Minimata Agam Dass Guru

Minimata Agam Dass Guru (15 March 1916 - 31 may 1973) was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress Party, and a member of parliament in the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament of India).

Early life[]

Minimata was born in Nawagaon district in Assam in 1916.^[1] She was educated at Girls School, Nawagon and Raipur.^[2]

Political career[]

Minimata was elected to the first Lok Sabha in a bye-election in 1955 after the death of the sitting MP, her husband, Guru Agamdas.^[1] She contested the same constituency on a Congress party nomination and won. In 1962, she contested for the Indian National Congress party in Madhya Pradesh state, in Baloda Bazar, a Scheduled Caste reserved constituency. She won with more than 52% of the vote, defeating the Prajya Socialist Party candidate.^[3] In 1967, she contested for the Indian National Congress Party in the Schedule Caste reserved constituency of Janjgir, then in Madhya Pradesh state, winning with more than 62% of the vote.^[4] Minimata contested the same constituency of Janjgir in 1971, again for the Indian National Congress Party, and again winning the election.^[5] She died in 1973 before the end of her parliamentary term, prompting a by-election.^{[citation needed]}

Besides her parliamentary work, she served as General Secretary, State Congress Committee; President of Guru Ghasidas Seva Sangh; President of Harijan Education Society; Vice-President, State Depressed Classes League; Secretary, Mahila Mandal, Raipur.^[2] She was also a member of the Social Welfare Board, Raipur and a member of District Congress Committee, Raipur.^[2]

Minimata was associated with Satnami politics, a form of Ambedkarite Dalit self-assertion.^[6] After the death of her husband, she took on the leadership of the community.^[6] She stood against casteism and untouchability, as well as child marriage and dowry.^[1]

Personal life[]

She married Shri Agam Dass Guru on 2 July 1930.^[2] Her parliamentary profile listed her hobbies as reading, knitting, embroidery, cooking and gardening, and debating and discussion on social and political affairs.^[2]

Minimata died in an airplane crash on a flight from Raipur to Delhi; the plane crashed as it tried to land at Palam airport.^[7]

References[]