Vasundhara Raje

Vasundhara Raje Scindia (born 8 March 1953) is an Indian politician, who has held the position of the chief minister of Rajasthan from 2003 to 2008 and 2013 to 2018. She was previously a minister in the Union Cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and for India's Minister of state External Affairs (India) and Minister of state Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. She is only woman to serve as the Chief Minister for the state of Rajasthan. A member of the Scindia dynasty, she is also the matriarch of the Bamraulia family of Dholpur.

Early life Vasundhara Raje Scindia was born on 8 March 1953 in Bombay (now Mumbai). She is the daughter of Vijayaraje Scindia, Maharani and later Rajmata of Gwalior and Jiwajirao Scindia, Maharaja of Gwalior, members of the prominent Scindia Dynasty.

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.

Personal life She married Maharaj Rana Hemant Singh, of the royal family of Dholpur on 17 November 1972, but they separated a year later. Her son, Kunwar Dushyant Singh, was elected to the Lok Sabha from her former constituency, Jhalawar. 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 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. In 2023, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said Raje had helped save his government in 2020 by opposing the BJP’s attempts to bribe MLAs. Hours later, she dismissed the chief minister’s statement as a lie and conspiracy against her. In 2023, she lost her chief minister post from newly elected- MLA Bhajan Lal Sharma, which prevented from her becoming chief minister for third time.

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

Electoral Performance

Member of parliament 1989-91: member, 9th Lok Sabha, from Jhalawar. 2003-08 member, 12th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan 2008–13, 13th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan 2013–18, member, 14th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan 2018–23, member, 15th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan 2023-28, member,16th Rajasthan legislative assembly from Jhalrapatan. +Rajasthan Legislative AssemblyYearConstiuencyPartyVotes%OpponentPartyOpponent Votes%MarginMargin

Works Vasundhara Raje, Rajasthan Gaurav Yatra Vasundhara Raje, Bhamashah Yojana Satyam Kumar and Vasundhara Raje, iStart Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje, Jal Swavlamban See More Schemes of Vasundhara Raje

Achievements In 2007, she received the "Women Together Award" from the UNO for services rendered towards the self-empowerment of women.

In 2018, she received the 'Best Chief Minister of the Year' Award at the 52nd Skoch Summit.

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.

Ministry of Raje Government