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{{short description|Indian politician|bot=PearBOT 5}} | {{short description|Indian politician (born 1942)|bot=PearBOT 5}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} | ||
{{Infobox officeholder | {{Infobox officeholder | ||
| name = Margaret Alva | | name = Margaret Alva | ||
| image = | | image = The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Somnath Chatterjee addressing at the inauguration of the Orientation Programme for the media persons accredited to the press gallery of Lok Sabha, in New Delhi on July 28, 2006 (cropped).jpg | ||
| caption = Margaret | | imagesize = | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1942|4|14 | | caption = Alva in 2006 | ||
| birth_place = [[Mangalore]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] <br />( | | birth_name = Margaret Nazareth | ||
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1942|4|14}} | |||
| residence = | | birth_place = [[Mangalore]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] <br />(present-day [[Mangaluru]], [[Karnataka]], [[India]]) | ||
| residence = [[New Delhi]] | |||
| death_date = | | death_date = | ||
| death_place = | | death_place = | ||
| Line 14: | Line 16: | ||
| order1 = 23rd | | order1 = 23rd | ||
| office1 = Governor of Gujarat | | office1 = Governor of Gujarat | ||
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister | |||
| 1namedata1 = [[Anandiben Patel]] | |||
| term_start1 = 7 July 2014 | | term_start1 = 7 July 2014 | ||
| term_end1 = 15 July 2014 | | term_end1 = 15 July 2014 | ||
| predecessor1 = [[Kamla Beniwal]] | | predecessor1 = [[Kamla Beniwal]] | ||
| successor1 = [[Om Prakash Kohli]] | | successor1 = [[Om Prakash Kohli]] | ||
| order2 = | | order2 = 19th | ||
| office2 = Governor of Rajasthan | | office2 = Governor of Rajasthan | ||
| 1blankname2 = Chief Minister | |||
| 1namedata2 = [[Ashok Gehlot]]<br>[[Vasundhara Raje]] | |||
| term_start2 = 12 May 2012 | | term_start2 = 12 May 2012 | ||
| term_end2 = 5 August 2014 | | term_end2 = 5 August 2014 | ||
| Line 26: | Line 32: | ||
| order3 = 4th | | order3 = 4th | ||
| office3 = Governor of Uttarakhand | | office3 = Governor of Uttarakhand | ||
| 1blankname3 = Chief Minister | |||
| 1namedata3 = {{bulleted list| [[Ramesh Pokhriyal]] | [[B. C. Khanduri]] | [[Vijay Bahuguna]]}} | |||
| term_start3 = 6 August 2009 | | term_start3 = 6 August 2009 | ||
| term_end3 = 14 May 2012 | | term_end3 = 14 May 2012 | ||
| Line 33: | Line 41: | ||
| office = Governor of Goa | | office = Governor of Goa | ||
| term_start = 12 July 2014 | | term_start = 12 July 2014 | ||
| term_end = | | term_end = 5 August 2014 | ||
| 1blankname = Chief Minister | |||
| 1namedata = [[Manohar Parrikar]] | |||
| predecessor = [[Bharat Vir Wanchoo]] | | predecessor = [[Bharat Vir Wanchoo]] | ||
| successor = [[Om Prakash Kohli]] | | successor = [[Om Prakash Kohli]] | ||
| office4 = [[Member of | | office4 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]] | ||
| constituency4 = [[Uttara Kannada (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kanara]] | | constituency4 = [[Uttara Kannada (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kanara]] | ||
| predecessor4 = [[Anant Kumar Hegde]] | | predecessor4 = [[Anant Kumar Hegde]] | ||
| successor4 = [[Anant Kumar Hegde]] | | successor4 = [[Anant Kumar Hegde]] | ||
| term4 = 1999 | | term4 = 6 October 1999 — 16 May 2004 | ||
| office9 = [[Member of | | office9 = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]] | ||
| term9 = | | term9 = 25 July 1974–25 July 1998 | ||
| constituency9 = [[Karnataka]] | | constituency9 = [[Karnataka]] | ||
| office7 = [[ | | office7 = [[Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (India)|Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs]] | ||
| term7 = 1984 | | term7 = 25 July 1984 – 25 July 1985 | ||
| term8 = 1993 | | primeminister7 = [[Indira Gandhi]]<br>[[Rajiv Gandhi]] | ||
| office5 = [[ | | term8 = 25 July 1993 – 25 July 1996 | ||
| term5 = 1991 | | primeminister8 = [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]] | ||
| office6 = [[ | | office5 = [[Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions|Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions]] | ||
| term6 = 1985 | | term5 = 26 June 1991 – 26 May 1996 | ||
| alma_mater = | | office6 = [[Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports|Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports]] | ||
| primeminister6 = [[Rajiv Gandhi]] | |||
| term6 = 26 May 1985 – 26 May 1989 | |||
| alma_mater = Mount Carmel College (B.A.), University Law College, Bangalore (LL.B.) | |||
| party = [[Indian National Congress]] | | party = [[Indian National Congress]] | ||
| spouse = {{ | | spouse = {{marriage|Niranjan Alva|1964|2018|end=died}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/niranjan-thomas-alva-passes-away-118040700451_1.html|title=Niranjan Thomas Alva passes away|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=7 April 2018|agency=Press Trust of India}}</ref> | ||
