Agatha Sangma

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Agatha K. Sangma

| image = Agatha Sangma, 2009 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Sangma in 2009

| birth_name = Agatha Kongkal Sangma

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|7|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = New Delhi, India

| constituency = Tura

| office = Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha

| term_start = 17 June 2019

| term_end = 4 June 2024

| predecessor = Conrad Sangma

| successor = Saleng A. Sangma

| primeminister = Narendra Modi

| office4 = Minister of State for Rural Development

| term_start4 = May 2009

| term_end4 = October 2012

| successor4 = Suryakanta Patil

| constituency2 = Tura

| term_start2 = May 2009

| term_end2 = May 2014

| successor2 = P. A. Sangma

| constituency3 = Tura

| term_start3 = May 2008

| term_end3 = May 2009

| predecessor3 = P. A. Sangma

| successor3 = Incumbent

| party = National People's Party

| otherparty = Nationalist Congress Party

| alma_mater = Savitribai Phule Pune University
University of Nottingham

| profession = {{hlist|Lawyer|Politician}}

| father = P. A. Sangma

| relatives = James Sangma (brother)
Conrad Sangma (brother)

| spouse = {{marriage|Patrick Rongma Marak|21 November 2019}}

}}

Agatha Kongkal Sangma (born 24 July 1980) is an Indian politician. A former Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha representing the Tura constituency of Meghalaya.{{Cite web|title=Members: Lok Sabha|url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/Members/MemberBioprofile.aspx?mpsno=4251|access-date=22 September 2021|website=loksabhaph.nic.in}} At the age of 29, she is the youngest member of parliament ever in India to be appointed Union Minister in Government of India till date.{{Citation|title=NCP retains Tura, Congress Shillong |newspaper=The Hindu |date=16 May 2009 |access-date=25 May 2009 |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200905161632.htm |quote=... NCP candidate Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, retained the Tura parliamentary seat in Meghalaya and Congress the Shillong seat. Ms. Agatha, who is the sitting MP, polled 1,54,476 votes compared to 1,36,531 votes by closest rival Deborah Marak of the Congress. ... |location=Chennai, India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104082418/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200905161632.htm |archive-date=4 November 2012 }} Sangma is the second woman from Northeast India to be appointed a union minister in the Government of India after Renuka Devi Barkataki from Assam.{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/renuka-devi-borkataki-northeasts-first-woman-union-minister-dies-at-85/lite/ | title=Renuka Devi Borkataki, Northeast's first woman union minister dies at 85 | date=14 August 2017 }} She is a member of National People's Party.

Early and personal life

Agatha Sangma was born in New Delhi to P. A. Sangma, the former speaker of the Lok Sabha, and Soradini K. Sangma. She was brought up in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya.[http://164.100.47.134/newls/former_Biography.aspx?mpsno=4251 Fifteenth Lok Sabha: Members Bioprofile: Agatha Sangma] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160128043744/http://164.100.47.134/newls/former_Biography.aspx?mpsno=4251 |date=28 January 2016 }} Lok Sabha website. Her brother Conrad Sangma is the Chief Minister in the Meghalaya State Assembly.{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Sangma-meets-Sonia-first-time-in-a-decade/articleshow/4609798.cms | title=Sangma meets Sonia, first time in a decade | date=2 June 2009 | access-date=1 July 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517235215/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-06-02/india/28205192_1_foreign-origin-sangma-janpath-residence | archive-date=17 May 2013 | url-status=live | work=The Times of India }} Agatha married Patrick Rongma Marak, a physician, on 21 November 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/SangmaConrad/status/1197425914331590658 |title=Congratulations to the newlyweds! |date=21 November 2019 |website=Twitter |access-date=11 January 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pm-congratulates-agatha-sangma-on-her-wedding/articleshow/72162728.cms|title=PM Modi congratulates Agatha Sangma on her wedding|last=|first=|date=21 November 2019|website=The Times of India|access-date=}}

