Daughter’s Day 2024: The legacy of daughters in Indian politics

As we celebrate Daughter’s Day today — a day dedicated to honouring the girl child and celebrating the special bond between daughters and their families — let us take a look at the remarkable contributions daughters have made to India’s political landscape.

From being mere inheritors of political dynasties, these women carved out their own paths and became powerful leaders and change-makers in their own right.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi inaugurating the first conference of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development in New Delhi on 17.2.1984. Express archive photo

The daughter of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and arguably the most famous “daughter” in Indian politics, Indira Gandhi went on to become India’s first and, to date, the only female prime minister. She served for a total of 15 years across two terms.

Known as the ‘Iron Lady of India,’ her tenure was marked by significant events including the Green Revolution, the 1971 war with Pakistan, and the state of Emergency from 1975 to 1977.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. (File Photo/PTI)

The daughter of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the longest-serving president of the Indian National Congress, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka continues the Nehru-Gandhi legacy. She made a formal entry in 2019, and is known for her charismatic personality and striking resemblance to her grandmother Indira Gandhi. She has been actively involved in campaigning for the Congress party ahead of elections and is credited for the Party’s performance in the 2024 general elections.

Supriya Sule

NCP Sharad Chandra Pawar Party MP Supriya Sule. (Express Photo)

The daughter of Sharad Pawar, a veteran politician and former chief minister of Maharashtra, Supriya has emerged as a prominent figure.

She has been a Member of Parliament, and following the division of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), she assumed the role of working president for the newly established NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction. Sule is known for her work on women’s issues and rural development.

Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

File Photo of DMK MP Kanimozhi. (Express photo by Prem Nath Pandey)

Daughter of M Karunanidhi, the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party, Kanimozhi has made a name for herself in both state and national politics.

She has served as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha and is a key figure in the DMK, particularly in articulating the party’s stance on various pressing issues.

Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president and former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti. (Express file photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

Daughter of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba Mufti followed her father’s footsteps and entered politics, eventually succeeding him as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 2016. She became the first woman to hold this position in the state.

As the president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), she has been a significant voice in the complex political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.

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