Vasundhara Raje visits 97-year-old ex-Speaker Sumitra Singh in Jaipur
Synopsis
Two of Rajasthan's most consequential women leaders met in Jaipur on Saturday — and what they recalled is a slice of history rarely discussed: a brief window in 2003–04 when a woman was simultaneously Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker, and Governor of the same state, a first in India's political record.
Key Takeaways
Vasundhara Raje visited 97-year-old former Assembly Speaker Sumitra Singh at her C-Scheme, Jaipur residence on 18 July .
Sumitra Singh recalled the historic 'Triveni Sangam' — the first time three women held Rajasthan's top constitutional posts simultaneously ( 2003–04 ).
Vasundhara Raje became Rajasthan's first woman Chief Minister on 8 December 2003 ; Sumitra Singh became its first woman Speaker on 20 January 2004 ; Pratibha Devisingh Patil became first woman Governor on 8 November 2004 .
Key women-focused schemes from Raje's 2003–08 term included Bhamashah Yojana , 50% reservation in Panchayati Raj elections, and scooty and bicycle schemes for girls' education.
According to Sumitra Singh , these initiatives later served as models for several other states.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Saturday, 18 July visited the C-Scheme residence of former Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Speaker Sumitra Singh, aged 97, to inquire about her health. The meeting between the two veteran leaders turned into a wide-ranging conversation about their shared years in public life and a landmark chapter in the state's political history.
A Historic Milestone Recalled
Speaking during the visit, Sumitra Singh reflected on what she described as a unique 'Triveni Sangam' — a rare confluence in which three women simultaneously held Rajasthan's three highest constitutional offices for the first time in the state's history.
She noted that Vasundhara Raje became Rajasthan's first woman Chief Minister on 8 December 2003. Sumitra Singh herself was subsequently elected as the state's first woman Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on 20 January 2004. Later, on 8 November 2004, Pratibha Devisingh Patil assumed office as Rajasthan's first woman Governor — completing the historic trio.
Women's Empowerment Initiatives Under Raje's First Term
Sumitra Singh also highlighted several women-focused schemes introduced during Vasundhara Raje's first term as Chief Minister (2003–08). These included the Bhamashah Yojana, which aimed at strengthening women's financial role by designating them as heads of beneficiary families; 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institution elections; and scooty and bicycle schemes designed to encourage girls' education and improve access to schools and colleges.
According to Sumitra Singh, these initiatives subsequently served as models for several other states across the country — a claim that underscores their perceived impact beyond Rajasthan's borders.
What Vasundhara Raje Said
During the visit, Vasundhara Raje wished Sumitra Singh good health and a long life. In a post on X, she said: 'I visited the residence of 97-year-old former Assembly Speaker Smt. Sumitra Singh Ji, who has been unwell, to inquire about her well-being. After several days, upon meeting, the two of us engaged in a long discussion reminiscing about old memories. Sumitra Ji recalled how, during the tenure from 2003 to 2008, three women in Rajasthan were, for the first time, appointed to the state's highest positions.'
Broader Significance
The meeting carries symbolic weight at a time when women's political representation remains a live national debate. Rajasthan's 2003–04 period — with a woman Chief Minister, a woman Speaker, and a woman Governor holding office simultaneously — stands as one of the most cited examples of women's leadership at the state level in independent India. Notably, Pratibha Devisingh Patil would go on to become India's first woman President in 2007, adding further historical resonance to the Rajasthan chapter.
The visit signals that both leaders remain connected to each other and to the legacy they helped shape, even as Rajasthan's political landscape has continued to evolve.
Point of View
But the history it surfaces deserves more than nostalgia. A simultaneous woman Chief Minister, Speaker, and Governor in the same state — in 2003–04 — was genuinely unprecedented, yet it rarely features in mainstream narratives about women's political representation in India. Two decades on, the question worth asking is whether the institutional gains of that era — Bhamashah, the Panchayati Raj reservation — have compounded into durable structural change, or whether they remain celebrated as milestones without measurable successors. Raje's political future in the Bharatiya Janata Party remains a subject of speculation; this visit, and the public post on X, keeps her visible at a moment when her role within the party is unsettled.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Vasundhara Raje visit Sumitra Singh?
Vasundhara Raje visited 97-year-old former Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Sumitra Singh at her C-Scheme residence in Jaipur on 18 July to inquire about her health. The two veteran leaders also reminisced about their shared years in public life during the meeting.
What is the 'Triveni Sangam' that Sumitra Singh referred to?
Sumitra Singh used the term 'Triveni Sangam' to describe the historic period in 2003–04 when three women simultaneously held Rajasthan's three highest constitutional offices — Vasundhara Raje as Chief Minister, Sumitra Singh as Assembly Speaker, and Pratibha Devisingh Patil as Governor. She described it as a rare milestone in India's political history.
When did Vasundhara Raje first become Chief Minister of Rajasthan?
Vasundhara Raje became Rajasthan's first woman Chief Minister on 8 December 2003. Her first term lasted from 2003 to 2008.
What women's empowerment schemes were launched during Raje's 2003–08 term?
Key initiatives included the Bhamashah Yojana, which made women the heads of beneficiary families to strengthen their financial role; 50 per cent reservation for women in Panchayati Raj institution elections; and scooty and bicycle schemes to promote girls' education and school access. According to Sumitra Singh, these schemes were later adopted as models by several other states.
Who is Pratibha Devisingh Patil and what is her connection to this story?
Pratibha Devisingh Patil assumed office as Rajasthan's first woman Governor on 8 November 2004, completing the historic trio of women in the state's top constitutional positions. She later became India's first woman President in 2007.