| children = | | children = 4, including [[Niret Alva]] | ||
| website = | | website = | ||
| footnotes = | | footnotes = | ||
| Line 60: | Line 73: | ||
| year = | | year = | ||
| source = | | source = | ||
| relations = {{ubl| | |||
* [[Violet Alva]] (mother-in-law) | |||
* [[Joachim Alva]] (father-in-law) | |||
* [[Anuja Chauhan]] (daughter-in-law)}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Margaret Alva''' ( | '''Margaret Nazareth Alva''' (born 14 April 1942) is an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th [[Governor of Goa]], 23rd [[Governor of Gujarat]], 19th [[Governors of Rajasthan|Governor of Rajasthan]] and 4th [[Governor of Uttarakhand]] at various times between 2009 and 2014. She has formerly served as the Cabinet Minister. She took over in Rajasthan from the Punjab governor, [[Shivraj Patil]], who had been holding an additional charge of that state. Before being appointed governor, she was a senior figure in the [[Indian National Congress]] and was Joint Secretary of the [[All India Congress Committee]]. Her mother-in-law, [[Violet Alva]], was Second [[Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha]] in 1960s. | ||
On 17 July 2022, the [[United Progressive Alliance]] along with some other non-UPA opposition parties nominated her for the post of [[Vice President of India]] in the [[2022 Indian vice presidential election|2022 election]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-17 |title=Ex-union minister Margaret Alva is Opposition's vice presidential candidate |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/margaret-alva-opposition-vice-president-candidate-8035019/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> But she was defeated by her opponent [[Jagdeep Dhankhar]] by a margin of 346 votes on 6 August 2022. | |||
== Early life == | == Early life == | ||
Margaret Alva was born Margaret Nazareth on 14 April 1942<ref name="mem" /> | Margaret Nazareth Alva was born Margaret de Nazareth on 14 April 1942,<ref name="mem" /> to a [[Mangalorean Catholic]] family at [[Mangalore]], in [[Karnataka]]. She obtained a BA degree from [[Mount Carmel College, Bangalore]] and a law degree from [[University Law College, Bangalore|Government Law College]] in the same city.<ref name="secretariat">{{cite book |title=Women in Politics: Voices from the Commonwealth |author=Commonwealth Secretariat |publisher=Commonwealth Secretariat |year=1999 |isbn=9780850925692 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3_7kSP6mH7QC&pg=PA75 |pages=75–77}}</ref> She was a keen and appreciated debater during her time at college and had some involvement in students' movements.<ref name="vittal">{{cite book |title=Reflections: Experiences of a Bureaucrat's Wife |first=Gita |last=Vittal |publisher=Academic Foundation |year=2007 |isbn=9788171884711 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EgYRwrtyPAIC&pg=PA68 |pages=68–69}}</ref> | ||
Alva combined her work as an advocate with involvement in welfare organisations, eventually becoming president of the [[Young Women's Christian Association]]. One of her early involvements was with the Karuna [[non-governmental organisation]], which she founded and which was focused on issues relating to women and children.<ref name="secretariat" /><ref name="rajgovt" /> | Alva combined her work as an advocate with involvement in welfare organisations, eventually becoming president of the [[Young Women's Christian Association]]. One of her early involvements was with the Karuna [[non-governmental organisation]], which she founded and which was focused on issues relating to women and children.<ref name="secretariat" /><ref name="rajgovt" /> | ||
On 24 May 1964 she married Niranjan Thomas Alva, whom she had met while they were both students at Government Law College.<ref name="vittal" /> The couple had one daughter and three sons, the oldest being [[Niret Alva]].<ref name="bi">{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/miditech-moves-on/190046/|title=Miditech moves on|date=29 September 2004|work=Business Standard}}</ref> Niranjan Alva ran a successful export business, which gave his wife a [[Economic security|financial security]] that proved beneficial in her later [[career]].<ref name="secretariat" /> | |||
== Politics == | == Politics == | ||
=== Beginnings === | === Beginnings === | ||
