Governor of Gujarat

Dr. Shrimati Kamla,

                                    The Hon. Governor of Gujarat

                                                VITAE (BIO-DATA)

1. Personal Details:-
     Name                                       : Dr. Shrimati KAMLA
                                                          W/o Late Shri Ramchandra Beniwal

     Father's Name                       : Shri Netram Singh (Leading freedom                  
                                                          fighter of earstwhile Jaipur State).  

     Date of Birth                           : 12th January, 1927.

     Place of Birth                          : Village-Gorir, Tehsil -Khetri,
                                                           District Jhunjhunu, State Rajasthan.

     Academic Qualifications      : M.A. (History), Maharaja College, Jaipur
                                                          

                                                         : B.A. (Economics, Political Science &  History)   Banasthali  

                                                           V idyapeeth, Tonk,Rajasthan.
     Profession                               : Agriculture

     Religion / Caste                      : Indian (Hindu, Jat)

     Present Address                    : 1.  Raj Bhavan, Gandhinagar-382 020, Gujarat.
    
                                                           2.  5/1, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur-302 017.

                                                                Phone - 0141 - 2550039.

                                                                Mobile-094140-45566.

2. Posts held:-

          1. Deputy Minister-    1954-57

               First lady Minister in the State of Rajasthan at the age of 27 only.  Dealt with Medical 

               and Health, Education and Public Works Department.

         2. Deputy Minister-     1962-67
 
              As Deputy Minister she dealt with the Departments of Education,   Agriculture,  Medical  and 

              Health,  Finance,  Famine  Relief,  Food, Animal Husbandry and State Enterprises.

         3. State Minister-       1972-77
 
               Home  (Police),  Industries,  Mines,  Social  Welfare, Medical and   Health,  General  

               Administration,  Public Relations, Personnel and   Economics and Statistics Department. 

         4. Cabinet Minister-  1980-1985
                                   &
         5. Cabinet Minister-  1985-1990

              Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Revenue,  Irrigation, Rajasthan  Canal 

              (Indira Gandhi Canal), Colonisation,   Canal  Area  Development, Ground  Water,  Energy 

              Department,   Education,    Labour   and    Employment, Rehabilitation,  Urban  Development,

             Sanskrit, Ayurved, Language, Technical Education, Election, Integrated Rural Development, Art

             and Culture, Tourism, Special Schemes, Sainik Kalyan, Sheep & Wool, Forest 

             Department  Etc.

         6. Member of Legislative Assembly-   1993-1998 Bairath (Jaipur) Constituency.

         7. Cabinet Minister, 1998.

         8. Deputy Chief Minister 25th January, 2003 onwards.

            Irrigation, Revenue, Colonisation and Sanskrit Education.  Besides  being a very senior

            member in the Congress Governments, she is also known as a Minister of high aliber, integrity

            and outstanding performance,who mastered all the functioning of  her Departments with in-depth

            study and hard work.  She has clear concepts of her job and had been very dynamic to mobilize

           her Officers to maintain high standards of functioning. 
3. Party Posts held:-

        1. Member, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee.

        2. Member, All India Congress Committee, New Delhi.

        3. Member, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Executive Committee,  Jaipur.

        4. Member, Rajasthan Pradesh Election Committee (PEC).

        5. Chairman, Election Campaign Committee, Rajasthan.

        6. Member, Jaipur Rural District Congress Executive Committee.

        7. President, Rajasthan Pradesh Mahila Congress.

        8. Joint Secretary, Pradesh Congress Committee during 1977-80 Rajasthan.

        9. Convenor, Rajasthan Pradesh Sadbhavna Yatra Publicity Sub-Committee.

      10. Member, Pradesh Congress Sub-Committee for preparing memorandum regarding

              misrule and failures of the BJP Government in Rajasthan.
     
       Her Family Background:-

Belongs to a reputed Farmer Freedom Fighter's family. Her father was a leading freedom fighter of Rajputana.  She organized and led large public agitation against Jagirdari system in District Jhunjhunu, Sikar and against the rulers of Jaipur State and the British rule and, as such had to face imprisonment Kalkothari and other hardships.  She was awarded "Tamra Patra" by Late Smt. Indira Gandhi. 

