Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee, the current Honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal and Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), was born on 5th January 1955 to Late Promileswar Banerjee and Mrs. Gayatri Banerjee. Born and raised in a lower-middle-class neighbourhood of south Kolkata, she inherited a legacy of resilience and social consciousness from her father, a freedom fighter, and her mother, a pillar of support through thick and thin.

Despite facing early adversity with the loss of her father at a young age, Mamata Banerjee pursued her education tenaciously. She earned multiple degrees, including a bachelor’s in law and a master’s in arts from the University of Calcutta. Her entry into politics began during her school days when she joined the Congress (I) Party in West Bengal. Over the years, she held various positions within the party and local political organisations.

Ms. Banerjee made her debut in national politics by winning a seat in the lower house (Lok Sabha) of the parliament in 1984, representing her home district in south Kolkata. Although she lost her seat in the 1989 elections, she made a triumphant return in 1991 and continued to secure re-election in subsequent contests until 2009. During her tenure in parliament, she served in several administrative capacities, including ministerial roles in the areas of railways, coal, and mines.

Despite her rising stature at the national level, Mamata Banerjee maintained a strong connection to her roots in West Bengal. Affectionately known as 'Didi' (Big Sister), she endeared herself to her followers through her unassuming demeanor and candid expressions of opinion. Her outspoken criticism of the long-standing communist rule in West Bengal earned her both admiration and opposition.

In 1997, disillusioned by what she perceived as corruption within the Congress Party and motivated to challenge the Communist Party of India (Marxist; CPI-M) in West Bengal more directly, Mamata Banerjee founded the AITC. The party faced initial setbacks but gained momentum following her 25-day hunger strike in 2006 to protest land acquisition for an automobile factory. This pivotal moment marked the resurgence of both the AITC and Banerjee's political influence in West Bengal.

Her commitment to social justice and human rights issues garnered widespread support, culminating in a historic victory in the 2011 state parliamentary elections. This landslide win ended over three decades of communist rule in West Bengal, with Banerjee assuming office as chief minister. She was re-elected in 2016 with an even larger majority, consolidating her position as a dominant political figure in the region.

In 2021, facing challenges within her own party as several leaders defected, Mamata Banerjee led from the front, securing a massive electoral victory despite losing her own constituency to a prominent opposition figure.

Beyond her political responsibilities, she has found time for creative pursuits, authoring numerous books and producing a significant body of artwork, the proceeds of which she has dedicated to various developmental and social causes.

Banerjee's talents extend to poetry, with her writings in both Bengali and English reflecting her multifaceted identity and cultural heritage.