Vasundhara Raje Scindia (born 8 March 1953) is an Indian politician, who has held two terms as the chief minister of Rajasthan. She was previously a minister in the Union Cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was India's first Minister of Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural Industries, now known as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. In 2003, she became the first woman to serve as the Chief Minister for the state of Rajasthan. She is currently one of the national vice presidents of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A member of the Scindia family, she is also the matriarch of the Bamraulia family of Dholpur.

Early life

Vasundhara Raje singh was born on 8 March 1953 in Bombay (now Mumbai). She is the daughter of Vijayaraje Scindia-Shinde and Jivajirao Scindia-Shinde, Maharaja of Gwalior, members of the prominent Scindia royal Maratha family.{{cite web|title=Profile on Rajasthan Assembly website|url=http://www.rajassembly.nic.in/VasundharaRaje.htm|publisher=Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Secretariat, Jaipur (Rajasthan) India|access-date=10 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230651/http://www.rajassembly.nic.in/VasundharaRaje.htm|archive-date=3 March 2016}}

Raje completed her school education at Presentation Convent School in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, and later graduated with economics and political science degrees from the Sophia College for Women, Mumbai.{{cite news |last1=Oct 20 |first1=Updated |title=Vasundhara Raje Scindia - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/litfest/delhi-litfest-2016/speakers/vasundhara-raje-scindia/articleshow/54958924.cms |work=The Times of India |language=en}}

Personal life

She married Maharaj Rana Hemant Singh, of the royal family of Dholpur on 17 November 1972, but they separated a year later.{{cite news|title=Vasundhara Raje: A comeback politician who is also a fashion symbol|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-12-08/news/44942959_1_vasundhara-raje-rajasthan-unit-jivaji-rao-scindia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211190536/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-12-08/news/44942959_1_vasundhara-raje-rajasthan-unit-jivaji-rao-scindia|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 December 2013|access-date=10 March 2014|newspaper=Economic Times|date=8 December 2013}} Her son, Kunwar Dushyant Singh, was elected to the Lok Sabha from her former constituency, Jhalawar.{{cite web|title=Fifteenth Lok Sabha Members Bioprofile|url=http://164.100.47.132/lssnew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=4005|publisher=Lok Sabha Secretariat|access-date=10 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310055315/http://164.100.47.132/lssnew/Members/Biography.aspx?mpsno=4005|archive-date=10 March 2014|url-status=dead}}

Her siblings are Yashodhara Raje Scindia, a former industries minister of Madhya Pradesh, the late Madhavrao Scindia, the late Padmavati Raje "Akkasaheb" Burman (1942–64), who married Kirit Deb Burman, the last ruling Maharaja of Tripura, and Usha Raje Rana (b. 1943) who married into the Rana family of Nepal.

Children

She has one son Dushyant Singh, who is a four-time member of Parliament through Loksabha and the Yuvraj of Dholpur.

Political career

File:Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, ties ‘rakhi’ to Senior Minister, Dr. Digamber Singh, in Jaipur.jpg, in Jaipur.]]

In 1984, Raje entered the Indian political system. Initially, she was made a member of the national executive of the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party. She was also elected as a member of the 8th Rajasthan Assembly from Dholpur. In the same year, she was appointed vice president of the Yuva Morcha, Rajasthan BJP.[http://vasundhararaje.in/en/life-and-career Life and Career – Vasundhara Raje]

=Member of legislative assembly=

1985-90 member, 8th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Dholpur.{{Cite web |last=Yadav |first=Shyamlal |date=2020-03-13 |title=The Gwalior dynasty: A short history of the Scindias in Indian politics |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-gwalior-dynasty-a-short-history-of-the-scindias-in-indian-politics-6311574/ |access-date=2023-04-03 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}
2003-08 member, 12th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan
2008–13, 13th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan
2013–18, member, 14th Rajasthan legislative assembly {{cite web|title=Profile of Rajasthan | url=https://nationsroot.in/state/rajasthan|publisher=Nationsroot inc}} from Jhalrapatan
2018–23, member, 15th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan
2023-28, member,16th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan

=Member of parliament=

1989-91: member, 9th Lok Sabha, from Jhalawar.
1991-96: member, 10th Lok Sabha
1996-98: member, 11th Lok Sabha
1998-99: member, 12th Lok Sabha
1999-2003: member, 13th Lok Sabha

File:Bhamashah Yojana Inaugration.jpg in Udaipur, Rajasthan.]]

