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Rajmumari Amrit Kaur
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was the driving force behind many an important welfare organisation ion India.Inspired by Gandhiji, she devoted her life to active service associated with a variety of welfare groups and organisations. Rajkumari Amrit kaur was the first woman to hold a post in the cabinet, serving as Minster of Health from 1947 to 1957, after whichshe remained member of the Rajya Sabha until her death on 2nd February,1964.
She was a founding member of the All India Women's Conference an the Indian Red Cross and serves a Chairperson of their managing bodies. It is a difficult task to list all the organisations which she had either founded or headed. A few names would suffice to show her multifaceted personality: the Lady Irwin College, New Delhi as President of its governing body, the Delhi Music Society of which she wasFounder president, the Indian Council forChild Welfarewhich she founded, the national and localbranchesof the Y.W.C.A., the St.John Ambulance Brigade, the Tuberculosis Association for which she personally raised Rs.300,000 to set up a fund to care for poorer patients, the National Association for the prevention of Blindness and the Hind Kushta Nivaran Sangh(Indian Society for the Prevention of Leprosy). As a member of the Congress Party under Gandhiji's inspiration, she took part in the salt Campaign and was the communal award was a announced she condemned it outright. She was convicted on July 16,1937 and imprisoned on a charge of edition.During the Quit India Movementin 1942 she led many procession one of which was subjected to a ruthless lathi charge in Simla. Perhaps the most remarkable projoectshe launched was the All India institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi which she founded and for which she raised funds and drew technologies assistance formvarious countries. At her insistencea policy whereby medical students must spend three months of their internship in a village was established.She has frequently represented India at UNESCO and WHO conferences. Her interest in sports continued throughout her life time . shewas the founder President of the Nationoal Sports Club of Indiaand started the Rajkumari sports Coaching Scheme.This was merged with National Institute of Sports set up in 1961, with her as President, under the Union Education Ministry.
She compaigned many causes but her interest and dedication was far form superficial. The sincerity and warmth of her personality won her friends all over the world another capacity to give substance to her ideals has ensure their longevity.
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