Education

Sangma received her LLB degree from Pune University and later joined the bar in Delhi High Court. She earned her master's degree in environmental management at the University of Nottingham, UK.{{cite news|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/23sangma.htm|title=Sangma dynasty gains momentum in Meghalaya|date=23 April 2008|publisher=Rediff.com News|access-date=24 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508144721/http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/apr/23sangma.htm|archive-date=8 May 2009|url-status=live}}

Career

Sangma was first elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in a by-election in May 2008, after her father P.A. Sangma resigned from the seat to enter state politics. Later she was re elected to 15th Lok Sabha.{{Citation | title=Agatha K. Sangma: India's Youngest MP profile & Bio | newspaper=Samaw.com | access-date=25 May 2009 | url=http://samaw.com/agatha-k-sangma-indias-youngest-mp-profile-bio/1143 | quote=... Agatha K. Sangma, the youngest India's Parliamentarian from Meghalaya ... Date of Birth 24.07.1980 ... | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401205346/http://samaw.com/agatha-k-sangma-indias-youngest-mp-profile-bio/1143 | archive-date=1 April 2009 | url-status=live }} At age 29, Sangma is the youngest Member of Parliament ever to be appointed Union Minister in Government of India till date.{{Citation | title=Agatha Sangma youngest minister in Manmohan ministry| access-date = 27 May 2009 | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-27/india/28150808_1_youngest-minister-agatha-sangma-tura| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023235523/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-05-27/india/28150808_1_youngest-minister-agatha-sangma-tura| archive-date=23 October 2012| quote=... P A Sangma, will be the youngest minister in the Manmohan Singh cabinet ...| newspaper=The Times of India| date=27 May 2009}}

Sangma was Minister of State for Rural development. She resigned from this post during the cabinet reshuffle in October 2012.{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/agatha-sangma-and-vincent-pala-steps-down-from-cabinet/1/226534.html|title=Agatha Sangma and Vincent Pala step down|access-date=28 October 2012|newspaper=India today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121028072737/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/agatha-sangma-and-vincent-pala-steps-down-from-cabinet/1/226534.html|archive-date=28 October 2012|url-status=live}}{{cite news| url= http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-21/india/32351003_1_agatha-sangma-d-p-tripathi-ncp| archive-url= https://archive.today/20130126070048/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-21/india/32351003_1_agatha-sangma-d-p-tripathi-ncp| archive-date= 26 January 2013| work= The Times of India| title= Agatha Sangma too may quit NCP, ministry| date=21 June 2012 }}{{Citation | title=Agatha Sangma gets rural development, Ambika is I&B minister| newspaper=in.news.yahoo.com| access-date = 28 May 2009 | url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090528/818/tnl-agatha-sangma-gets-rural-development.html|quote=... The youngest minister in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet, Agatha Sangma, 28, has been named minister of state for rural development... }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

It was reported in November 2017 that she would contest the 2018 Meghalaya legislative assembly election on a National People's Party (NPP) ticket.{{cite news|title=Agatha Sangma to contest 2018 assembly elections|url=http://www.theweek.in/news/india/agatha-sangma-to-contest-2018-assembly-elections.html|access-date=3 March 2018|agency=Indo-Asian News Service|publisher=theweek.in|date=10 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302151657/http://www.theweek.in/news/india/agatha-sangma-to-contest-2018-assembly-elections.html|archive-date=2 March 2018|url-status=live}} She contested from the South Tura constituency and polled 6,499 votes winning the seat.{{cite news|title=Agatha Sangma wins from South Tura|url=http://www.uniindia.com/agatha-sangma-wins-from-south-tura/election/news/1156100.html|access-date=4 March 2018|agency=United News of India|date=3 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180304231626/http://www.uniindia.com/agatha-sangma-wins-from-south-tura/election/news/1156100.html|archive-date=4 March 2018|url-status=live}} But she submitted her resignation as member of the House in an attempt to pave way for her brother to contest the bypoll from her constituency.https://thenortheasttoday.com/meghalaya-mla-agatha-sangma-resigns-to-make-way-for-brother-conrad-sangma/amp/? {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}