It’s not often, when one looks for or see’s a lady, that is so so fondly remembered for her service and work !
Yet, I am not going to talk about her work, or the service she has managed to render to the nation.
Instead, I am going to pen-down about her commitment and her endeavours that led HER to become- the SUSHMA SWARAJ.
Her rightly placed BINDI and the SINDHOOR were unmissable during her PUBLIC LIFE!
Even as today, marks her death anniversary one is reminded of the times how the above became a trendsetter and is still followed by various WOMEN POLITICIANS and Women—- across India especially in the EAST!
It takes a little more, for women to rise as compared to their male counterparts.
A little more push, a little more effort and a pinch of DIGNITY!
She particularly saw many firsts; in her political tenure including—serving as the CM of Delhi in October of 1988.
******In 2000, madam was sworn as the member of RAJYA SABHA and made the Cabinet Minister (I&B).
******2003 ,SAW HER AS THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH, FAMILY WELFARE AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS.
******2014 was the game-changer in Swaraj’s political tenure as; she took charge as the External Affairs Minister under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. —-One of her kind, she made sure to portray and showcase zeal, grit and outcome through her endeavours to make India a world-power.
******SWARAJ was vocal as a female leader, even when BJP was not in Power! She became the second woman representative in the Indian Parliament after Indira Gandhi; of-course, the battle was hard but To say the least who could have thought it would be her—- after coming from an apolitical background!
Having an excellent command on HINDI and peculiar verbal skills— she went on to become; as the first woman spokesperson and always put forth a balanced point of view in every decision she took!
Her commitment to the party was such that when BJP seats, in the house could be counted on , one’s finger tips ——-She became the first-ever woman to become the Leader of the Opposition.
Her speeches in Parliament were so impactful that, she was called a LIONESS of the Indian Parliament.—- the Iron Lady of India (given as an acronym after Thatcher’s Tenure).
The sheer hard-work for her party and the people lower in cadre to her —— led her to become as one of the possible claimants in the BJP for the prime ministerial position during the tenure from 2009-2014.
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BEST LOVED POLITICIAN:
The wall-Street Journal called Sushma Swaraj, “the best loved politicians” in 2014 after she served as the External Affairs Minister in the Modi government.
Swaraj’s work spoke for her be it resolving the Doklam issue between India and China or strategically planning the counter measures for the Indo-Pak and Sino-India relations.
Committed to the sanctity of her role play as the External Affairs Minister- she was actively committed to grant consular access to Kulbhashan Jadav during his ICJ Hearing.
She was awarded the Best Parliamentarian award twice in 2008 and 2010.
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WAR OF WORDS:
“I would shave off, my head if Sonia becomes the Prime Minister.”, Sushma once stated during an interview.
Perhaps, her view to de-colonise the Nation was so stern; that years later she stepped into the shoes as the EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER!
Back in time, when BJP lacked Woman Representation in their party- Sushma was given the charge d’ affairs, to counter Sonia at every step, as the leader of the opposition!
Clearly, her outspokenness and commitment to these gestures was greatly endured by both the media and the public.
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LEGACY SHE HAS LEFT BEHIND:
Sushma Swaraj has paved the way for numerous young Women, in the arena of Indian Politics.
Even when, Families vouched for a Son—as was the Typical Indian Household Culture, to say the least more than two children ; Swaraj chose to focus on her career; single-handedly with a single- DAUGHTER and a HUSBAND!!!
There-forth, breaking the shackles of a MONOLITHIC- PATRIARCHAL MINDSET!
The Swaraj couple have a daughter, Bansuri, who is a graduate from Oxford and a Barrister at Law.
She also happens to be one of the women to start an active conversation on the WOMAN’s Reservation Bill both in the parliament and on television debates.
Sushma Swaraj's sister Vandana Sharma is also an associate professor of political science in a government college for girls in Haryana. Her brother Dr. Gulshan Sharma is an Ayurveda doctor based in Ambala.