Bibhu Kumari Devi

Bibhu Kumari Devi
Rajmata
Preceded byKanchan Prava Devi
Member of All India Congress Committee
In office
1991
Member of Lok Sabha, Tripura East
In office
20 June 1991 – 10 May 1996
Preceded byKirit Bikram Deb Barman (INC)
Succeeded byBaju Ban Riyan (CPIM)
Member of Tripura Legislative Assembly, Agartala
In office
1988–1993
Preceded byManik Sarkar
Succeeded byNripen Chakraborty
Cabinet Minister, Department of Revenue and Local Self Government, Government of Tripura
In office
1989–1991
Personal details
Born (1944-06-28) June 28, 1944 (age 80)
SpouseKirit Bikram Kishore Deb Barman
Children3, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, Kriti Devi Debbarman, and Pragya Debbarma

Bibhu Kumari Devi (born 28 June 1944), is the current head of the Royal Family of Tripura, Indian National Congress politician and former member of the 10th Lok Sabha. She is also the first woman Member of Parliament from Tripura.[1]

Early life

Daughter to Raja Lav Shah, Bibhu Kumari was born on 28 June 1944 in Mussoorie (then in United Provinces).[2] She's the daughter-in-law of Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman and graduated from the Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow.[2][3]

Political career

Devi is a member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and entered the Tripura Legislative Assembly in 1983. The same year she was included in the All India Congress Committee. From 1989 to 1991, she served as the Minister for Revenue and Local Self-Government in the Tripura state government, when the INC made her its candidate for the 1991 general elections from Tripura East constituency reserved for scheduled tribes. She defeated Baju Ban Riyan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to become a member of the 10th Lok Sabha.[2]

In 1998, Devi refused to contest the Tripura legislative elections after the INC fielded her for the Matabari seat.[4]

Personal life

Devi married the last King of Tripura, Kirit Bikram Kishore Deb Barman from whom she had one son and two daughters.[2] Her husband and son Kirit Pradyot Deb Barman were also members of the INC.[5] Presently, her son Pradyot Manikya Deb Barma is the founder and chairman of Tipra Motha Party. The daughter Kriti Devi Debbarman is the Member of Parliament Lok Sabha representing Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency.[6]

In 2015, a local court in Tripura ordered the state government to hand over Neermahal palace and Rudrasagar Lake to Devi.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Northeast India sends 3 women to Lok Sabha, one more than 2014". India Today. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Members Bioprofile: Bibhu Kumari Devi, Maharani". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  3. ^ Prakash, Ved (2007). Encyclopaedia of North-East India. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 2281. ISBN 978-81-269-0707-6.
  4. ^ United News of India (29 January 1998). "Congress changes candidates". Rediff.com. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Tripura: Cong leader quits citing mistreatment". News18. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  6. ^ Today, North East (4 June 2024). "Tripura: BJP's Candidate Maharani Kriti Devi Singh Debbarma Secures Landslide Victory in East Tripura Lok Sabha Seat". Northeast Today. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Tripura royal property". The Statesman. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2017.