Meira Kumar's brief profile

New Delhi, May 30 (ANI): Congress leader Meira Kumar, popular known as the daughter of the former Deputy Prime Minister and prominent Dalit leader, Babu Jagjivan Ram and freedom fighter, Indrani Devi, hails from Bihar.

Born in Patna in 1945, Meira Kumar has been law graduate and holds a Masters in English literature.

Meira joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1973 and served at embassies in Spain, United Kingdom and Mauritius.

Meira Kumar entered electoral politics in 1985 and was elected from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. She became Member of Parliament in the 11th and 12th Lok Sabha by contesting from Delhi's Karol Bagh constituency.

In 1999, she lost her seat but was able to get re-elected with a record majority from her father's former constituency of Sasaram in Bihar.

In 2004, Meira was inducted into the Manmohan Singh cabinet, as Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

On May 29, 2009, Meira assumed charge as the Union Minister for Water Resources in the newly elected United Progressive Alliance government under the leadership of Dr. Manmohan Singh.

She is married to Manjul Kumar, who is presently a Supreme Court lawyer. The couple have three married children. (ANI)