Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, 1889-1964. political leader and social worker. Only daughter of Raja Harnam Singh of the ruling family of Kapurthala, she was born at Lucknow (2 February 1889). Her father had embraced Christianity and she was also brought up as a Christian. As a young woman she devoted most of her time to sports and became a good tennis player. She later came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and became his close follower and served as his secretary for 16 years. She was an active national worker and was arrested on many occasions for her political activities. She was appointed the first minister for health, in the Government of India, in 1947. She was also active in the cause of social work, and uplift of women. She was president of Women’s Association (1931-33) and of All India Women’s Conference (1938). She was also associated with many educational and cultural organizations, and championed the cause of female education, and also worked for harijan welfare. She remained unmarried.
