Sushma Swaraj (14 February 1952 – 6 August 2019) was an Indian politician and lawyer and one of the most popular leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party. She was the first woman Chief Minister of Delhi, the first woman Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and External Affairs Minister from 2014 to 2019. In that role she won hearts for using Twitter to help Indians in trouble abroad.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Sushma Swaraj (née Sharma) |
| Born | 14 February 1952, Ambala Cantonment, Haryana, India |
| Died | 6 August 2019, New Delhi (aged 67) |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Offices | External Affairs Minister (2014–19); Chief Minister of Delhi (1998); Leader of the Opposition (2009–14) |
| Education | BA and LLB, Panjab University |
| Spouse | Swaraj Kaushal |
| Daughter | Bansuri Swaraj (MP) |
| Honour | Padma Vibhushan (2020, posthumous) |
Early Life
Sushma Swaraj was born in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana. She studied political science and Sanskrit and then law at Panjab University in Chandigarh, and she became a lawyer in the Supreme Court. She was active in the movement against the Emergency in the 1970s.
Political Career
At 25, Swaraj became one of Haryana’s youngest cabinet ministers in 1977. She later moved to national politics with the BJP. In 1998 she briefly served as Chief Minister of Delhi, the first woman to hold the post.
In Atal Bihari Vajpayee‘s governments, Swaraj served as Minister of Information and Broadcasting, where she helped grant industry status to filmmaking, and later as Health Minister. From 2009 to 2014 she was Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, the first woman in that role.
In Narendra Modi‘s first government, Swaraj became External Affairs Minister. She became famous for responding personally on Twitter to Indians stranded or in distress abroad and arranging help. She oversaw evacuations such as Operation Raahat from Yemen in 2015. She chose not to contest the 2019 election for health reasons.
Personal Life and Death
Swaraj married Swaraj Kaushal, a senior lawyer who later became Governor of Mizoram. Their daughter, Bansuri Swaraj, was elected MP for New Delhi in 2024. Sushma Swaraj died of a cardiac arrest in New Delhi on 6 August 2019, aged 67.
Key Offices Held
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Sushma Swaraj born?
Sushma Swaraj was born on 14 February 1952 in Ambala Cantonment, Haryana, India.
When did Sushma Swaraj die?
Died: 6 August 2019, New Delhi (aged 67).