Alva's decision to enter politics in 1969 was | Alva's decision to enter politics in 1969 was influenced by her husband's parents, [[Joachim Alva]] and [[Violet Alva]], both of whom had served [[Member of Parliament|Members of Parliament]] representing the Indian National Congress. She has acknowledged this encouragement, saying that "I never had to face any family constraints on my political activities" and she has also said that the death of Violet in 1969 provided the impetus. She aligned herself with the [[Congress (Indira)]] faction led by [[Indira Gandhi]] and worked for its state unit in Karnataka.<ref name="secretariat" /><ref name="vittal" /> She served as Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee between 1975 and 1977 and as General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee between 1978 and 1980.<ref name="mem">{{cite web |url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/pre_member/1952_2003/a.pdf|title=Rajya Sabha Members Biographical Sketches 1952 – 2003 |publisher=Rajya Sabha website}}</ref> | ||
=== Rajya Sabha === | === Rajya Sabha === | ||
In April 1974, Alva | In April 1974, Alva was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a representative of Congress. She served a six-year term and was then re-elected for three more six-year terms, in 1980, 1986, and 1992. During her time in the Rajya Sabha, she was its vice-chairman (1983–85) and also served terms as [[Union Minister of State]] in the ministries for Parliamentary Affairs (1984–85) and for Youth and Sports and Women and Child Development, an arm of the [[Ministry of Human Resource Development]]. She also served on various House committees, which garnered her a considerable degree of procedural expertise,<ref name="secretariat" /> and was briefly Minister for Science and Technology.<ref name="rajgovt">{{cite web |title=Hon'ble Governor of Rajasthan: Smt. Margaret Alva |publisher=Government of Rajasthan |url=http://rajbhawan.rajasthan.gov.in/SitePages/governer.aspx |access-date=19 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225010406/http://rajbhawan.rajasthan.gov.in/SitePages/governer.aspx |archive-date=25 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | ||
In her HRD role, between 1985 and 1989,<ref name="rajass" /> Alva oversaw the [[Rajiv Gandhi]]-led government's 28-point plan intended to improve the rights and involvement of women and children. In addition, she made proposals for various development corporations for women, only some of which materialised, and also campaigned for a greater prominence of [[women in government]] and in her party's official posts. Her 1989 proposal that 33 per cent of seats in [[panchayat raj]] (local government) elections should be reserved for women became law in 1993 and, according to Laura Jenkins, "marked a further shift from the former abhorrence of reservations as a nationally divisive policy". She continued her efforts to improve the lot of women during her period as Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions and Parliamentary Affairs (1991 and 1993-96<ref name="rajass" />), where she tried to increase the number of female officeholders in various ministries and government organisations, such as the [[Union Public Service Commission]] and the judiciary.<ref name="secretariat" /><ref>{{cite book |title=Complicating Categories: Gender, Class, Race and Ethnicity |editor1-first=Eileen |editor1-last=Boris |editor2-first=Angelique |editor2-last=Janssens |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1999 |isbn=9780521786416 |first=Laura Dudley |last=Jenkins |chapter=Competing Inequalities: The Struggle Over Reserved Legislative Seats for Women in India |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YWPGs-KXry4C&pg=PA66 |page=66}}</ref> | In her HRD role, between 1985 and 1989,<ref name="rajass" /> Alva oversaw the [[Rajiv Gandhi]]-led government's 28-point plan intended to improve the rights and involvement of women and children. In addition, she made proposals for various development corporations for women, only some of which materialised, and also campaigned for a greater prominence of [[women in government]] and in her party's official posts. Her 1989 proposal that 33 per cent of seats in [[panchayat raj]] (local government) elections should be reserved for women became law in 1993 and, according to Laura Jenkins, "marked a further shift from the former abhorrence of reservations as a nationally divisive policy". She continued her efforts to improve the lot of women during her period as Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions and Parliamentary Affairs (1991 and 1993-96<ref name="rajass" />), where she tried to increase the number of female officeholders in various ministries and government organisations, such as the [[Union Public Service Commission]] and the judiciary.<ref name="secretariat" /><ref>{{cite book |title=Complicating Categories: Gender, Class, Race and Ethnicity |editor1-first=Eileen |editor1-last=Boris |editor2-first=Angelique |editor2-last=Janssens |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1999 |isbn=9780521786416 |first=Laura Dudley |last=Jenkins |chapter=Competing Inequalities: The Struggle Over Reserved Legislative Seats for Women in India |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YWPGs-KXry4C&pg=PA66 |page=66}}</ref> | ||
| Line 83: | Line 102: | ||
=== Lok Sabha === | === Lok Sabha === | ||
