Atishi: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Indian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}

| name                = Atishi Singh<ref>{{cite web |title=AAP's Atishi has a surname again – and it's not 'Marlena' |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aaps-atishi-marlena-drops-last-name-marlena-party-asked-her-to-1907342 |website=Ndtv.com}}</ref>

| office              = [[Third Kejriwal ministry|Cabinet Minister]], [[Government of Delhi]]

| chiefminister      = [[Arvind Kejriwal]]

| term_start          = 9 March 2023

| 1blankname          = Chief Minister

| 1namedata          = [[Arvind Kejriwal]]

| 2blankname          = Ministry and Departments

| 2namedata          = * Education  

| successor          =  

| predecessor        = [[Manish Sisodia]]

| office1             = [[Delhi Legislative Assembly|Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly]]

| preceded1           = [[Avtar Singh (politician)|Avtar Singh]]

| term_start1         = 12 February 2020

| constituency1       = [[Kalkaji (Delhi Assembly constituency)|Kalkaji]]

| education          =

| Education        = {{nowrap|[[Delhi University]] ([[B.A.|BA]])<br />[[University of Oxford]] (Double [[M.A.|MA]]) }}

| known_for          = Education policies,<ref>{{cite news|title=Atishi Marlena, Delhi's 'education reformer', is AAP Lok Sabha candidate from East Delhi

'''Atishi Singh''',<ref>{{cite web|title=Candidate Affidavit|url=https://suvidha.eci.gov.in/uploads1/acaffidavit/E8/2020/AC/U05/51/U05_1271_39_202001210815201579617920.pdf|date=20 January 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817101447/https://suvidha.eci.gov.in/uploads1/acaffidavit/E8/2020/AC/U05/51/U05_1271_39_202001210815201579617920.pdf |archive-date=17 August 2021|access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref> also known as '''Atishi Marlena''', is an Indian [[politician]], [[educator]], [[political activist]] and [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] from [[Kalkaji Assembly constituency|Kalkaji]], [[Delhi]].<ref name="indiatimes" /> She is a member of the Political Affairs Committee of [[Aam Aadmi Party]] and currently serving as [[Arvind Kejriwal ministry (2015-)|Minister of Education, P.W.D, Culture and Tourism]] in the [[Government of Delhi|Delhi Government]]. She served as Advisor to the Former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, [[Manish Sisodia]], primarily on education, from July 2015 to 17 April 2018.

Atishi was born to Delhi University professors Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi on 8 June 1981 in Punjabi Rajput family.<ref name="HT">{{Cite web|date=2018-08-29|title=AAP leader Atishi drops her second name Marlena, denies caste angle|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/atishi-drops-second-name-marlena-denies-caste-angle/story-kb7ecS6K5pPPGTMT3XaSOM.html|access-date=2020-08-16|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|agency=Press Trust of India|date=2019-04-28|title=BJP, Congress, beware! Atishi Marlena is a Rajputani, warns Manish Sisodia|work=Business Standard|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/atishi-marlena-is-atishi-singh-a-rajputani-beware-of-her-sisodia-warns-cong-bjp-119042800734_1.html|access-date=2020-08-16}}</ref> She was given the middle name 'Marlena' by her parents. According to her party, the name is a portmanteau of Marx and Lenin.<ref name="HT" /> In 2018, right before the national elections, she chose to use "Atishi" as her name, dropping her surname from daily use, since she wanted people to focus on her work rather than her lineage. But then she decided to use the surname "Singh" to attract voters.<ref name=":name">{{cite news|title=Atishi drops her name Marlena|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/atishi-drops-second-name-marlena-denies-caste-angle/story-kb7ecS6K5pPPGTMT3XaSOM.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=28 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Banerjee|first1=Akash|title=Six lessons in 'affordable politics': AAP victory shows how elections can be fought on a shoestring|url=https://scroll.in/article/705509/six-lessons-in-affordable-politics-aap-victory-shows-how-elections-can-be-fought-on-a-shoestring|access-date=10 February 2015|publisher=Scroll.In}}</ref> After being raised in [[Delhi]], and finishing high school from [[Springdales School]] (Pusa Road), New Delhi,<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the young leaders hoping to infuse vitality into our democracy|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/meet-the-young-leaders-hoping-to-infuse-vitality-into-our-democracy/story-SyA7nCwFMzc7BhQxWiyXDJ.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=20 June 2015}}</ref> Atishi graduated in history from [[St. Stephen's College, Delhi]] in 2001. Soon after, she went to the [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] and in 2003 she completed her master's degree in History on a [[Chevening Scholarship|Chevening]] scholarship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/atishi-marlena-aap-candidate-2019-lok-sabha-elections-east-delhi-constituency-manish-sisodia-arvind-kejriwal-education-in-delhi-schools-who-is-atishi/276176|title=AAP's Atishi Marlena drops second name after being announced as party's 1st candidate for 2019 Lok Sabha polls|publisher=Times Now|date=2018-08-28|access-date=2019-02-11}}</ref> In 2005 she went to [[Magdalen College, Oxford]] as a [[Rhodes scholar]].<ref name="indiatimes">{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/the-aam-aadmi-of-aap-5-personal-stories-of-sacrifice-triumph-and-validation/articleshow/27232375.cms?from=mdr|title=The Aam Aadmi of AAP: 5 personal stories of sacrifice, triumph and validation|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2016-09-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-scholars/rhodes-scholars-complete-list |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106034818/http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/about/rhodes-scholars/rhodes-scholars-complete-list |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-11-06 |publisher=The Rhodes Trust |title=Rhodes Scholars: complete list, 1903-2015 |access-date=2016-09-04 }}</ref>