=Positions held=

1985-87: vice-president, Yuva Morcha BJP, Rajasthan
1987: vice-president, BJP, Rajasthan
1990-91: member, Library Committee, member, Consultative Committee, Ministries of Commerce and Tourism
1991-96: member, Consultative Committees, Ministries of Power, Science and Technology, Environment and Tourism
1996-97: member, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests, Member, Consultative Committees, Ministries of Power, Science and Technology and Tourism
1997-1998: joint secretary, BJP Parliamentary Party
1998-99: Union minister of state, External Affairs
13 October 1999 – 31 August 2001: Union minister of state (Independent Charge), Small Scale Industries and Agro & Rural Industries; Department of Personnel and Training; Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space
1 September 2001 – 1 November 2001: Union minister of state, Small Scale Industries; Personnel, Training, Pensions, Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances; Department of Atomic Energy; and Department of Space (Independent charge)
2 November 2001- 8 December 2003: Union minister of state, Small Scale Industries; Personnel, Training, Pensions, Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances; Planning; Department of Atomic Energy; and Department of Space (Independent Charge)
14 Nov 2002-14 Dec 2003 : president, BJP, Rajasthan
8 December 2003 – 8 December 2008: chief minister, Rajasthan
2 January 2009 – 8 December 2013: leader of opposition, Rajasthan legislative assembly
8 December 2013 – 11 December 2018: chief minister, Rajasthan
11 January 2019: national vice president of Bharatiya Janata Party

Works

Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/jaipur/raje-s-yatra-to-skip-sheo-raising-political-hackles/story-NFgThiL9wBdibGiTJEKWUO.html | title=Raje's yatra to skip Sheo, raising political hackles | work=Hindustan Times| access-date=7 August 2015| date=7 August 2018}}
Vasundhara Raje, Bhamashah Yojana{{cite web | url=http://bhamashah.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/bhamashah/en/home.html | title=Raje's yatra to skip Sheo, raising political hackles | website=www.bhamashah.rajasthan.gov.in | access-date=9 August 2018 | archive-date=26 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226124109/http://bhamashah.rajasthan.gov.in/content/raj/bhamashah/en/home.html%20 | url-status=dead }}
Satyam Kumar and Vasundhara Raje, iStart Rajasthan{{cite web | url=https://istart.rajasthan.gov.in/ | title=iStart Rajasthan by Satyam Kumar & CM Vasundhara Raje |website=www.bhamashah.rajasthan.gov.in}}
- {{cite web | url=https://inc42.com/buzz/rajasthan-government-istart-startups/ | title=Rajasthan Government Doubles Down on Startup Support, Launches IStart Programme|website=www.inc42.com| date=8 November 2017}}
Vasundhara Raje, Jal Swavlamban{{cite web | url=http://suraaj.rajasthan.gov.in/hi/jal-swavlamban | title=मुख्यमंत्री जल स्वावलम्बन अभियान से प्रदेश बन रहा है जल आत्मनिर्भर | website=www.suraaj.rajasthan.gov.in | access-date=9 August 2018 | archive-date=26 December 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226124055/http://suraaj.rajasthan.gov.in/ | url-status=dead }}
- {{cite web | url=http://mjsa.water.rajasthan.gov.in/ | title=Jal Swavlamban Yojna | website=www.mjsa.water.rajasthan.gov.in }}
See More Schemes of Vasundhara Raje{{cite web | url=http://ryvp.rajasthan.gov.in/Schemes.aspx | title=Schemes by Vasundhara Raje|website=www.ryvp.rajasthan.gov.in}}

Achievements

In 2007, she received the "Women Together Award" from the UNO for services rendered towards the self-empowerment of women.{{cite web|title=Vasundhara Raje Biography - About awards won, history|url=http://www.elections.in/political-leaders/vasundhara-raje.html|publisher=elections.in Group|website=elections.in}}

In 2018, she received the 'Best Chief Minister of the Year' Award at the 52nd Skoch Summit.{{cite news |title=Vasundhara Raje conferred with 'Chief Minister of the Year' award |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vasundhara-raje-conferred-with-chief-minister-of-the-year-award-5230379/ |work=The Indian Express |date=23 June 2018}}

Book

A book on the life of Vasundhara Raje named Vasundhara Raje aur Vikasit Rajasthan was written by the historian Vijay Nahar and published by Prabhat Prakashan.{{cite web|title=राज्यपाल कल्याण सिंह को पुस्तक भेंट|url=https://www.khaskhabar.com/picture-news/news-book-pregented-to-governor-kalyan-singh-1-65566-KKN.html|publisher=Khaskhabar.com Group|website=www.khaskhabar.com| access-date=4 August 2016|date=4 August 2016}}