Alva was elected to the [[13th Lok Sabha]] as a [[Member of Parliament]] in 1999 for the [[Uttara Kannada (Lok Sabha constituency)|Uttara Kannada constituency]], serving a five-year term.<ref name="rajass">{{cite web |title=Governor of Rajasthan |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan |url=http://rajassembly.nic.in/MargaretAlva.htm |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> She lost a subsequent re-election attempt in the 2004.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Times of India|title=Margaret Alva to be Uttarakhand governor |url=http://www.timesnow.tv/Margaret-Alva-to-be-Uttarakhand-governor/videoshow/4322547.cms |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> Between 2004 and 2009, she served as General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and was an advisor to the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies & Training, a government body that works with newly elected parliamentary representatives at both national and state level.<ref name="rajgovt" /> | Alva was elected to the [[13th Lok Sabha]] as a [[Member of Parliament]] in 1999 for the [[Uttara Kannada (Lok Sabha constituency)|Uttara Kannada constituency]], serving a five-year term.<ref name="rajass">{{cite web |title=Governor of Rajasthan |publisher=Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan |url=http://rajassembly.nic.in/MargaretAlva.htm |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> She lost a subsequent re-election attempt in the 2004.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Times of India|title=Margaret Alva to be Uttarakhand governor|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/Margaret-Alva-to-be-Uttarakhand-governor/videoshow/4322547.cms|access-date=19 February 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094125/http://www.timesnow.tv/Margaret-Alva-to-be-Uttarakhand-governor/videoshow/4322547.cms|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 2004 and 2009, she served as General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and was an advisor to the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies & Training, a government body that works with newly elected parliamentary representatives at both national and state level.<ref name="rajgovt" /> | ||
=== Governorships === | === Governorships === | ||
In November 2008, Alva said that Congress seats for the elections in Karnataka were open to bidders rather than subject to meritocratic appointment. Congress denied her claims and a meeting with the party president, [[Sonia Gandhi]] resulted in Alva resigning or being removed from her numerous official responsibilities in the party.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=262855:Cong%20cuts%20Alva%20down%20to%20size&catid=36:india&from_page=search |title=Cong cuts Alva down to size |publisher=The Statesman |date=13 November 2008 |access-date=20 January 2010 }}</ref> Subsequently, Alva patched up her differences with Congress leadership. She has declined to go into details of the 2008 controversy even as her resignation letter continues to be a subject of media speculation.<ref>{{ | In November 2008, Alva said that Congress seats for the elections in Karnataka were open to bidders rather than subject to meritocratic appointment. Congress denied her claims and a meeting with the party president, [[Sonia Gandhi]] resulted in Alva resigning or being removed from her numerous official responsibilities in the party.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=262855:Cong%20cuts%20Alva%20down%20to%20size&catid=36:india&from_page=search |title=Cong cuts Alva down to size |publisher=The Statesman |date=13 November 2008 |access-date=20 January 2010 }}</ref> Subsequently, Alva patched up her differences with Congress leadership. She has declined to go into details of the 2008 controversy even as her resignation letter continues to be a subject of media speculation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/margaret-alva-governor-of-rajasthan-ashok-gehlot-rajasthan-170748-2013-07-17 |title=My book will reveal why I quit the AICC: Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva |work=[[India Today]]|publisher=Living Media India Limited |date=18 July 2013 |access-date=21 August 2013 }}</ref> | ||
