What does it mean to smash the ceiling when the ground you stand on has always been irregular? Meira Kumar, India’s first female speaker Lok Sabhahas broken political boundaries, but also brought her identity as a Dalit woman to the center of politics as a powerful advocacy tool. Meira Kumar’s life is an adventurous response to the challenge of representation in the judiciary that can transform the moral geography of the nation.
Family background and early years
Meira Kumar is a politician and Speaker of the 15th Lok Sabha, which she quit mark in the field of Indian politics. Born in a politically active family with many Dalit leaders and social activists, Meira Kumar’s father Babu Jagjivan Ram was not only a well-known freedom fighter but also deputy prime minister. Her mother, Indrani Devi, was a social worker. Kumar holds BA and MA degrees in English Literature with LL.B. from Delhi University. Thanks to Kumar’s parents and especially her mother’s influence, she decided to take the path to justice for all. Meira Kumar has been an active social worker since her youth and has been involved in various social movements for reform and human rights.
Source: Britannica
During the Bihar state famine in 1967, she was appointed chairwoman of the Congress-appointed National Drought Relief Committee and had also championed the establishment of the Family Adoption Program through which drought-affected families received assistance from households that made voluntary contributions. Through all of this, she had developed a good foundation in service delivery before venturing into politics.
Career and entry into politics
Before entering politics, Meira Kumar served in the Indian Foreign Service for more than a decade, where she was posted in Spain and the United Kingdom. Through this job, she learned to negotiate, build bridges between different groups, and showcase India’s diverse culture to the world. However, she felt a strong urge to directly address the social issues that were close to her heart at home. She left diplomacy to turn to politics 1985encouraged by her father and by Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India.
She ran in a by-election for a Lok Sabha seat in a constituency in the state of Uttar Pradesh, defeating two other Dalit candidates. Since Kumar was close to the politically influential Gandhi family and represented the oppressed castes, Kumar’s political career developed steadily within the Gandhi family Indian National Congress (INC) and quickly made a name for herself as a strong advocate for human rights and the abolition of the caste system.
Meira Kumar is a highly accomplished politician who has been a member of numerous decision-making bodies of the INC and served there twice Secretary General.
Meira Kumar is a highly accomplished politician who has been a member of numerous decision-making bodies of the INC and served there twice Secretary General. She became a member of the Congressional Working Committee, the organization’s highest decision-making body, in 1990 and continued on for a decade until 2000. She resigned from the Congress party in 2000, citing differences with the party leadership, but rejoined it after a gap of two years. In 2004 and 2009, she contested and won the Lok Sabha seat of Sasaram in Bihar state, the constituency her father once represented.
Advocacy for social justice
During her political career, she was a member of various committees, including the Public Accounts Committee and the Joint Committee on the Empowerment of Women in Parliament. She also served as Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment (2004-2009), which deepened her commitment against caste exclusion. She challenged resistance to private sector reservations and said Sustainable growth requires ending Dalit and tribal marginalization. Their focus shifted from charity to real empowerment.
The statesman
Soon after her victory in the 2009 elections, in June the same year, she was appointed Minister for Water Resources in the 14th Lok Sabha, achieving a monumental historic feat as the first woman Lok Sabha Speaker. This moment symbolically meant a lot to women in the state of India. During her role as Speaker, Meira Kumar has achieved many milestones in bringing gender equality to politics in India.
She started it gender neutral Rules in the House of Representatives, replacing gender-specific terms with gender-neutral terms in the Rules of the House of Representatives. This action led to a remarkable revolution in Parliament’s attitude towards being friendly to all its members regardless of gender. During her term as Speaker in 2011, Kumar reduced paper usage by 30% in the Lok Sabha using tablets and also expressed support for the growing nationwide protests against violence against women in the country. She also announced the formation of a Parliamentary Friendship Group to improve relations with the country of Bhutan.
In TalkMeira Kumar calls for “zero tolerance of prejudice” and the end of the caste system. In the 2017 presidential election, Kumar secured the United Progressive Alliance’s nomination as the joint candidate for President of India. This was evidence of her widespread respect as a symbol of social justice, secularism and constitutional values like her said“Democratic values, social justice, transparency, freedom of expression, inclusivity, destruction of the caste system, end of poverty – these are parts of the ideology that is close to my heart.” This is exactly why I will run based on this ideology.” Therefore, her 2017 presidential candidacy focused on eliminating caste barriers and inclusion.
“Democratic values, social justice, transparency, freedom of expression, inclusivity, destruction of the caste system, end of poverty – these are parts of the ideology that is close to my heart.” This is exactly why I will run based on this ideology.”
– Meira Kumar
At her first press conference after being selected as the joint presidential candidate along with the BJP Ram Nath Kovindwhose Dalit identity was emphasized by the BJP far more than his work, her said“Would you like to see the highest post in the country decided on the basis of caste?” “The dignity of the office will be destroyed if we accept this.”
Referring to the scrutiny of the two Dalit candidates in India’s 2017 presidential election, she added: “I fear that the debate is only focused on caste.” This shows how society works, how people still think today. Through this caste-specific discourse, social realities come to the fore. In the past, there have been candidates from so-called upper castes and their caste was never debated. Their abilities and merits were discussed.’
Source: Deccan Herald
Meira Kumar also spoke about how India has still not moved beyond caste. “Today the debate has been limited to caste because two Dalits are in the fray (for the post of president).” Other candidate attributes were invalidated. I can clearly see how society still views Dalits. “I hope the caste is packed up and buried deep in the earth,” she said.
Apart from political aspirations, it is suggested that Meira Kumar has a penchant for creative expression. She has published her poems and paintings in renowned magazines and newspapers and was the editor of a monthly magazine called Pavan Prasad. She also has a particular interest in classical music, reading and horse riding.
Meira Kumar’s legacy
Meira Kumar’s love for justice and equality as well as her impressive political and professional credentials have led to her becoming a legendary figure and a shining role model for many politicians in the Indian context. Because of her intelligence, courage and character, she is admired by politicians of all classes. Meira Kumar is truly an exemplary politician who has dedicated her life and career to achieving a just and equal society.
