Sucheta Kriplani: The First Woman Chief Minister of India
A woman freedom fighter stood by Mahatma Gandhi during the “Quit India Movement.” She was Sucheta Kriplani, born on the 25th of June 1908, in Haryana, into a Bengali family. Her father, S. N. Mazumder, was a doctor under the British Government. Although he worked for the British Government, he was a nationalist at heart, and that influenced Sucheta from her childhood. She studied at Indraprastha and Saint Stephen College in Delhi. After completing her studies, she joined Banaras Hindu University as a lecturer.
In 1936, she married Acharya Jivatram Bhagwandas Kriplani, a socialist and Congress member who actively protested British rule in India. Initially, her family opposed the marriage due to the significant age gap of about 20 years between them. However, Mahatma Gandhi intervened and advocated on their behalf, ultimately making the marriage possible with his support. She also joined the Congress party and became highly active during the “Quit India Movement” in 1942, alongside figures like Usha Mehta and Aruna Asaf Ali. She accompanied Mahatma Gandhi on a visit to Noakhali during riots that occurred there during the time of partition. She carried cyanide with her as a precaution against the frequent occurrence of rape against women in Noakhali at that time.
She wrote her autobiography, “An Unfinished Biography,” in which she revealed her deep anger toward the British following the Jalianwala Bagh massacre when she was just about 10 years old. During that time, she vented out her anger with those Anglo-Indian children who were playing with her younger sister. During the Quit India Movement, the British Government issued arrest and search warrants for her. Despite the risk, she visited Mahatma Gandhi, who was sick and under house arrest by the Britishers. She boldly challenged the British Government to arrest her while she was going to visit Mahatma Gandhi. Later, in 1944, the Britishers arrested her and sentenced her to one year in jail.
After independence, when our Constitution was being drafted by the Constitutional body, she was selected as a member to represent the women of India. Following this, she actively entered politics, and in 1952, she was elected as a Member of Parliament for the first time.
Her journey from MP to becoming the first woman Chief Minister of India, for the state of Uttar Pradesh, was incredible. Despite having no prior connections or relationships with Uttar Pradesh, being a Bengali girl who studied in Delhi, she achieved this milestone. She became the first woman CM of India from the Congress party during Jawaharlal Nehru’s tenure as Prime Minister. The interesting story behind her appointment lies in the internal politics of the Congress party. At that time, some party leaders, including Chandravanu Gupta, the CM of Uttar Pradesh, actively challenged Nehru’s power. To end these challenges, the Congress party devised a plan named Kaamraj. Under this plan, senior leaders were urged to step down from their positions to make way for new leaders. Nehru sought Chandravanu’s resignation under the Kaamraj plan. After his resignation, Sucheta became the CM of Uttar Pradesh in 1963, making her India’s first woman Chief Minister.
Her political career was highly successful. In 1957, the Government of India appointed her as the Minister of Small Scale Industries under the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Later, in 1962, she was elected as an MLA from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh. She also played significant roles in various international delegations and organizations. Notable among these are her participation in the Turkey delegation of parliament (1954), the World’s Labour Organization (1961), the United States Congress (1949), and her responsibilities regarding women’s citizenship and increased participation in the United States Seminar (1956).
She retired from politics in 1971 and passed away on December 1st, 1974, at the age of 66. She was India’s first woman Chief Minister and is remembered for her illustrious journey from a freedom fighter to a successful politician. Despite her accomplishments, women in India still face challenges in their political careers, with only a few achieving successes. Currently, there are only 11 women in India’s cabinet ministry. The Congress party recently launched a fellowship program named the “Indira Fellowship” to increase women’s participation in Indian politics. Sucheta Kriplani’s political journey continues to inspire and motivate many women who are considering a career in politics.
India always remembers and praises Sucheta for her bravery and remarkable journey as a woman politician during a time when the political system was largely dominated by men.
-Mridusha Goswami, a passionate writer and poet since college, now freelances, specializing in customer experience.
