BJP stalwart and a tech-savvy minister, Sushma Swaraj is one of the former BJP ministers who is still remembered by Indians even after one year of her sad demise. Sushma Swaraj political career spanned for around four decades during which she became one of the most recognised faces Bhartiya Janta Party ever had in its lifetime. On 6th August 2019, she passed away due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 67. Her contribution made towards India and her party’s growth will never be forgotten as she was the one who never shied away from any kind of challenges.
Sushma Swaraj is popular for being one of the most helpful ministers India ever had. She was also a tech-savvy minister in India. She successfully restored our faith in government and Indian bureaucracy system besides receiving lots of praises from people around the world.
Sushma Swaraj Early life and education
Born on 14th February in the year 1952, Sushma Swaraj belongs to Ambala Cantonment located in Haryana. Her father’s name is Hardev Sharma and her mother being Shimati Laxmi Devi. Sushma Swaraj father was Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh member. Sushma’s parent originally belonged to Dharampura region of Lahore (now in Pakistan).
Sushma Swaraj graduated from Sanatan Dharma College situated in Ambala Cantonment. She earned her Bachelor’s degree with Political Science and majors in Sanskrit too. Later, Sushma studied law from Punjab University in Chandigarh. In the state-level competition organised by Language Department of Haryana, Sushma Swaraj had won best Hindi speaker award for 3 consecutive years.
Sushma Swaraj advocacy career
Sushma Swaraj started practising as an advocate in the year 1973. She was an advocate in the Supreme Court of India. Her political career started in the year 1970 with Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad. Swaraj Kaushal, Sushma’s husband was a socialist and was closely attached to a George Fernandes, a socialist leader. In the year 1975, Sushma Swaraj became one of the associates of George Fernandes legal defence team. She was an active member of Jayprakash Narayan’s Tool Revolution Movement. She joined Bhartiya Janta Party soon after the Emergency levied by Congress party was over. Later, Sushma Swaraj became one of the prominent national leaders of the BJP party.
Sushma Swaraj personal life
When Emergency was going on in the year 1975, Sushma Swaraj got married to Swaraj Kaushal. He was a peer and fellow advocate practising in the Supreme Court of India. It was Emergency movement which bought the couple together. Together they teamed up and served as a socialist leader under George Fernandes. Later, Swaraj Kaushal became a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India along with a criminal lawyer. He served Governor of Mizoram too in between 1990 to 1993. Swaraj Kaushal became a member of parliament in India and remained there from 1998 to 2004.
Together, the couple has a daughter named Bansuri. She graduated from Oxford University and studied Barrister at Law form Inner temple. Sushma Swaraj sister name is Vandana Sharma. She is an associate professor of political science and teaches in a government college in Haryana. Sushma’s brother Dr Gulshan Sharma stays in Ambala and is an Ayurvedic Doctor.
Some lesser-known facts about Sushma Swaraj
- Sushma Swaraj underwent a kidney transplant on 10th December 2016. She was admitted to Delhi’s AIIMS when one of her kidneys were harvested from a living and unknown donor. The surgery went successful.
- Sushma Swaraj parents belonged to Pakistan. Before partition, her parents lived in Dharampura district in Pakistan. Once Sushma Swaraj had visited Dharampura when she visited Pakistan for some official work.
- When Sushma was in S.D college, she had received the title of the best cadet in N.C.C Ambala Cantt for three continuous years.
- Sushma Swaraj had excellent vocabulary skills. She won people’s heart with her speeches and had received Best Hindi Speaker award by the Language Department of Haryana for 3 years in a row.
- Sushma Swaraj showed interest in fine arts, classical music, drama and poetry thereby can be called as an all-rounder minister.
- Sushma Swaraj practised as Supreme Court advocate and was a part of George Fernandes Legal defence team fighting against Baroda Dynamite case. The case ran from 1975 to 1977 during which her husband associated with George Fernandes.
- Sushma Swaraj got married amidst the Emergency movement in India when her husband, Swaraj Kaushal was 34 years old.
- Sushma became a cabinet minister in the year 1977. She became the youngest cabinet minister during that time. She was only 25 when Janata Party headed by Chief minister Devi Lal elected her as a cabinet minister.
- At a very tender age of 27, she was chosen as Haryana State president of Janata Party in the year 1979.
- Sushma Swaraj is the first female Spokesperson on Indian national political party. She has been credited as the first-person various times while she became one of the ministers in BJP party. For instance, Sushma Swaraj became first woman Chief Minister, Union Cabinet Minister, General Secretary, Spokesperson, Leader of Opposition and External Affairs Minister.
- Sushma Swaraj created history not only in Indian national party but also Indian film industry. The Indian film industry was considered as baseless and similar to the underworld that was transferred to legal papers by Sushma Swaraj. She made the film industry eligible for taking financial assistance from the bank. This was done by her when Sushma Swaraj was Union Cabinet Minister for Information and Broadcasting during the year 1988.
- You will be amazed to know that she was the first female Chief Minister of Delhi but could serve for a very short time, less than three months.
- Sushma Swaraj was very popular among the public. This can be said because she alone managed to acquire more than 358,000 votes in just 12 days of her political campaign. The campaign was held in the Bellary Constituency of Karnataka when she stood against none other than Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi. Although Sushma Swaraj gave a tough fight, she lost due to a 7% margin.
- When she was the Union Minister in between 2003 and 2004, Sushma Swaraj opened 6 All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The institutes were opened in Rishikesh, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Raipur, Patna and Bhubaneshwar.
- Sushma Swaraj is the only female member of Parliament who has been honoured with Outstanding Parliamentarian Award. She was elected 7 times as a member of parliament along with a member of Legislative assemble for 3 times.
- To pass Telangana Bill, Sushma Swaraj played a very significant role. The bill helped in the formation of a separate Telangana state. She had also argued with her mentor and a BJP leader LK Advani to pass the bill. She has once said, “Telangana, when you thank Sonia Amma for the formation of Telangana state, don’t’ forget your Chinamma (Sushma Swaraj referring to herself)”.
- Sushma Swaraj became the second woman to be elected for External affairs Minister in India after Sonia Gandhi. Since 26th May 2014, she served as External Affairs minister under BJP government.
- She was the part of a great achievement acquired during the Rahat operation in Yemen crises. India helped many nations such as Russia, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- One of the amazing facts about Sushma Swaraj is that she was one of the most followed ministers globally on Twitter. She was popular among citizens who seek help while stuck in abroad. She would mostly respond to their calls they asked on Twitter. She also became popular among Pakistanis when they asked for providing visas to get medical treatment in India.
- Sushma Swaraj was actively involved in resolving complicated Doklam scandal between India and Chinese. She was a tough fighter and stood strong on the political battlefield. This is the reason her party members always admired her and respected her braveness.
- Sushma Swaraj is one of the Indian ministers who stood as the best External Affairs Minister in India and has served as one of the best Cabinet Ministers in BJP party. She is remembered as the most helpful political leader and a tech-savvy minister of India.
The sad demise of Sushma Swaraj
Sushma Swaraj suffered a heart attack on 6th August evening. She was admitted to AIIMS of New Delhi where she died due to another cardiac arrest. The very next day her body was cremated with full honours and due respect at the Lodhi crematorium located in Delhi.
