The first woman to hold a cabinet position in independent India was Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. She served as the Minister of Health in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet from 1947 to 1957.
Share
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
The first woman to hold a cabinet position in independent India was Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. She served as the Minister of Health in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet from 1947 to 1957.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (1889–1964) was a pioneering Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, and politician. She hailed from the princely state of Kapurthala and was educated in England. Amrit Kaur joined Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement and actively participated in the Indian independence struggle.
Her most notable contribution came in the field of public health. Serving as the Health Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet from 1947 to 1957, she spearheaded the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), which became a premier medical institution in India.
Amrit Kaur was the first woman to hold a cabinet position in independent India, breaking gender barriers in governance. She also represented India on the international stage, serving as the President of the World Health Assembly.
Her dedication to social welfare, women’s rights, and education earned her widespread recognition, including the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, in 1954. Amrit Kaur’s legacy continues to inspire generations of Indians.