| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Profession | Indian Politician |
| Political Party | • Indian National Congress • All India Trinamool Congress |
| Political Journey | • She became a member of Indian National Congress in 1970. • Mamata served as the General Secretary of state “Mahila Morcha” of the Congress party from 1976 to 1980. • After defeating veteran Communist politician Somnath Chatterjee from the Jadavpur parliamentary Constituency in West Bengal in 1984 general elections, she became one of the youngest parliamentarians ever. • She also served as the General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress. • Due to the anti-incumbency, Mamata lost her seat in 1989 Lok Sabha elections. • Mamata was again elected as a Lok Sabha MP from Dakshin Bengal in 1991 general elections and kept on winning the seat in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2009 elections. • She was made the Union Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Women and Child Development in 1991. She was discharged of her portfolios in 1993. • Mamata then left the Congress Party in 1997 and established All India Trinamool Congress the exact same year. • After there was a hung assembly in the Centre in 1999 elections, she joined the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as an ally and was given the charge of Railway Ministry. • In 2001, she ended her ties with the NDA and went on to join hands with Congress Party for the then West Bengal Assembly elections. • She returned to the NDA in January 2004 and was named the Coals and Mines Minister of India until the dissolution of Lok Sabha in May 2004. • For the parliamentary elections 2009, she joined hands with the Indian National Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). On coming to power, INC named her the Central Railway Minister. • To hold the chair of Chief Minister of West Bengal in May 2011, she stepped down from the Union Ministry of Railways. • She again became the Chief Minister of West Bengal in 2016. • In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly Elections, she lost the Nandigram seat to her former aide and BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari by 1736 votes. [1]The Times of India • On 5 May 2021, she was sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the third time in a row.  • On 2 February 2022, she was re-elected as the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson. [2]The Hindu |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 4” |
| Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- 59 kg in Pounds- 130 lbs |
| Eye Colour | Hazel Brown |
| Hair Colour | Salt & Pepper |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 5 January 1955 (Wednesday) |
| Age (as of 2022) | 67 Years |
| Birthplace | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Kolkata, West Bengal, India |
| School | Deshbandhu Sishu Sikshalaya, Kolkata |
| College | Jogamaya Devi College, Kolkata University of Calcutta, Kolkata Shri Shikshayatan College, Kolkata Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College, Kolkata |
| Educational Qualifications | B.A. (Honours) History M.A. in Islamic History Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Education |
| Debut | She stepped into the world of politics with Indian National Congress in 1970. |
| Family | Father– Promileswar Banerjee Mother– Gayetri Devi Brothers– Amit Banerjee, Ajit Banerjee, Kali Banerjee, Baben Banerjee, Ganesh Banerjee, Samir Banerjee Sister– None |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Caste | Brahmin [3]News18 |
| Hobbies | Walking, painting |
| Major Controversies | • In December 1998, Mamata controversially held Dogra Prasad Saroj, a Samajwadi Party MP, by his collar and dragged him out of the well of Lok Sabha while he was protesting against the Women’s Reservation Bill.
• She was heavily criticized for her remarks on the climbing number of rapes in India. Mamata, in October 2012, said “Earlier, if men and women were seen together holding each other’s hands, they would get caught by the parents and be rebuked by them, but now everything is open. It’s like an open market with a number of options.” • Under the Chief Ministership of Mamata, West Bengal government in October 2016 imposed a ban on Durga Puja after nearly 25 Muslim families raised objections against the practice. The state government said that Durga Puja could hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community as Muharram was on the following day. The decision of the state government, however, was later overturned by the Calcutta High Court and was tagged “a bid to appease minorities.” • In January 2017, the word “Rainbow” in Bengali textbooks was replaced with “Ramdhonu” which means ‘Ram’s Bow’ to the word “Rongdhonu,” which translates to ‘Bow of Colors’ by the West Bengal Council for Higher Education. A section of West Bengal population saw it as yet another attempt of minority appeasement as “Ram” is the name of one of the figures in Hindu mythology, and that Bangladesh is a Muslim majority country. |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Husband | N/A |
| Money Factor | |
| Net Worth (approx.) | INR 30 Lakh (as in 2016) |
Some Lesser Known Facts About Mamata Banerjee
- At the young age of 15, she engaged in politics alongside the Indian National Congress. As a student at Jogamaya Devi College, she founded the “Chhatra Parishad Unions,” the student’s faction of the Congress Party.
- When Mamata was barely 17, her father’s untimely demise occurred due to the absence of medical care.
- Mamata has become a poet and a painter through her own dedication and talent, without the need for formal training or professional classes.
- In 2003, she was relieved of her portfolios after staging a protest at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. During the rally, she publicly announced her decision to step down as the Sports Minister due to the government’s lack of interest in her proposal to enhance sports in the country.
- In 1997, Mamata severed all her connections with the Congress party and founded her own political party called the ‘All India Trinamool Congress.’ This new party swiftly emerged as the primary opposition to the Communist government in the state, which was on the verge of becoming obsolete.
- After assuming the role of West Bengal’s first female Chief Minister in 2011, she made the decision to give back the 400 acres of land to the farmers of Singur. She stated that if Ratan Tata, also known as ‘Tata-babu’, wished to establish a factory, he could proceed with his plans on the remaining 600 acres. Otherwise, alternative approaches would be considered.
- Bill Gates, in February 2012, conveyed his appreciation to the West Bengal government by writing a letter applauding Mamata and her administration for the significant accomplishment of an entire year without any recorded instances of Polio in the state. The letter emphasized that this achievement was not only a remarkable milestone for India but also for the global community as a whole.
- In October 2012, a painting titled ‘Flower Power’ created by her was put up for auction at a prestigious gala event in New York City. Initially priced at $2500, the artwork received a total of 5 bids before eventually being sold for $3000. ‘Flower Power’ portrayed a vibrant blend of acrylic and oil on canvas, featuring a lush bed of green leaves adorned with beautiful purple flowers.
- Even with Narendra Modi’s widespread popularity, Mamata successfully secured her position as the Chief Minister of West Bengal for a second term. Her party excelled in the 2016 assembly elections, winning an impressive 211 out of 293 seats.
- Throughout her political career, she has consistently upheld a modest public image. She opts for a traditional white Saree as her attire and consistently dons ‘Hawai Chappal’ footwear.
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