On 6 August 2009, Alva became the first female [[Governor of Uttarakhand]]. Although she said then that she was enthusiastic about the challenges facing the nascent state, she found herself sidelined outside national politics and frustrated by the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] state government. She remained in the post until May 2012, at which time she was appointed [[Governor of Rajasthan]], which was a more important region in political terms. Of her time in Uttarakhand, Alva said that "The quietude allowed me to recharge my batteries and even spare some time for working on my biography". The autobiography is not expected to appear until after her retirement.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alva sworn in Uttarakhand Governor |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/07/stories/2009080757450500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227205011/http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/07/stories/2009080757450500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 February 2014 |date=7 August 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]] |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Wanchoo for Goa, Alva for Rajasthan |work=The Telegraph|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120429/jsp/nation/story_15432107.jsp#.UwSFm5itxII |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140219104349/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120429/jsp/nation/story_15432107.jsp%23.UwSFm5itxII |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 February 2014 |date=29 April 2009 |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Eventful stint that lent charm to Governor's post |first=Neena |last=Sharma |work=The Tribune |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120511/dplus.htm |date=10 May 2012 |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> | |||
The move to Rajasthan relieved Shivraj Patil, the [[List of Governors of Punjab (India)|Governor of Punjab]], of his temporary adjunct responsibility for that state which had arisen due to the death of the incumbent governor, [[Prabha Rau]], in April 2010;<ref>{{cite news |title=Margaret Alva sworn in as Rajasthan Governor |agency=Press Trust of India |date=12 May 2012 |work=Business Standard|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/margaret-alva-sworn-in-as-rajasthan-governor-112051200090_1.html |access-date=19 February 2014}}</ref> on 7 August 2014 she was dismissed by the President of India on the advice of the [[Narendra Modi]] ministry. | |||
==Electoral performance == | |||
{{transcluded section|source=2022 Indian vice presidential election}} | |||
{{#section:2022 Indian vice presidential election|Results}} | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
| Line 105: | Line 128: | ||
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Karnataka]] | [[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Karnataka]] | ||
[[Category:Governors of Uttarakhand]] | [[Category:Governors of Uttarakhand]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:India MPs 1999–2004]] | ||
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka]] | [[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Karnataka]] | ||
[[Category:Governors of Rajasthan]] | [[Category:Governors of Rajasthan]] | ||
| Line 114: | Line 137: | ||
[[Category:Women in Karnataka politics]] | [[Category:Women in Karnataka politics]] | ||
[[Category:20th-century Indian women politicians]] | [[Category:20th-century Indian women politicians]] | ||
[[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]] | [[Category:21st-century Indian women politicians]] | ||
[[Category:Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2018]] | [[Category:Recipients of the Rajyotsava Award 2018]] | ||
[[Category:Mount Carmel College, Bangalore alumni]] | [[Category:Mount Carmel College, Bangalore alumni]] | ||
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]] | [[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]] | ||
[[Category:Women members of the Rajya Sabha]] | [[Category:Women members of the Rajya Sabha]] | ||
[[Category:Indian vice-presidential candidates]] | |||
Latest revision as of 12:00, 3 February 2026
Margaret Alva | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Alva in 2006 | |
| 17th Governor of Goa | |
| In office 12 July 2014 – 5 August 2014 | |
| Chief Minister | Manohar Parrikar |
| Preceded by | Bharat Vir Wanchoo |
| Succeeded by | Om Prakash Kohli |
| 23rd Governor of Gujarat | |
| In office 7 July 2014 – 15 July 2014 | |
| Chief Minister | Anandiben Patel |
| Preceded by | Kamla Beniwal |
| Succeeded by | Om Prakash Kohli |
| 19th Governor of Rajasthan | |
| In office 12 May 2012 – 5 August 2014 | |
| Chief Minister | Ashok Gehlot Vasundhara Raje |
| Preceded by | Shivraj Patil |
| Succeeded by | Ram Naik (Additional Charge) |
| 4th Governor of Uttarakhand | |
| In office 6 August 2009 – 14 May 2012 | |
| Chief Minister | |
| Preceded by | Banwari Lal Joshi |
| Succeeded by | Aziz Qureshi |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 6 October 1999 — 16 May 2004 | |
| Preceded by | Anant Kumar Hegde |
| Succeeded by | Anant Kumar Hegde |
| Constituency | Kanara |
| Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions | |
| In office 26 June 1991 – 26 May 1996 | |
| Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports | |
| In office 26 May 1985 – 26 May 1989 | |
| Prime Minister | Rajiv Gandhi |
| Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office 25 July 1984 – 25 July 1985 | |
| Prime Minister | Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi |
| In office 25 July 1993 – 25 July 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 25 July 1974–25 July 1998 | |
| Constituency | Karnataka |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Margaret Nazareth 14 April 1942 Mangalore, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Mangaluru, Karnataka, India) |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse(s) | Niranjan Alva
( m. 1964; died 2018) |
| Relations |
|
| Children | 4, including Niret Alva |
| Residence | New Delhi |
| Alma mater | Mount Carmel College (B.A.), University Law College, Bangalore (LL.B.) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Margaret Nazareth Alva (born 14 April 1942) is an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the 17th Governor of Goa, 23rd Governor of Gujarat, 19th Governor of Rajasthan and 4th Governor of Uttarakhand at various times between 2009 and 2014. She has formerly served as the Cabinet Minister. She took over in Rajasthan from the Punjab governor, Shivraj Patil, who had been holding an additional charge of that state. Before being appointed governor, she was a senior figure in the Indian National Congress and was Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee. Her mother-in-law, Violet Alva, was Second Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha in 1960s.
On 17 July 2022, the United Progressive Alliance along with some other non-UPA opposition parties nominated her for the post of Vice President of India in the 2022 election.[2] But she was defeated by her opponent Jagdeep Dhankhar by a margin of 346 votes on 6 August 2022.
Early life[edit | edit source]
Margaret Nazareth Alva was born Margaret de Nazareth on 14 April 1942,[3] to a Mangalorean Catholic family at Mangalore, in Karnataka. She obtained a BA degree from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore and a law degree from Government Law College in the same city.[4] She was a keen and appreciated debater during her time at college and had some involvement in students' movements.[5]
Alva combined her work as an advocate with involvement in welfare organisations, eventually becoming president of the Young Women's Christian Association. One of her early involvements was with the Karuna non-governmental organisation, which she founded and which was focused on issues relating to women and children.[4][6]
On 24 May 1964 she married Niranjan Thomas Alva, whom she had met while they were both students at Government Law College.[5] The couple had one daughter and three sons, the oldest being Niret Alva.[7] Niranjan Alva ran a successful export business, which gave his wife a financial security that proved beneficial in her later career.[4]
Politics[edit | edit source]
Beginnings[edit | edit source]
Alva's decision to enter politics in 1969 was influenced by her husband's parents, Joachim Alva and Violet Alva, both of whom had served Members of Parliament representing the Indian National Congress. She has acknowledged this encouragement, saying that "I never had to face any family constraints on my political activities" and she has also said that the death of Violet in 1969 provided the impetus. She aligned herself with the Congress (Indira) faction led by Indira Gandhi and worked for its state unit in Karnataka.[4][5] She served as Joint Secretary of the All India Congress Committee between 1975 and 1977 and as General Secretary of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee between 1978 and 1980.[3]
Rajya Sabha[edit | edit source]
In April 1974, Alva was elected to the Rajya Sabha as a representative of Congress. She served a six-year term and was then re-elected for three more six-year terms, in 1980, 1986, and 1992. During her time in the Rajya Sabha, she was its vice-chairman (1983–85) and also served terms as Union Minister of State in the ministries for Parliamentary Affairs (1984–85) and for Youth and Sports and Women and Child Development, an arm of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. She also served on various House committees, which garnered her a considerable degree of procedural expertise,[4] and was briefly Minister for Science and Technology.[6]
In her HRD role, between 1985 and 1989,[8] Alva oversaw the Rajiv Gandhi-led government's 28-point plan intended to improve the rights and involvement of women and children. In addition, she made proposals for various development corporations for women, only some of which materialised, and also campaigned for a greater prominence of women in government and in her party's official posts. Her 1989 proposal that 33 per cent of seats in panchayat raj (local government) elections should be reserved for women became law in 1993 and, according to Laura Jenkins, "marked a further shift from the former abhorrence of reservations as a nationally divisive policy". She continued her efforts to improve the lot of women during her period as Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions and Parliamentary Affairs (1991 and 1993-96[8]), where she tried to increase the number of female officeholders in various ministries and government organisations, such as the Union Public Service Commission and the judiciary.[4][9]