      Her Early Life:-

Being daughter of a leading freedom fighter and a student of Banasthali Vidhyapeeth(A reputed National Institution of Girls Education), Dr. Kamla was associated  with freedom  struggle since 11 years  of age.   In 1938, she participated in the first Session of Prajamandal (a party organization for freedom struggle in the earstwhile princely State of Rajputana) as "Captain of girls" volunteer team from Banasthali Vidhyapeeth.  She took out 'Prabhat Pheries' with national songs and slogans in Jaipur city and also took part in the main procession of the National leaders.  Since then, she alongwith her Bal Sainik Dal had attended all sessions of Prajamandal in different parts of Rajputana.  In later years, she was a very good horse-rider and participated in the general procession of Congress President on horse back alongwith her volunteer corps.

As a Volunteer, she attended Meerut Congress Session also.

She also led the Girls Volunteer team at Udaipur on the occasion of All India State Peoples' Conference which was addressed by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Shri Sheikh Abdullah.

In 1948 after independence, the first Congress Session was held at Jaipur.  Dr. Kamla, then student of M.A. (History) in Maharaja College, Jaipur trained the Women Volunteer Corps and gave outstanding performance.  The smart and disciplined turnout of the women volunteers in the Session impressed everyone, even the National leaders including Pt. Nehru.  

4. Positions held in Co-operative Movement since 1955:-

She had been one of the founder members of the Co-operative  Movement and various apex institutions in Rajasthan she had been.

1. General Secretary of Rajasthan State Co-operative Union, Jaipur.
2. President of Rajasthan State Co-operative Union, Jaipur.
3. Member, General Body and Executive Committee of All India Co-operative Union, Jorbagh, New Delhi.
4. Member, General Body, Governing Council and Executive Committee of National Co-operative Union of India, Khelgaon, New Delhi.
5. President, Co-operative College Jaipur.
6. Chairman, Women Co-operative Advisory Committee (NCUI), New Delhi.
7. Member, Women Committee of International Co-operative Alliance, London - U.K.

          At Present:-

1. Member, Co-operative Training College (NCUI), Jaipur.

2. Member, Women Consultative Committee (NCUI), New Delhi.

She had represented Co-operative Movement of India at National   and International Conferences :

1. International Co-operative Women Congress in Malaysia - 1975.
2. International Co-operative Congress, Paris (France), 1975.

3. International Co-operative Congress Moscow (USSR) -1980.
   Dr. Kamla is one of the most dedicated and old Co-operators of  our country and had been representing the State unit in National   Co-operative   Union of India in various positions for almost two decades.  Being one of the few pioneer co-operators of the country, she was associated in the initial organization of the All India Co-operative Union, Jorbagh, New Delhi, which is now known as the National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI), New Delhi Since the very beginning of Co-operative Union, Dr. Kamla had been active and prominent participant in making it a true spokesman institution of the National Co-operative movement.  She is recipient of the Best Co-operator of the Country award for the year 1994 - 95 by IFFCO.

She is well known for her explicit ideas and deliberations at National and International forums.  Dr. Kamla has very strong and clear concepts regarding the important and effective role, co-operative has to play in the economy of a socialistic pattern of society.  She had made appreciable contribution in highlighting and strengthening the philosophy, policy and programmes of co-operation.  She is universally known to and respected by the Co-operative World for lucid and forceful exposition of her thoughts and illustrious presentation of her themes on co-operation.  She holds high esteem as sincere and staunch advocate and spokesperson in the co-operative field.  She has left an effective mark of her personality in the co-operative field.  One very noteworthy and inspiring aspect of Dr. Kamla's personality is, despite the fact that she has held important positions in the State Government for the last more than twenty years, she basically continues to be a co-operator in her thoughts and behaviour.  Dr. Kamla considers it a prime necessity that women folk should be given due place and recognition in all walks of life including the co-operative field.  According to her, the overall fast development of the country considerably depends upon the active participation of women in all developmental activities and specially in co-operative movement.

Other activities and posts held:-

She had been :-

1. Chairperson, Rajasthan State Social Welfare Board and as such initiated the programmes for Women and Child Welfare in the state.
2. Member of the Executive Committee of All India Panchayat.
3. President, Rajasthan Sanskrit Sahitya Sammelan, Jaipur
4.  Vice President, S.O.S. Children Village, Jaipur.