Atishi spent some time teaching at [[Rishi Valley School]] in Andhra Pradesh. She has also worked with the non-profit organisation [[Sambhavana Institute of Public Policy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/meet-atishi-marlena-education-crusader-aap-delhi-elections|title=Meet Atishi Marlena, the education crusader who won for AAP in the Delhi elections}}</ref>

She was closely involved with the [[Jal Satyagraha in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh 2015]] and provided support to the AAP leader and activist spearheading the campaign [[Alok Agarwal]] during the historic protests, as well as during the legal battle that ensued.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/brunch/meet-the-young-leaders-hoping-to-infuse-vitality-into-our-democracy/story-SyA7nCwFMzc7BhQxWiyXDJ.html|title=Meet the young leaders hoping to infuse vitality into our democracy|date=2015-06-20|access-date=2016-09-29}}</ref> After the 2020 elections, she was made the AAP's in-charge for its Goa unit.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/aap-mla-raghav-chadha-appointed-vice-chairman-of-delhi-jal-board-atishi-marlena-goa-in-charge-2187329|title=AAP's Raghav Chadha Set To Be Appointed Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board, Atishi Gets New Role Too|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref>

Atishi was appointed the Lok Sabha in-charge for [[East Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)|East Delhi]] for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/delhi/report-aam-aadmi-party-appoints-lok-sabha-in-charges-for-five-seats-2621250|title=Amidst speculation of alliance with Congress, AAP appoints Lok Sabha in-charges for five Delhi seats|date=2018-06-02|work=dna|access-date=2018-06-10}}</ref> She contested from the [[East Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)|East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency]] as an [[Aam Aadmi Party|AAP]] party candidate for the [[2019 Indian general election|2019 Lok Sabha Elections]]. She lost to BJP's candidate [[Gautam Gambhir]] by a margin of 4.77 lakh votes, coming in third.

She contested in the [[2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election]] from [[Kalkaji (Delhi Assembly constituency)|Kalkaji]] constituency of [[South Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency)|South Delhi]]. She defeated Dharambir Singh, a [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] candidate, by 11,422 votes.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://scroll.in/latest/952782/delhi-elections-counting-of-votes-begins-aap-looks-to-retain-power|title =AAP candidates Manish Sisodia and Atishi won from Patparganj and Kalkaji Assembly constituencies after trailing in early trends|date =11 February 2020}}</ref>

'''''As a Cabinet Minister'''''

;[[7th_Delhi_Assembly#Committees|Committee assignments of Delhi Legislative Assembly]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Committee System in Legislative Assembly of National Capital Territory of Delhi |url=http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CS-Eng.pdf |website=Legislative Assembly National Capital Territory of Delhi |access-date=17 September 2022}}</ref>

* Chairman (2022-2023), Public Accounts Committee <ref name="Delhi House Committees 2021-2022">{{cite web |title=Delhi Legislative Assembly National Capital Territory Of Delhi Composition Of House Committees 2021-2022 |url=http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CommitteeComposition.htm |access-date=17 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211226020949/http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CommitteeComposition.htm |archive-date=26 December 2021}}</ref>

* Member (2022-2023), Questions & Reference Committee <ref name="Member (2022-2023)" >{{cite web |title=Delhi Assembly Committees |url=http://www.delhiassembly.nic.in/Committee/CommitteeComposition.htm |website=www.delhiassembly.nic.in |publisher=Delhi Assembly |access-date=17 September 2022}}</ref>

* Member (2022-2023), Committee on Women and Child Welfare<ref name="Member (2022-2023)" />

* Member (2022-2023), Committee on Ethics<ref name="Member (2022-2023)" />

* Member (2022-2023), Committee on Welfare of Minorities<ref name="Member (2022-2023)" />

* Member (2022-2023), Standing Committee on Education<ref name="Member (2022-2023)" />

* Member (2022-2023), Standing Committee on Health<ref name="Member (2022-2023)" />

Atishi was also spearheading the flagship Mohalla Sabha Project for the Government of NCT of Delhi. The effort to decentralise governance to empower every citizen was a major promise of the AAP before coming to power.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/giving-peoples-money-back-them-spend-their-own#sthash.LjlHBbFJ.dpuf|title=Giving people's money back to them to spend on their own|date=2016-05-06|newspaper=Governance Now|access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref> The project was rejected by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in 2016.

==Electoral performance ==   

{{DEFAULTSORT:Marlena, Atishi}}