(Bhagya Luxmi, Intern Journalist) Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit died at the age of 81 on 20 July 2019. Dikshit has been the Chief Minister of Delhi for 15 consecutive years from 1998 to 2013. Dikshit led Congress party to three consecutive electoral victories in Delhi. She has also been the Governor of Kerala.
Sheila Dikshit was born on March 31, 1938, in Kapurthala, Punjab. Her father’s name was Sanjay Kapoor. She attended Delhi’s Jesus and Mary Convent School and earned a master’s degree in history from Miranda House, University of Delhi.
She was married to the late Vinod Dixit, an IAS officer of Unnao (UP). Vinod was the son of late Congress leader and former Bengal Governor Umashankar Dixit. Sheela’s son Sandeep Dikshit has also been a Delhi MP.
Sheila Dikshit was handpicked by Rajiv Gandhi to be part of his council of ministers after he became the prime minister in 1984. During the period between 1984 and 1989, she represented the annual parliamentary constituency of Uttar Pradesh. Dikshit also chaired the Implementation Committee for Commemoration of Forty Years of India’s Independence and Jawaharlal Nehru centenary. She has been associated with many organizations before joining politics and has also built two hostels for working women in Delhi.
During this time she was a representative of India in the women’s commission at the United Nations, besides being on the committees of the Lok Sabha. She later also served as a Union Minister. She was also the mayor of Delhi city to the Chief Minister. Dikshit has also been Secretary of Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, as well as President of Congress.
Along with this, she has also been associated with controversies and she was also accused by a BJP leader of misusing the government money. During the Commonwealth Games, he also faced similar allegations. She has also been accused of releasing Manu Sharma, the main accused in the Jessica Lal murder case, on parole.
Dikshit was admitted to Fortis Escorts Heart Institute on 19 July 2019 for cardiac arrhythmia and was put on a ventilator within a few moments of her admission. Her condition stabilized temporarily, however she did not recover from multiple cardiac arrests and her condition worsened during the following period. She later died at 3:55 pm on 20 July 2019, at the age of 81. Indian government called for a two-day mourning period and accorded her a state funeral.
She was an awardee of
- 2008 Best Chief Minister of India, by Journalist Association of India
- 2009 Politician of the Year by NDTV
- Dara Shikoh award by Indo-Iran Society
- Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award 2013 by ALL Ladies League for Outstanding Public Service.
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