Sucheta Kriplani was born as Sucheta Majumdar to a Bengali Brahmo family in Ambala, Haryana on 25th June 1908. An Indian freedom fighter and politician, she went on to become the first-ever woman chief minister of an Indian province (present Uttar Pradesh) long before Indira Gandhi came to light as an important politician. Patriotism was instilled early in this little girl by her father, a doctor and a zealous patriot himself.
A bright student, she completed her higher education from Delhi’s Indraprastha College, higher studies from St. Stephen’s College, and subsequently became a lecturer of Constitutional History at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). In 1936, she married J. B. Kripalani, an influential socialist leader and a prominent figure of the Indian National Congress who was twenty years senior to her. The marriage was opposed by both families, as well as by Gandhi himself.
A staunch Gandhian along with her husband, Sucheta still had no fear taking a political stance different from his. She came to the forefront during the Quit India Movement of 1942 along with Aruna Asaf Ali and other women leaders. Sucheta is credited as the first head of the Women’s department of the Congress party as well. By the end of 1946, she was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly. She became one of the 15 women who were included in the sub-committee assigned with the task of laying down the Constitution of India’s charter.
Sucheta founded the women’s wing of the Congress in 1940, inspiring women to join politics and participate in the freedom struggle. She was chosen as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1946. She remained in politics even after independence. She contested from New Delhi for the first Lok Sabha elections in 1952 and defeated her congress counterpart.
In October 1963, she became the first woman in Indian history to become the Chief Minister of any state, United Provinces (present day Uttar Pradesh). She maintained a reputation of being a firm administrator throughout her tenure. When state employees went on a hunger strike demanding a pay hike, she relented after 62 days only when the leaders agreed to compromise.
Sucheta retired in 1971 and permanently settled down in Delhi with her spouse before dying three years later on 1st December, 1974. The Government of India renamed one of the two associated hospitals with Lady Hardinge’s Medical College in Delhi as Sucheta Kriplani Hospital in her honour.
Piece by-
Aarohi Chauhan
(aarohichauhan2@gmail.com)
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