NEW DELHI: In what appeared to be a rare public gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised a Governor from the stage of a government programme, in the presence of the Chief Minister of the concerned state and before a massive gathering.
The occasion was Friday’s Golden Jubilee celebrations of Prashanti Kutiram at S-VYASA University in Bengaluru, where Modi lauded Karnataka Governor Sudha Yadav for her dedication to national service and recalled the supreme sacrifice made by her husband during the Kargil War in 1999.
Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister made a special mention of the Governor’s personal journey, highlighting how she overcame the loss of her husband, who was martyred during the Kargil conflict, and continued to serve the country through public life and politics.
"I have had the opportunity to share the stage at this first event with our Governor, Sudha Yadav. Perhaps the people of Karnataka do not yet know her full introduction, but I would definitely like to speak about her life—what service to the nation is, and what dedication to the country means. We can learn from the lives of Sudha and her family," the PM said, recalling her husband's martyrdom during the Kargil War.
Sudha Yadav is a familiar name in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), having served on its prestigious Parliamentary Board. Known for her accessibility and approachable nature, she is an educated and experienced political leader who remained associated with the party before taking up the constitutional responsibility of Governor of Karnataka in October this year.
According to information available in the public domain, her political journey began in 1999, when she was elected to the 13th Lok Sabha from Mahendragarh in Haryana. She represented the constituency from 1999 to 2004.
On July 3, 2015, she was appointed National In-Charge of the BJP's OBC Morcha. Subsequently, she also served on the National Commission for Backward Classes between 2019 and 2022.
On August 17, 2022, she became a member of the BJP Parliamentary Board, becoming the second woman to occupy the position after the late Sushma Swaraj.
Beyond politics, Sudha Yadav has an impressive academic background. She completed her MSc in Chemistry in 1987 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT Roorkee), followed by a PhD in Chemistry from the same institution in 1992. She is also a recipient of the President's Guide Award.
Her husband, Sukhbir Singh Yadav, served in the Border Security Force (BSF) and laid down his life during the Kargil War. The couple have two children. Their son, Siddhartha Yadav, holds an important organisational position in the BJP's central media wing in Delhi.
Interestingly, Sudha Yadav's entry into electoral politics came in 1999, when Narendra Modi, who was then in charge of the Haryana BJP, proposed her candidature for the Lok Sabha elections. It was her first year in politics.
The BJP fielded her from Mahendragarh, where she defeated Rao Inderjit Singh by a margin of 1.39 lakh (139,000) votes. However, she subsequently lost the elections in 2004 and 2009.
This newspaper also had an opportunity to interview Sudha Yadav at her Gurugram residence several years ago. When approached for an interview, she readily agreed and gave a very candid interview.
Her grounded personality, accessibility and willingness to engage with people have always stood out. Her association with this newspaper continued beyond that interaction.
When invited to attend one of its events at Bharat Mandapam, she graciously accepted the invitation and made it a point to be present.
It is perhaps this combination of personal resilience, academic accomplishment, political experience and an unwavering commitment to public service that makes Sudha Yadav's journey noteworthy.
The Prime Minister's public acknowledgement of her family's sacrifice and her contribution to national life has once again brought her inspiring story into the spotlight.
