Mayawati (born 15 January 1956) is an Indian politician and national president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). She served four times as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, becoming India’s first Dalit woman Chief Minister in 1995. Popularly known as “Behenji”, she rose from a schoolteacher in Delhi to become one of the most powerful Dalit leaders in Indian history.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Mayawati Prabhu Das |
| Born | 15 January 1956, New Delhi, India |
| Age | 70 |
| Known as | Behenji |
| Party | Bahujan Samaj Party (president since 2003) |
| Office held | Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1995, 1997, 2002–03, 2007–12) |
| Education | BA, BEd, LLB, University of Delhi |
| Mentor | Kanshi Ram, founder of the BSP |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
Early Life
Mayawati was born in Delhi into a Dalit family with roots in Uttar Pradesh. Her father worked as a clerk in the postal department. She earned degrees in arts, education and law from the University of Delhi and worked as a schoolteacher while preparing for the civil services.
Political Career
In 1977 the Dalit leader Kanshi Ram heard Mayawati speak and persuaded her to join his movement. When he founded the Bahujan Samaj Party in 1984, she became a core member. Inspired by B. R. Ambedkar, the party set out to unite Dalits and other marginalised groups. Mayawati entered the Lok Sabha from Bijnor in 1989.
In June 1995 Mayawati became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the first Dalit woman to lead an Indian state. She served two more short terms in coalition governments, in 1997 and 2002–03. She succeeded Kanshi Ram as BSP president in 2003. In 2007, through a “social engineering” strategy that brought Brahmins and other groups alongside Dalits, the BSP won an outright majority in Uttar Pradesh. She then served a full five-year term.
Mayawati’s government built large parks and memorials honouring Dalit icons, including statues of herself. Supporters saw them as symbols of pride, while critics called them wasteful. She also faced a disproportionate assets case, which the Supreme Court quashed in 2012.
The BSP’s electoral fortunes have declined since 2012. It won no Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 2024, and only one Assembly seat in 2022. Mayawati has made several changes to the party leadership involving her nephews. In September 2026 she appointed Ishan Anand as national coordinator ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh election.
Personal Life
Mayawati is unmarried and has devoted her life to politics. Her autobiography, Mere Sangharshmay Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama, describes her journey and the Bahujan movement.
Key Offices Held
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Mayawati born?
Mayawati was born on 15 January 1956 in New Delhi, India.