At Present:

1. Member, Executive Committee,
Banasthali Vidhyapeeth, District Tonk, Rajasthan.

5. Multi-faceted Personality:-

A. Able performance in the Assembly as an MLA:-

She is seen at her best in the State Assembly, whether it is a question hour or a reply to any motion or demand or a tense moment during a general debate, she tackles every situation in a very calm and composed manner with full confidence and command like a seasoned Parliamentarian, impressing not only her party men but the opposition and the galleries too.  Endowed with the gift of oratory, she is an excellent speaker, not only on political themes but various social, cultural and religious issues.

B. A Born Orator:-

Her speeches project the thinker in her who has unflinching faith in basic values of life and society.  Her analysis of things and situations is so genuine and her presentation so forceful, logical and relevant that it touches heart of the audience.  It may be a public meeting or a specific gathering, her identification of issues and fundamentals is so clear and the command on the language is so perfect that it impresses everybody. 

C. Spokesperson of farmer community:-

Being an agriculturist, she is of firm opinion that Agriculture -in all its varied and allied aspects - will always be the base of our country's development and self-sufficiency.  Hence, this should always be our top priority for development.  As Agriculture Minister of Rajasthan, she has played an important role in the establishment of Rajasthan -Agriculture University, Bikaner.

D. Commendable work for Water Resources Development in the Rajasthan:-
 As  Minister  for  Irrigation,  she has accomplished the tremendous job of  preparing district master plans of about 48,000 water harvesting schemes in the state.  She also got identified every probable site for irrigation projects in the State and large number of minor, medium and major projects are under construction.  This will not only prove a boon to the cultivators but a significant attempt in minimizing the recurring severe famine conditions in the state and a valuable base for the future development. 

E. Land Reforms:- 

As Minister for Revenue and Land Reforms, she amended the Land Rules, computerized  the  system  and  got  the  revenue and Tenancy Laws re-written to give greater relief and rights to the cultivators and making the administration more accountable to the people.

F. Rural Development:-

She is greatly attached with the rural development works and feels highly satisfied when she executes the much needed rural development works for uplifting the rural living conditions.

G. Staunch advocate of Sanskrit and Ayurved:-

She has played vital role in establishing of National Institute of Ayurved  at Jaipur, which is a precious gift from her to the State.  With her hard  struggle, she has established a Sanskrit University at Jaipur.  She has  implemented various plans for research, studies, medical facilities and  wide publicity of Ayurved in the State.  To her, Sanskrit Literature is a  vast treasure of knowledge and study and essence of Indian civilization,  culture and heritage with their vivid aspects reproduced in the  manuscripts and practised for generations in their real life.

H. As a Social Reformer:-
 She is a true social reformer.  Born in a family of freedom fighter and associated with Arya Samaj Ideology since childhood, she has provided highest education to her daughters with utmost attention and affection.  Respect and status to women folk in society is not only a thought to her but in real life too, she is adhered to it.  She neither gave dowry for her daughters nor took for her son.  She motivated her daughter-in-law to attain highest education even after marriage.  Her daughters and daughter-in-law are just alike at home. 

She has no religious or caste prejudices.  She has strong conviction that a person with human qualities and good character is of highest caste and best religion.

I. Other facets of her personality:-

She is a great lover of nature.  Natural landscapes, mountains and  valleys attract her most.  Plants, trees and creepers are essential part  of  her life. 

She had been a keen student of painting, and had deep interest in music and dance.  She has great attraction for artistic and beautiful things of our great heritage.
     
She is a very good horse-rider.  She has  been outstanding In games  and sports. Swimming was her favourite hobby. Gardening is her best  past time.

By nature, she is most informal, no show off, no hypocracy.  She is outspoken but without  any  prejudice  to  anybody and most  rational   in   her  dealings  and behaviour.

6. Felicitations:-

1. She has been awarded "Vachaspati, D.Lit."  by Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (University), New Delhi on 28.02.2001 for her dedicated services towards Sanskrit and 'Sanskrita'.

2. She has been awarded "Woman of the Year 2001" by American Biographical Institute.