 2023, Chitra organised various Medical camps in the Flood Effected areas.

Positions held

• July 2013-July 2018: Elected municipal corporator, Ambala Municipal Corporation, Haryana.
• 2014: Appointed Member District level Vigilance Committee for PDS and Chairman Social welfare and Pensions ad hoc Committee.
• 2015: Appointed State Coordinator for Observers and Co-observers & Spokesperson, Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee.
• 2015: Appointed Incharge of Karnal and Rohtak Divisions (minus Kaithal and Bhiwani) in Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee.
• 2016: Appointed Senior Vice President, Haryana Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee.
• 2017: Appointed Incharge, Social Media, All India Mahila Congress.
• Mar 2018: Appointed Secretary, All India Mahila Congress, Incharge Social Media.
• Aug 2018: Appointed General Secretary, All India Mahila Congress, Incharge Social Media.
• December 2019: Appointed National Treasurer, Haryana Democratic Front.
• Oct 2020: Appointed National General Secretary and Office Incharge, Haryana Democratic Front.
• April 2022: Joined Aam Aadmi Party under the aegis of Arvind Kejriwal.
• May 2022: Appointed as State Star Campaigner for Municipal Corporation/Council Election, Haryana.
• June 2022: Appointed as Incharge of North Zone Haryana. North Zone consist districts Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal. Which covers 3 Loksabha Seats and 24 Vidhansabha Seats of Haryana.
• April 2023: Appointed as State Vice President, Haryana.

