February 14 marks the birth anniversary of former External Affairs Minister of India, Sushma Swaraj, who was known as the country's 'best-loved politician'.
Born in 1952, in Ambala Cantonment, Punjab, Sushma Swaraj began her political journey with ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) and later went on to become a prominent figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Former chief minister of Delhi and a prominent lawyer who strengthened India's image at the global level, Sushma Swaraj was regarded as a powerful speaker, she is only the second woman after Indira Gandhi to hold the office in the Centre.
Sushma Swaraj was the Information and Broadcasting Minister in the infamous Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996 which ran for just 13 days.
In a rare achievement, Swaraj opened six AIIMS -- Jodhpur, Bhopal, Raipur, Bhubaneshwar, Patna and Rishikesh -- during her tenure as Union Health Minister from 2003 to 2004 under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Known as the people's politician with a helping hand, Swaraj gained widespread praise for using social media to help Indians around the world in distress.
She became the first Indian to address the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit as the guest of honour. And, she did it in the face of a boycott by OIC's key member Pakistan.
Handling of Maldives crisis, Nepal blockade, Doklam stand-off with China and successful challenge of Kulbhushan Jadhav case in the International Court of Justice are among some of the major accomplishments of India's foreign policy with Sushma Swaraj at the helm of affairs.
Sushma Swaraj received innumerable awards in her illustrious political career. She was also the recipient of the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award and was awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously in 2020.
The Central government in 2020, named the Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra, a cultural centre reflecting India's connect with its diaspora as Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, who was known for reaching out to distressed Indians globally. The Foreign Service Institute, a renowned institution where diplomats are trained, was also renamed as Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.
(with sources inputs)
