Bonily Khongmen

Kabonmili Timungpi later known as Bonily Khongmen (25 June 1912 – 17 March 2007) was an Indian politician belonging to the Indian National Congress. She was Assam's first female Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, the first Karbi person and also among the first women Indian politician in the Indian National Congress in the then North-East India. She was elected to the Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament of India from the Autonomous District constituency, Assam in 1952. She was a member of the 1st Lok Sabha. She was also the Deputy Speaker in Assam assembly.

Early life and career Kabonmili Timungpi (Khongmen) was the first among karbi who have passed Metric in 1926 then, 1928-29 in Intermediate Arts(IA), first BA, MA among karbis, she completed her BA in 1932, and 1935 - 36 completed her MA in Shillong Meghalaya. Shen studied at Welsh Mission Girls' High School, Shillong, and Diocesan College, Calcutta. Between 1932 and 1946, she worked in education, as headmistress of Golaghat Girls' School (1932–33), Assamese Girls School, Shillong (1935-1940), and Lady Reid School, Shillong (1940-1946). She was subsequently elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, the first woman to serve in that position. Khongmen contested the first Lok Sabha election in 1951 from the Autonomous District constituency of Assam. She won the election with 54% of the vote, defeating Wilson Reade of the KJD who was runner-up with 30% of the votes.

Personal life She played the violin, and took an interest in spinning and weaving clothes, collecting books, gardening, reading, and knitting.