Rajendra Kumari Bajpai Explained

Rajendra Kumari Bajpai
Birth Date:1925 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Laluchak, Bihar, British India
Death Place:Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Party:Indian National Congress
Office:Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry
Term Start:2 May 1995
Term End:22 April 1998
President:Shankar Dayal Sharma
K. R. Narayanan
1Blankname:Chief Minister
1Namedata:R. V. Janakiraman
Predecessor:Marri Chenna Reddy
Successor:Rajani Rai
Office1:Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Welfare
Term Start1:25 September 1985
Term End1:2 December 1989
Primeminister1:Rajiv Gandhi
Successor1:Ram Vilas Paswan
Office2:Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
Constituency2:Sitapur
Term Start2:1980
Term End2:1991
Predecessor2:Har Govind Verma
Successor2:Janardan Prasad Mishra

Rajendra Kumari Bajpai (8 February 1925 – 17 July 1999) was an Indian National Congress politician, a former Union Minister of India and former Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry. She was elected three times to the Lok Sabha from Sitapur constituency in 1980, 1984 and 1989 and was a close confidant of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Early life and family

She was born on 8 February 1925 in Laluchak, Bhagalpur district, Bihar to Pt. S.K. Mishra, she was the granddaughter of Ravi Shankar Shukla and niece of Shyama Charan Shukla.[1] After her schooling she received M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Allahabad University.[2]

She married D.N. Bajpai, a teacher by profession in 1947, who also took part in the Quit India Movement of 1942. The couple had a son Ashok Bajpai and a daughter Mrs. Manisha Dwivedi.[2]

Career

She was member of the Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from 1962 to 77; remained the head of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) and a close confidant of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.[3] Eventually she held various ministries in the Cabinet of Uttar Pradesh (1970–77).[2] Thereafter, she was elected to the Lok Sabha three consecutive times from Sitapur in 1980, 1984 and 1989. She became Union Minister of State with independent charge of Ministry of Social Welfare (1984–86), Minister of State with independent charge of Labour (1986–87) and Minister of State with independent charge of Welfare (1987–89) with Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister.[4] She was appointed lieutenant governor of Pondicherry from 2 May 1995 to 22 April 1998.[5]

She died on 17 July 1999 at Allahabad after a prolonged kidney-related illness. She was survived by her husband and children.[6] At the time of her death, her son Ashok Bajpai was president of the District Congress committee, while Dr Ranjana Bajpai, her daughter-in-law was president of Uttar Pradesh Mahila Congress.[7]

References

  1. Web site: Rajendra Kumari Bajpai. S9 Biography. 22 December 2012.
  2. Web site: 9th Lok Sabha: Members Bioprofile . Lok Sabha Official website . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131103122124/http://164.100.47.132/LssNew/biodata_1_12/2675.htm . 3 November 2013 . dmy-all .
  3. Web site: It's family first for UP parties in poll battle. 14 January 2012. India Today.
  4. Web site: Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership. guide2womenleaders. 22 December 2012.
  5. http://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/STATISTICAL/pondicherry.HTML Pondicherry Legislative Assembly
  6. News: Bajpai dead. 18 July 1999. 23 December 2012.
  7. News: Rajendra Kumari Bajpai is dead . Rediff News. 17 July 1999 . 23 December 2012.