Agitations

• February 2015, took part in a Kisaan Andolan called by Rahul Gandhi against land acquisition bill changes proposed by BJP government.
• March 2015, took part in a candle march protest 'Meri Beti Mera Gaurav' against female foeticide organised by Danik Bhaskar.
• April 2015, protested in Chandigarh against the misgovernance of Haryana government.
• June 2015, took part in a protest against 1 year of Narendra Modi government in Delhi.
• September 2016, led a women's protest in Ambala against the price rise of LPG, petrol and diesel.
• March 2017, took part in protest organised by Ambala Congress against false promise of BJP government to bring back Black Money.
• 14 May 2017, took part in protest against BJP government in Chandigarh for increase in crimes against women in Haryana.
• 23 June 2017, protest organised in Ambala with small scale business owners against implementation of the Goods and Services Tax.
• July 2017, protest against no legal action against the son of Subhash Barala, the BJP Haryana chief, accused of stalking a girl.
• 25 July 2017, joined a sansad gherao protest on completion 3 years of central government.
• 6 August 2017, organized a protest march in Ambala Cantt along with the Mahila Congress unit of Ambala against no arrests in the stalking case of the son of BJP Haryana chief.
• August 2017, protested outside house of Ambala Lok Sabha MP Rattan Lal Kataria, against his sexist comments on INC women leader Selja Kumari.
• 8 November 2017, protested on anniversary of 2016 Indian banknote demonetisation
• 14 December 2017, protested against election commission.
• 19 December 2017, protest outside Municipal Cooperation against lack of development in Ambala.
• 9 December 2017, participated in a protest organised by citizens to get justice for a 5-year girl raped and brutally murdered in Boh Village, Ambala Cantt.^[22]
• 17 January 2018, protested in Chandigarh against Manohar Lal Khattar government on the various rape cases in Haryana.
• 17 February 2018, joined a protest against Haryana government organized by Anganwadi workers.
• 4 March 2018, participated in a fast for peace and harmony.^[23]
• 8 March 2018, protested outside parliament^[24] demanding passage of #WomenFor33 Bill.
• 15 March 2018, protested in Ambala to demand action against nephew of the minister for Health & Sport of Haryana, who is accused of fraud.
• 21 March 2018, participated in a candle march in Ambala Cantt against the central government failing to bring back 39 Indians from Iraq.
• 28 March 2018, Jan Aakrosh Rally.^[25]
• 4 April 2018, participated in Save Democracy Day.^[26]
• April 2018, protested outside Divisional Railway Manager office against the delay in railway over bridge project.
• 16 May 2018, protested against Haryana government decision of Corporation breach^{[27] [28]} along with INC Ambala team.
• 29 May 2018, Vishwasghat Diwas.^[29]
• August 2018, Mahila Aakrosh Rally^[30]
• 10 September 2018, organized a protest with Ambala Congress team against price rise of LPG, petrol, and diesel.
• September 2018, Bharat Band^[31] agitation, protest against Central Bureau of Investigation working as a puppet of Narendra Modi government.
• 4 February 2019, HPMC protest at Chandigarh against accused who said inappropriate comments regarding Smt. Priyanka Gandhi.
• 16 February 2019, lead a Candle march at Ambala Cantt for the Martyrs of Pulwama Attack.
• March 2019, Kala Diwas.^[32]
• Aug 2020, led a protest in Ambala Cantt for the fuel price rise.
• Aug 2020, led a protest against three farm laws at village Mandour, Ambala Cantt.
• Sep 2020, led a protest in Ambala City for the fuel price hike.
• Oct 2020, led a huge protest against three farm laws at Deputy Commissioner office, Ambala City.
• March 2022, led a protest against corruption in construction work at Municipal Corporation, Ambala City.
• April 2022, led a protest of corruption in construction of International Football Stadium, Ambala Cantt. This was Chitra's first protest after joining the Aam Aadmi Party.
• 29 May 2022, Chitra along with his father Nirmal Singh and brother Udayvir Singh played a vital role in organising the ‘Ab Badlega Haryana’ rally at Braham sarovar, Kurukshetra which launched Aam Aadmi Party in Haryana for the 2024 Vidhansabha bid. Father Daughter Duo pulled an estimated crowd of nearly 25,000 from Assemblies of Ambala Cantt, Ambala City, Jagadhri, Mullana, Gulha Cheeka, Pehowa, Radaur, Sadhaura and various areas of Kurukshetra lokshabha to this rally.
• August 2022, lead an AAP protest against the decision of Haryana Government to close the various Government schools in Haryana.
• November 2022, lead an AAP protest outside Municipal Council, Ambala Cantt against wrong NDC and Property ID issued by the government.
• November 2022, Lead an Akrosh March at Ambala City against the unlawful arrest of Aam Aadmi Party Chairman Candidate Makhan Singh Labana in Zila Parishad Ambala.
• November 2022, Lead a Protest outside CIA- 1 police station Office at Ambala Cantt against the unlawful custody of Aam Aadmi Party Chairman Candidate Makhan Singh Lagana in Zila Parishad Ambala.
• 18 December 2022, lead s Road Show in District Ambala om the occasion of Aam Aadmi Party getting status of National Party.
• 8 February 2023, lead a protest against BJP Government for helping Adani and Ambani at Manav Chowk, Ambala City.
• 13 February 2023, Dharna Pardarshan at Karnal along with Anurag Dhanda ji against Sports Minister, Haryana Sandeep Singh accused of molestation charges.
• 15 February 2023, Dharna Pardharshan along with team in nearly 150 cars in Panchkula supporting Harassment allegations against Sports Minister, Haryana Sandeep Singh and calling for justice.
• 22 February 2023, took part in protest against the arrest of Manish Sisodiya ji at Hisar.
• 2 March 2023, lead a team to Panchkula to give support to Sarpanch agitation.
• 3 March 2023, lead a protest at Ambala Cantt against Price Rise and Sarpanch lathi charge.
• 24 March 2023, lead a protest at Yamunanagar along with AAP Jagadhri leader Adarsh Pal for #ModiHataoDeshBachaho. During this protest Chitra got arrested.
• 3 May 2023, Chitra was member of Delegation led by Arvind Kejriwal which met the Wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar against the alleged sexual harassment.
• 5 May 2023, lead a protest candle march at Ambala Cantt in support of Wrestlers against the BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh.
• 13 May 2023, joined a protest against BJP Government at Karnal with AAP Haryana Senior Vice President Anurag Dhanda.
• 8 June 2023, took part in Tiranga Yatra along with her team at Jind under the leadership of AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.
• 3 July 2023, took part in all opposition party Dharna Pardarshan for the support of Rehdi Fhadi Association at Ambala City.
• 28 August 2023, Chitra along with Nirmal Singh led a Huge Bijli Andolan March in Ambala District.
• 1 October 2023, Chitra started a unique protest “khadda yatra” against the poor condition of roads in Ambala Cantt. This yatra was initiated from Mahesh Nagar area to village Babyal of Ambala Cantt and received great response.
• 8 October 2023, On the demand of the people of village Boh, second “khadda yatra”was organized in Boh. People came in huge support for this yatra as they have been suffering due to poor condition of roads since 3 years. Subsequent “Khadda Yatras” were carried out in different areas of Ambala Cantt.
• 16 November 2023, Chitra took part in Dharna Pradarshan at Deputy Commissioner Office, Yamunanagar against the deaths due to illegal liquor consumption.
• 15 December 2023, Chitra led a 10 day long Badlav Yatra for Aam Aadmi Party in 24 assemblies of North Haryana. Starting from Kalka and ending in rural Panipat.

