New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia on her 105th birth anniversary on Saturday. PM Modi lauded her dedication to serving India throughout her life
Sharing an old photo in a post on X, he stated:
“मां भारती की सेवा में जीवनपर्यंत समर्पित रहीं राजमाता विजयाराजे सिंधिया जी को उनकी जन्म-जयंती पर सादर नमन।”
[“On her birth anniversary, my tribute to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia ji, who was dedicated to the service of Mother India throughout her life.”]
Vijaya Raje Scindia, also known as Rajmata of Gwalior, was born on October 12, 1919, in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Her birth name was Lekha Divyeshwari Devi.
Her father was a deputy collector for the provincial government, and her mother was the daughter of former Nepalese Army Commander-in-Chief Khadga Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana, a nephew of Jang Bahadur Kunwar Rana, the founder of Nepal’s Rana dynasty. Her mother passed away during her birth.
Despite the tragic start to her life, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia’s resilience and determination led her to carve a remarkable path for herself in India’s political spectrum, serving as an inspiration to many.
Despite the conventional upbringing for girls in aristocratic households, Vijaya Raje’s early education at home and later at Vasanta College and Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, instilled in her a passion for the Indian freedom movement. Her decision to join the fight for independence after completing her education was a significant step in her journey towards becoming a prominent figure in Indian politics.
Marriage, children, politics
In 1941, at 22, she married Jiwajirao Scindia, Maharaja of Gwalior, one of the wealthiest and powerful princely states of British India.
Her political career began in 1957 when the Rajmata won the Guna Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh.
As a Member of Parliament from 1957 until 1998, Vijaya Raje was a staunch advocate for educating girls and empowering women, a commitment that continues to inspire and empower many. Her memoirs, ‘The Last Maharani of Gwalior’, became a blockbuster, shedding light on numerous important aspects of her life and career.
Vijaya Raje and Jivajirao’s family continued their political legacy. Their son, Madhav Rao Scindia, held several key portfolios in the Indian government. Tragically, he lost his life in an air crash in September 2001 at the age of 56. Currently, his son Jyotiraditya is a Minister in the Modi government, furthering the family’s political journey.
Currently, his son Jyotiraditya is a Minister in the Modi government.
Bumrah Named Vice-Captain for New Zealand Test Series, Shami Fails to Find Place
Her daughter Vasundhara Raje is a BJP leader and two-term chief minister of Rajasthan.
Vijaya Raje entered electoral politics in 1957 when she ran for and won the Guna Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh on a Congress ticket.
The Royal’s political journey was not without its challenges. She left the Congress in 1967 and joined the Swatantra Party, only to later become a member of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. Her opposition to Indira Gandhi’s policies led to her imprisonment during the Emergency, where she shared a cell with fellow Rajmata and MP Gayatri Devi in Tihar Jail. This experience further fuelled her determination to bring about political change.
In the 1970s, Vijaya Raje and her son Madhavrao got into a public property dispute. Their opposing political ideologies fuelled animosity.
As one of BJP’s founding members, Rajmata rose to the top of the party’s leadership in 1980 when she was appointed vice president.
Supporter of the Ram Janmabhoomi Movement
She was a hardliner who helped popularise the party’s Ram Janmabhoomi agitation. Following the destruction of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, she claimed that “she could now die without any regret, for she had seen her dream come true.”
Rajmata Vijaya Raje served as BJP vice president until 1998, when she resigned due to health reasons and left electoral politics.
She died on 25 January 2001.
For more updates Subscribe to Media Eye News
File Photo: Courtesy: PIB/X
