Haryana’s First Woman MP Chandrawati Devi Passes Away At 92 Due To COVID-19

The first woman MP (Member of Parliament) from Haryana and former lieutenant governor of Puducherry, Chandrawati Devi, passed away at the age of 92 on Sunday due to COVID-19. She was admitted to  PGIMS (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences) in Rohtak on November 5 for treatment. Her last rites were performed by doctors at Dalawas village in Charkhi Dadri district in Haryana.

Chandrawati Devi was the first woman from Haryana to become a Member of Parliament in 1977. She was the first woman minister in Haryana (1964-66), and the first woman Leader of Opposition (1982-85) reported The Tribune. She was also the first woman to become an MLA ( Member of the Legislative Assembly) from the Badhra constituency (then in Mahendergarh) reported the Hindustan Times.

She also served as the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in 1990. After her retirement, she started living in Charkhi Dadri district in Haryana. As per a TOI report, people assembled outside her house in Charkhi Dadri to pay their respects after receiving the news of her death. 

Also Read: Who Is Harpreet A De Singh, First Woman CEO To Head An Indian Airline?

Politicians mourne MP Chandrawati's death

Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar wrote in a tweet that Charawati Devi fought for the rights of the impoverished. He also said that her death has left a void in politics, both on the national and state level.

पुडुचेरी की पूर्व उप राज्यपाल चंद्रावती जी का निधन हम सभी के लिए अत्यंत दुःखद है। चंद्रावती जी अधिवक्ता, विधायक व सांसद रहते हुए गरीब समाज के लिए संघर्षरत रहीं। उनके निधन से देश एवं प्रदेश की राजनीति को अपूरणीय क्षति हुई है।

विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि
ॐ शांति।

— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) November 15, 2020

Former Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder S Hooda also took to Twitter to pay his condolences.

हरियाणा विधानसभा में पहली महिला विधायक दल नेता, पूर्व सांसद, पूर्व उप-राज्यपाल चन्द्रावती जी के निधन की खबर कष्टदायक है। भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि एवं परिजनों के प्रति गहरी शोक संवेदनाएँ।

हमारे घनिष्ठ पारिवारिक संबंध चंद्रावती जी से रहे व उनका आशीर्वाद हमेशा हमारे परिवार पर बना रहा।

— Bhupinder S Hooda (@BhupinderSHooda) November 15, 2020

Kanwar Pal Joon, a relative of Chandrawati Devi, revealed that former Indian PM Indira Gandhi was very fond of the deceased politician. He also said that Gandhi used to call her Chandro, reported The Tribune. 

पूर्व उपराज्यपाल श्रीमती चंद्रावती जी का निधन
विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि
शत शत नमन

— Kanwar pal Joon (@PalJoon) November 15, 2020

Also Read: Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, The First Woman Officer Of Indian Air Force Passes Away At 96

Congress Party’s general secretary and chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also mourned her death. He said that Chandrawati Devi served the state for a long time and she will be remembered forever.

कांग्रेस की वरिष्ठ नेता व पूर्व उप राज्यपाल चन्द्रावती जी के निधन की खबर से अत्यन्त दुख हुआ।

उन्होंने एक कुशल राजनेत्री के तौर पर प्रदेश की लम्बी सेवा की जिसके लिए उन्हें सदा याद रखा जाएगा।

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 15, 2020

हरियाणा की प्रथम महिला अधिवक्‍ता, पहली महिला विधायक,पहली महिला विधायक दल नेता, पहली महिला सांसद, पूर्व उप-राज्यपाल व वरिष्ठ कांग्रेस नेता चन्द्रावती जी के निधन का समाचार दु:खद है।

दिवंगत आत्मा को भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि एवं परिजनों, समर्थकों के प्रति गहरी संवेदनाएँ। pic.twitter.com/lUwXScpBuj

— Deepender S Hooda (@DeependerSHooda) November 15, 2020

Congress leader Deepender S Hooda and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) State head Om Prakash Dhankar also mourned Chandrawati Devi's death.

हरियाणा प्रदेश की प्रथम महिला अधिवक्ता,प्रथम महिला विधायक दल नेत्री,प्रथम महिला सांसद व पुडुचेरी की पूर्व उप राज्यपाल चंद्रावती जी के निधन का दुखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ। ईश्वर से प्रार्थना है कि दिवंगत आत्मा को अपने श्री चरणों में स्थान दे ॐ शांति pic.twitter.com/eYqC0D6U2z

— Om Prakash Dhankar (@OPDhankar) November 15, 2020

Sagrika Giri is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.