Ganga Devi (politician)

Ganga Devi, daughter of Chanda Lall, was born in Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh (now in Uttarakhand) on 10 December 1916.[5] She studied at Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala, Dehradun and later at D.A.V. College, Dehradun and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts.[5]

Ganga Devi was on the Scholarship Board for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes of India from 1952–54, Tea and Coffee Board from 1952–54 and Central Social Welfare Board from 1958–60. She was in the Employees Union, Meerut from 1950–53 and All India Scheduled Castes Uplift Union. She was also the organiser of Rashtriya Sewa Sangathan, President and Founder of All India Depressed Classes League, Women's Section and President of Rashtriya Seva Sansthan.[5]

She was member of the first Lok Sabha from 1952–57, second Lok Sabha from 1957–62, third Lok Sabha from 1962–67 and Estimates Committee from 1963–64. (5) She was also the Executive Committee of the Congress Party in Parliament from 1962–64 and 1967 and member of the fourth Lok Sabha from 1967–70.[5]

She was involved in various social activities like welfare of the backward classes in rural areas, children's education, eradication of social evils like child marriage, caste system etc. Her special interests included development of village industries, welfare of Harijans and other Backward Classes and eradication of casteism and communalism.[5]

Ganga Devi married Jaipal Singh on 21 June 1941 and together they had one daughter and one son. She liked gardening, reading and touring, especially in backward areas. She lived in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.[5]

• Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website