Alva has also been involved with women's issues and related matters such as population growth on the international stage, notably through various United Nations bodies and in writings.[4][10]
Lok Sabha[edit | edit source]
Alva was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament in 1999 for the Uttara Kannada constituency, serving a five-year term.[8] She lost a subsequent re-election attempt in the 2004.[11] Between 2004 and 2009, she served as General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and was an advisor to the Bureau of Parliamentary Studies & Training, a government body that works with newly elected parliamentary representatives at both national and state level.[6]
Governorships[edit | edit source]
In November 2008, Alva said that Congress seats for the elections in Karnataka were open to bidders rather than subject to meritocratic appointment. Congress denied her claims and a meeting with the party president, Sonia Gandhi resulted in Alva resigning or being removed from her numerous official responsibilities in the party.[12] Subsequently, Alva patched up her differences with Congress leadership. She has declined to go into details of the 2008 controversy even as her resignation letter continues to be a subject of media speculation.[13]
On 6 August 2009, Alva became the first female Governor of Uttarakhand. Although she said then that she was enthusiastic about the challenges facing the nascent state, she found herself sidelined outside national politics and frustrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party state government. She remained in the post until May 2012, at which time she was appointed Governor of Rajasthan, which was a more important region in political terms. Of her time in Uttarakhand, Alva said that "The quietude allowed me to recharge my batteries and even spare some time for working on my biography". The autobiography is not expected to appear until after her retirement.[14][15][16]
The move to Rajasthan relieved Shivraj Patil, the Governor of Punjab, of his temporary adjunct responsibility for that state which had arisen due to the death of the incumbent governor, Prabha Rau, in April 2010;[17] on 7 August 2014 she was dismissed by the President of India on the advice of the Narendra Modi ministry.
Electoral performance[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Niranjan Thomas Alva passes away". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 7 April 2018.
- ↑ "Ex-union minister Margaret Alva is Opposition's vice presidential candidate". The Indian Express. 17 July 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Rajya Sabha Members Biographical Sketches 1952 – 2003" (PDF). Rajya Sabha website.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Commonwealth Secretariat (1999). Women in Politics: Voices from the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. pp. 75–77. ISBN 9780850925692.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Vittal, Gita (2007). Reflections: Experiences of a Bureaucrat's Wife. Academic Foundation. pp. 68–69. ISBN 9788171884711.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Hon'ble Governor of Rajasthan: Smt. Margaret Alva". Government of Rajasthan. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ↑ "Miditech moves on". Business Standard. 29 September 2004.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Governor of Rajasthan". Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ↑ Jenkins, Laura Dudley (1999). "Competing Inequalities: The Struggle Over Reserved Legislative Seats for Women in India". In Boris, Eileen; Janssens, Angelique (eds.). Complicating Categories: Gender, Class, Race and Ethnicity. Cambridge University Press. p. 66. ISBN 9780521786416.
- ↑ Alva, Margaret (2012). "India". In Graham, Kennedy (ed.). The Planetary Interest. Routledge. pp. 12, 208. ISBN 9781135358204.
- ↑ "Margaret Alva to be Uttarakhand governor". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ↑ "Cong cuts Alva down to size". The Statesman. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
- ↑ "My book will reveal why I quit the AICC: Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva". India Today. Living Media India Limited. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
- ↑ "Alva sworn in Uttarakhand Governor". The Hindu. 7 August 2009. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ↑ "Wanchoo for Goa, Alva for Rajasthan". The Telegraph. 29 April 2009. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Sharma, Neena (10 May 2012). "Eventful stint that lent charm to Governor's post". The Tribune. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ↑ "Margaret Alva sworn in as Rajasthan Governor". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2014.