Sheila Dixit

Sheila Dixit
Sheila Dixit is an Indian politician and a member of the Indian National Congress. She has been elected Chief Minister of Delhi thrice since 1998 and is the second female Chief Minister of Delhi after Sushma Swaraj. After losing in December 2013 to Aam Aadmi Party, she was sworn in as the Governor of Kerala on March 2014. She resigned on 25th August 2014. In the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Elections of 2017, she has been declared as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Indian National Congress. Born on 31st March 1938 in Kapurthala Punjab Sheila Dixit completed her schooling in the Convent of Jesus and Mary School, New Delhi. She also holds a Masters degree in History from Miranda House College of University, Delhi and also has a Doctor degree in Philosophy from the Delhi University. Her entry in politics was accidental, her Father in law Uma Shankar Dixit was a renowned activist in the Indias struggle for independence and later was the Union Cabinet Minister in the Indira Gandhi Government. When he was in this position, Sheila Dixit used to help him. The then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi was impressed by her administrative knowledge and skills and nominated Dixit as an Indian delegate for the United Nations Commission for the issue of the status of women. This marked her first step into Indian politics and eventually led her to become the Chief Minister of Delhi. In the 1970s she was the chairperson of the Young Womens Association and during this period she helped in setting up the two most successful womens hostel in Delhi. She also worked as an executive secretary for Garment Exporters Association. Dixit became the Member of Parliament for the first time representing Kannauj constituency of Uttar Pradesh in 1984. During this period, she was the member of Lo Sabhas Estimates Committee and chaired the implementation committee remembering and honoring forty years of Independence and the centenary of Jawaharlal Nehru. She also represented India at the United Nations Commission during this period. From 1986 to 1989 as a Union Minister, she handled two positions as Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office and Minister of State for Parliamentary affairs, once again proving her capability in handling the administrative responsibilities. She also led the movement against atrocities on women in 1990. In 1998 parliamentary elections, she was defeated by BJPs Lal Bihari Tiwari for the East Delhi constituency. However, she became the Chief Minister of Delhi in the same year and held this post for nearly 15 years until 2013. She represented the Gole Market constituency in 1998 and 2003 and for the 2008 elections; she got elected from the New Delhi constituency. She was accused of corruption regarding the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the CAG report blamed her for the irregularities of the equipments during the games. She was also criticized after the 2012 gang rape incident and the BJP also accused her for being insensitive towards women. She lost in the 2013 elections and Aam Aadmi Party came into power in Delhi. In March 2014, she represented as the Governor of Kerala but resigned on August 2014. Currently she is the face of the Congress Party for the 2017 Uttar Pradesh election. Sheila Dixits husband late Vinod Dixit worked as an officer in IAS. They have one son and one daughter. Their son Sandeep Dixit is a member of the Indian National Congress and was also a Member of Parliament in the 15th Lok Sabha. Their daughters name is Latika. Sheila Dixit has been awarded as the Best Chief Minister in 2008 by Journalist Association of India. She also received the Politician of the year award in 2009 from NDTV and Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award by Assocham in 2013.
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