Meira Kumar, an Indian politician, was the member of 15th Lok Sabha, who served as Speaker of Lok Sabha also from the year 2009 to 2014. She served from 4 June 2009 to 18 May 2014. She was the first woman speaker in Indian Parliament. This well educated eminent diplomat-lawyer turned politician represents Sasaram constituency.

Miera Kumar is a member of Indian National Congress Party and a fifth time Member of Indian Parliament. Meira Kumar had also been elected previously to the 8th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha. Then she became the Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment from 2004 to 2009. She contested in the Indian General Election 2014, and lost to Chhedi Paswan from Sasaram by margin of 63,327 votes.

Early Life of Meira Kumar
Meira Kumar was born on March 31, 1945, in Patna District of Bihar to the parents Babu Jagjivan Ram and Indrani Devi. Her father was the former Deputy Prime Minister and prominent Dalit leader; where as her mother Indrani Devi was a freedom fighter. Meira did her M.A., LL.B, and Advanced Diploma in Spanish Educated at Indraprastha College for Women and Miranda House , University of Delhi.

Political Career of Meira Kumar
In 1973, Meira Kumar joined the Indian Foreign Service and served at embassies in Spain, United Kingdom and Mauritius. While serving for IFS, she also worked in Embassy of India, Madrid from 1976 to 77; she has been the High Commission of India, London from 1977 to 1979 and Ministry of External Affairs during 1980 to 1985. In 1985 Meira Kumar was elected from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh. From Karol Bagh in Delhi, Meira became a member of the 11th and 12th Lok Sabha. From her father`s former constituency of Sasaram in Bihar, in 1999, she was re-elected with a record majority. The political positions of Meira Kumar held throughout her political career are mentioned below:

1985: Elected to 8th Lok Sabha
1990-92 and 1996-99: General-Secretary, All India Congress Committee (A.I.C.C.)
1990-2000 and 2001: Member, Congress Working Committee (C.W.C.)
1996: Re-elected to 11th Lok Sabha (2nd Term)
1996-98: Member, Public Accounts Committee Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of External Affairs
1998-99: Member, Joint committee on the Empowerment of Women and its Sub-Committee on Education and Health Programmes for Women Member, Committee on Home Affairs and its Sub-Committee on Personnel policy of Central Para- Military Forces (CPMFs)
1998: Re-elected to 12th Lok Sabha (3rd Term)
2004: Re-elected to 14th Lok Sabha (4th Term)
2004-2009: Union Cabinet Minister, Social Justice and Empowerment Union Cabinet Minister, Water Resources Member, Inter-Parliamentary Union President, Executive Committee, Indian Parliamentary Group
2009: Re-elected to 15th Lok Sabha (5th Term)
3 June 2009: Speaker, Lok Sabha
23 September 2009: Chairperson, Rules Committee
2010: Chairperson, Standing Committee, CSPOC

Social Activities of Meira Kumar
Meira Kumar has been actively participating in movements, which are pertaining to social reforms, human rights and democracy. During the drought in 1967, she as the Chairperson of National Drought Relief Committee of the Congress Party launched a Family Adoption Scheme. Under which affluent families adopted those drought-affected families. Meira Kumar is very much committed to human rights and abolition of caste system and for that she has visited every place where atrocities were committed against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes during the last 20 years. She held several meetings and demonstrations and she filed Public Interest Litigation cases in Supreme Court to ensure justice to them. She was the Member of (i) Court of Jawaharlal Nehru University from 1996 to 98; (ii) Court of University of Delhi since 1996; and (iii) Rajghat Samadhi Committee during 1998-99.

Other Activities of Meira Kumar
Meira Kumar has also served as, President, (i) All India Samta Movement (also its Founder) in 1990 ; (ii) RVAKV Society (Institute of Blind Girls) in 1992-98; (iii) Ravidas Smarak Society, Varanasi, in 2000; (iv) Jagjivan Seva Ashram, Sasaram in 2002; Chairperson, (i) Meera Kala Mandir, Udaipur, in 2000; and (ii) Jagjivan Ram Sanatorium, Dehri-on-Sone, in 2002; Vice-Chairperson, Rajendra Bhawan Trust, Delhi, in 1987; Managing Trustee, Jagjivan Ashram Trust, Delhi, in 1985-2004; Member, (i) Senate, Bihar University, in 1969-71; (ii) Supreme Court Bar Association, in 1980; (iii) Senate, Punjab University, in 1987-91; (iv) Governing Body, Indian Council of Cultural Relations (I.C.C.R.), in 1987-92; (v) Advisory Council, Delhi Development Authority, in 1998-99. She was also been a member of India International Centre, New Delhi; India Habitat Canter, New Delhi; and (National Sports Club of India, New Delhi.

Personal Life of Meira Kumar
Meira Kumar is married to Manjul Kumar, who is a lawyer in the Supreme Court of India and the couple has one daughter and three sons. She is a keen sportswoman and she also holds medals for rifle shooting.