Margaret Alva

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Margaret Alva is an Indian politician, advocate, social worker, and trade unionist, who was nominated as the oppositions candidate for the 14th vice-presidential election. She served Member of the Parliament, Rajya Sabha from 1974 to 1998. She won her first Lok Sabha election from Karnataka and served as a member of the 13th Lok Sabha. She served as the 17th Governor of Goa, 23rd Governor of Gujarat, 20th Governor of Rajasthan, and 4th Governor of Uttarakhand. She is known for playing a significant role in making the Women Reservation Bill.Born into a patriarchal Indian society, Margaret Alvas birth after her two sisters led to the disappointment of her mother. Margaret talked about the same in an interview and said, My mother was upset when I was born. I was the third girl child. But it was my grandfather who told my mother not to be disappointed. As I was born on his birthday he strongly felt I will also become an advocate like him..While studying at Mount Carmel College, she earned the title of Best All Round Student in 1961.She was a skilled debater during her college days, and she actively took part in various students movements.She first met Niranjan Alva while studying at University Law College, Bengaluru, where he was her fellow student.She relocated to Dehli after her marriage in 1964. An old picture of Margaret Alva with her husband, Niranjan Thomas Alva.Her parents-in-law, Joachim Alva and Violet Alva, who actively fought for Indias freedom, were members of INC. Influenced by them, Margaret ventured into politics in 1969.After beginning her career as a lawyer, she joined politics under the guidance of the then Karnataka Chief Minister Devaraj Urs, a close confidant of Indira Gandhi at the time. An old picture of Margaret Alva, Devraj Urs, and other party leaders in 1972.In 1984, Alva was made Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.During her tenure as MP and later as a Minister, she piloted major legislative amendments on womens rights by spearheading reservation for women in local bodies and equal remuneration and amendments to the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, and the Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act, 1956. Margaret Alva with Indira Gandhi at Mahila Congress Convention in Bangalore 1984.