SHEILA DIKSHIT: Delhi’s Last Empress

Women do live up to expectations and are as good at ruling as anything else.

This 4ft, 11-inch woman was Delhi’s last empress. The first, as is well known, was Razia Sultan, who ruled the Delhi Sultanate around 800 years ago.
Ms Dikshit when compared to her, said “Razia’s times were different,” and added “She didn’t have to go through elections every five years as I had to.”

Talk about over achievers, Sheila Dikshit would possibly be their brand ambassador. She’s been a member of the UN Commission for the Status of Women, The Chief Minister of Delhi for 15 years and the Governor of Kerala. She’s one of the forces who made the 2010 Commonwealth Games happen in Delhi and changed the face of Delhi forever. Apart from being a politician, she’s a strong woman and has done many things for the betterment of women since her young age.

How she became a part of politics?

I never wanted to be a politician, but circumstantially, I became one.

Born in a Non-political family in Kapurthala, Punjab, Sheila Dikshit ji had no intention of joining politics. She did her schooling from Jesus and Mary Convent School in Delhi and Graduated from Miranda House, University of Delhi.

 Later, she married Vinod Dikshit, son of a noted freedom fighter Uma Shankar Dikshit who was the backbone of Congress Organisation. Vinod, being in IAS, was not interested in congress politics. So, after her father-in-law, Sheila Ji decided to step in.

In 1970s, she became the Chairperson of Young Women’s Association. She was the pillar of building up the two most successful working women hostels in Delhi. In 1984, Rajiv Gandhi appointed her to be a part of his council of ministers, when he became the Prime Minister. Between 1984 and 1989, She contested Lok Sabha elections from the constituency Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh. She became the representative of India at the UN Commission for the status of women. She also served as a Union Minister, First as the minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs then the minister of state in PMO. In 1990, she and her 82 colleagues were arrested by State Government for leading a movement against the cruel acts on women.

In 1998 Sonia Gandhi made her contest elections from East Delhi constituency and became the Chief Minister of Delhi. She’s never been defeated in elections since then until AAP Founder Arvind Kejriwal wiped congress out in 2013 elections.

Being the face of Delhi

Being the longest serving Chief Minister, she gave the capital it’s modern look. She fastened the flagship Delhi Metro project, initiated green reforms in public transport sector successfully doing the replacement of pollution causing vehicles to CNG based fleet. She oversaw the creation of flyovers, saving the capital from heavy traffic due to high population density. Her biggest legacy, however accused with scams were The 2010 Commonwealth Games which were organized successfully in the capital. She kept the heritage of Delhi as well as modernized it, which was the highlight of her being the Chief Minister. Ms Dikshit’s long soliloquy includes setting up of new universities and hospitals, of introducing monetary benefits for school-going girls and widows, and schemes for women’s hygiene. It touches upon the advantages of holding literary seminars at the academies that her government established. 

Unfortunately, on 20th July 2019, at the age of 81, Sheila Dikshit Ji took her last breathe at a city hospital. She had been ill for a long time.

Dr Ashok Seth, director, Escorts Fortis said Sheila Dikshit was managed well by a team of doctors. “At 3:15 pm she again suffered a cardiac arrest. She was put on a ventilator and at 3:55 pm she passed away peacefully,” 

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit Ji was cremated at Delhi’s Nigambodh Ghat with full state honors in presence of top leaders. Scores of people turned up to pay homage to Dikhsit as her body was brought to the Congress headquarters, where senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid their last respects.

The truck carrying the casket moved slowly as the road was packed with supporters who chanted ‘Jab tak suraj chand rahega Sheila ji ka naam rahega‘.

She may not be with us today but for facts that she was blessed with a warm and affable personality, she made a noteworthy contribution to Delhi’s development and she dedicated her life to serve her country, she will always be remembered in our thoughts and prayers. Who knows, she would have won the 2020 elections in Delhi.