Notes and References

1. News: CG Open: Digvijay eyes Asian Tour card. 2015-12-04. timesofindia.
2. News: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: In Haryana, women lead the campaign charge. 2019-04-29. hindustantimes.
3. News: 2022-04-07 . Former Congress leaders Nirmal, daughter Chitra to join AAP on April 7 . Hindusthan Times.
4. News: AAP made Chitra Sarwara North Haryana Incharge. 2022-06-23. Danik Bhaskar.
5. News: Chitra Sarwara, Shamina Shafiq appointed Mahila Congress General Secretaries. 2018-08-31. Business Standard.
6. News: Rahul appoints two more general secretaries of Mahila Congress. 2018-08-31. timesofindia.
7. News: देखिए एक मां, जिसने लीवर देकर बचाई बेटे की जान. Mother's Day, Unbelievable Story Of Haryana Mahila Congress Speaker Chitra Sarwara. 2017-05-15. amarujala.
8. News: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: In Haryana, women lead the campaign charge. 2019-04-29. hindustantimes.
9. News: Convent of Jesus & Mary, Ambala. 2019-03-23.
10. News: Bhartiya Public S CFchool, Ambala. 2019-03-31.
11. News: Motilal Nehru School of Sports. 2015-03-23.
12. News: National Institute of Design. 2013-03-11. 2019-07-27. 2021-05-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20210516010106/https://www.nid.edu/institute/campuses/ahmedabad.html. dead.
13. Web site: tesseract designs. 2005-07-11. 27 July 2019. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722182900/https://tesseractdesigns.in/. dead.
14. Web site: Idiom Design and Consulting. 2007-05-21.
15. Web site: Mahila Congress launches online campaign to ensure Women's Reservation Bill by 2019. 2018-01-31.
16. News: Chitra Sarwara appointed Secretary of All India Mahila Congress. 2018-03-08. danik bhaskar.
17. News: Rahul Gandhi launched Logo and Flag designed by Chitra. 2018-08-07. danik bhaskar.
18. Web site: congress factions come together for state wide campaign launched by women's congress. times of india. 2018-10-01.
19. Web site: HDF made Chitra Sarwara National Treasurer. 2020-03-06. Molics.
20. Web site: HDF made Chitra Sarwara National General Secretary and Office Incharge. 2020-03-06. Molics.
21. Web site: AAP made Chitra Sarwara State Vice President Haryana. 2023-03-14. Danik Bhaskar.
22. Web site: family seeks of vaishnavis killer hanged. danik bhaskar. 2017-12-10.
23. Web site: fast peace harmony. 2018-02-19. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722210138/https://www.aimc.in/media/fast-peace-harmony/. dead.
24. Web site: protest outside parliament womenfor33. 2018-03-08. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205942/https://www.aimc.in/media/protest-outside-parliament-womenfor33/. dead.
25. Web site: jan aakrosh rally. 2018-04-29. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205936/https://www.aimc.in/media/jan-aakrosh-rally/. dead.
26. Web site: save democracy day. 2018-05-08. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205936/https://www.aimc.in/media/save-democracy-day/. dead.
27. Web site: protest against Corporation breach. danik bhaskar. 2018-05-16.
28. Web site: protest against Corporation breach. danik bhaskar. 2019-06-27.
29. Web site: vishwasghat diwas. 2018-05-26. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722210143/https://www.aimc.in/media/vishwasghat-diwas/. dead.
30. Web site: mahila aakrosh. 2018-08-24. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205938/https://www.aimc.in/media/mahila-aakrosh/. dead.
31. Web site: bharat bandh. 2018-09-21. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205941/https://www.aimc.in/media/bharat-bandh/. dead.
32. Web site: kala diwas. 2018-03-13. 3 July 2020. 22 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190722205938/https://www.aimc.in/media/kaladiwas/. dead.