Sumitra Mahajan, the former Lok Sabha Speaker, was honored with the Padma Bhushan on November 09 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. She received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind. The Padma awards were announced on the occasion of Republic Day. In which the name of Sumitra Mahajan, was also included.
Sumitra Mahajan was Born on 12 April 1943 in Chiplun, Maharashtra. she is commonly known as Tai in Indore. She was married to advocate Jayant Mahajan of Indore. However, after her marriage, she came to Indore.
Sumitra has a unique record of winning 8 consecutive Lok Sabha elections from the Indore Lok Sabha seat. Also, she is the only woman MP in the country who has won eight continuous Lok Sabha elections. Sumitra Mahajan also became the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha. At the same time, she also became the second woman Lok Sabha Speaker of the country.
Tai was continuously elected as MP in the general elections of 1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014.
Sumitra Mahajan's political journey started in the 80s. She was elected councilor for Indore Municipal Corporation for the first time. Later she was also made the Deputy Mayor of Indore.
After this, she entered the electoral fray for the first outside assembly from the Indore-3 assembly. But she had to face defeat at the hands of Congress's Mahesh Chandra Joshi. This was the only defeat of Sumitra Mahajan in her political life.
In 1980, she also contested against former Chief Minister Prakashchandra Sethi. Sumitra Mahajan won the Lok Sabha election for the first time by defeating him. Sumitra's journey started after this and continued till 2014.
Sumitra Mahajan is known for her kindness and simplicity. Opposition leaders also respect him a lot. In recognition of Sumitra Tai's political experience and seniority, she was made the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha. This happened in the first government of Narendra Modi during the 16th Lok Sabha. However, now she is honored with Padma Bhushan.