Sushma Swaraj: An Epitome of Women Empowerment in India!

Senior BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, 67, passed away on 6^th August late evening after suffering a cardiac arrest. She was an epitome of women empowerment in India, an excellent leader and a great orator. She was a true patriot, and her patriotism and ideology can be seen in her last tweet where she congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the success of Article 370.

Sushma Swaraj achieved great heights in her political career. She became the minister of External Affairs in union cabinet on 26^th May 2014. She became the second woman to hold the office after Indira Gandhi. She used social media to become accessible to people in need of the External Affairs Ministry. However, due to health reasons, she didn’t contest the 2019 general elections.

Sushma was born in Ambala, Haryana to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh member, Hardev Sharma. She earned a bachelors degree in Sanskrit and Political Science. She later studied law and started her career as an advocate in the Supreme Court of India in 1973. In the 70s, she also started her political career, alongside her husband Swaraj Kaushal. After the emergency in the country from 1975-1977, she joined BJP. She became the youngest cabinet minister of Haryana, at the age of 25.

Sushma also served as the Chief Minister of Delhi in 1998 for a brief period of time. She was elected as Member of Parliament for seven times and three times as Member of Legislative Assembly. In her political career, she became Union Minister of IB & Telecoms, Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Union Health Minister, Leader of Opposition in 15^th Lok Sabha and Minister of External Affairs.

She is the Indian Parliament's first and the only female MP honored with the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award. She was called India’s ‘best-loved politician’ by the Wall Street Journal.

She will be cremated with full state honors today at 3 PM.