Meira Kumar

Meira Kumar, born on March thirty-first, nineteen forty-five, is a distinguished Indian politician and former diplomat. A prominent member of the Indian National Congress, she held the position of Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment from two thousand four to two thousand nine, and briefly served as the Minister of Water Resources in two thousand nine.

Her remarkable political journey includes serving as the fifteenth Speaker of the Lok Sabha from two thousand nine to two thousand fourteen, making history as the first woman to occupy this prestigious role. Kumar's influence extended further when she became the second woman nominated for the presidency of India by a major political block, securing the United Progressive Alliance's nomination in two thousand seventeen.

Before her tenure in the fifteenth Lok Sabha, Kumar was elected to the eighth, eleventh, twelfth, and fourteenth Lok Sabhas, showcasing her enduring commitment to public service. In the two thousand seventeen presidential election, she was the joint candidate for the leading opposition parties, ultimately losing to the NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind. Notably, her vote share stands as the third highest for a losing candidate in presidential elections, following Neelam Sanjiva Reddy in nineteen sixty-nine and K. Subba Rao in nineteen sixty-seven.