Vasundhara Raje () was the
Chief Minister of
Rajasthan state of
India from December 2003 till December 2008. She is the first woman Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Early life
Vasundhara Raje was born on 8th March 1953 in
Mumbai. She is daughter of
Vijayaraje Scindia and
Jivaji Rao Scindia of
Gwalior, members of the prominent
Scindia ex-royal maratha family. She completed her school education from Presentation Convent,
Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, and later graduated with
Economics and
Political Science degrees (Hons.) from
Sophia College, affiliated to
Mumbai University, Mumbai.
Political career
Vasundhara Raje was initiated into politics by her mother in 1982. She held a variety of posts in the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was elected to the
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in 1985. From 1989 onwards she won four consecutive elections to the
Lok Sabha from
Jhalawar, Rajasthan. Under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's premiership, Vasundhara Raje held independent charge of numerous cabinet departments: Small Scale Industries and Agro & Rural Industries, Personnel and Training, Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space and her most prominent role, that of the Union Minister of State for External Affairs.
In 2003, she shot to prominence by leading the BJP to its biggest victory in the state elections in Rajasthan as the State BJP President; She won from Jhalrapatan seat.
As Chief Minister
Vasundhara Raje's five-year term as Chief...
Read More