Sheila Dikshit, the firebrand Indian politician, was Delhi Chief Minister for a record 15 years, longest chief minister of Delhi and longest-serving woman chief minister of any Indian state. Her record 15-year stint from 1998 to 2013 made an indelible impression on the city’s infrastructure, development, and governance. Sheila Dikshit’s term was not only characterized by her political intelligence but also by her skill in walking on tight ropes of complicated governance matters, handling mass-scale infrastructure projects, and fostering the development of Delhi as a modern city.
This article explores the life, political life, achievements, and enduring legacy of Sheila Dikshit, a visionary leader who charted the destiny of Delhi and turned it into a global city.
Sheila Dikshit’s Early Life and Education
Sheila Kapoor (subsequently Sheila Dikshit) was born on 31 March 1938 to the city of Kapurthala, British India, then located in the state of Punjab. She was a Punjabi Hindu Khatri class girl. Her childhood years were significant only in that her father, Sanjay Kapoor, was promoted by her during her childhood years, whereas all of her education attempts were urban-elite-skewed. Sheila studied in New Delhi at Convent of Jesus and Mary School and pursued her higher studies at Miranda House, University of Delhi, and received a Master of Arts degree in History.
Dikshit had a leaning towards public service since childhood, which ultimately resulted in her political career later in life. She was married to Vinod Dikshit, who was an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, and had two children—Sandeep Dikshit, a Member of Parliament, and Latika Dikshit.
Political Career and Rise to Prominence
Sheila Dikshit’s political journey began in the early 1980s when she was handpicked by Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, to join his Council of Ministers. Sheila was appointed as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Kannauj constituency in Uttar Pradesh in 1984. Between 1984 and 1989, she represented the constituency and worked on various parliamentary committees, including the Estimates Committee of the Lok Sabha. Her experience in national politics helped her lay the foundation for her future in Delhi.
She was also a member of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women between 1984 and 1989 for five years, dealing with women welfare and empowerment. Dikshit’s activities in these roles made her a leader of the Indian National Congress (INC) and laid the groundwork for her subsequent presidency of Delhi.
Becoming Chief Minister of Delhi
Sheila Dikshit took office as Delhi Chief Minister in 1998 with a record achievement. She remained on the seat until 2013, becoming the longest CM of Delhi. Delhi changed under her rule in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and transport.
Dikshit’s first term was characterized by her ability to deal with the issues which have been generated by the complicated mode of administration for Delhi. In her period as Delhi Chief Minister, she worked day and night in acting as a mediator between the federal and Delhi state government, finding the fine balance which Delhi as a Union Territory requires.
Changing Delhi: Infrastructure, Development, and Growth
One of the greatest contributions Sheila Dikshit has made to Delhi is that of infrastructure development during her term. From flyovers to Commonwealth Games to Delhi Metro, the Dikshit government played the important role of constructing the new city infrastructure.
Delhi Metro: Revolutionising Public Transport
Her greatest achievement was constructing the Delhi Metro. Dikshit had suggested the construction of the metro system to curb increasing traffic jams and air pollution in the Indian capital city, Delhi. In 2002, the first phase between Tis Hazari and Shahdara was opened and it was an amazing feat for the city in terms of public transport.
The building of the metro never stopped even in her rule, adding significantly to the daily traffic of millions of Delhites. Her administration was careful to see that all the needs of infrastructure such as the acquisition of land and relocation of the utility lines were taken care of. Delhi was transformed with the Metro, and other Indian cities copied the project as a model.
Flyovers and Roads: Preventing Traffic Jam
The second major contribution of Dikshit’s legacy was the building of flyovers to justify Delhi roads’ traffic. More than 65 flyovers were built during her tenure, and some major flyovers were built in locations like AIIMS, Dhaula Kuan, and Barapullah. They justified road connectivity and reduced travel time in the city.
Sheila Dikshit also oversaw street-scaping contracts to beautify the Delhi roads in their visual appearance and utility value, all in an effort to ready Delhi to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The roads were completely upgraded and renovated and Delhi became much more pedestrian-friendly during her government.
Commonwealth Games 2010: Changing the City
The 2010 Commonwealth Games was a humongous job, but Sheila Dikshit managed it with so much ease. The city of Delhi had to be overhauled in infrastructure completely, and Dikshit oversaw the transformation of the city for the Games. The Indira Gandhi International Airport was established, and new sporting arenas were constructed. In spite of the scandals and controversies, Dikshit made sure that the Games were successful and Delhi became an international city.
Public Transport and Environmental Reforms
Public transport remained one of Sheila Dikshit’s key focus areas. She expanded Delhi’s bus fleet by purchasing around 5,500 buses, serving over 32 lakh passengers daily. Dikshit’s government also introduced the cluster bus scheme, which modernised the city’s bus services.
The second major change was the operation of buses and auto-rickshaws using CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). This action reduced air pollution, one of the focus areas of the city. Sheila Dikshit was particularly interested in the environment of Delhi and went ahead with measures to clean the air in spite of fierce opposition to the move towards CNG.
Power Privatisation: Streamlining Energy Supply
Dikshit also led the privatisation of the Delhi electricity business to address the woes of the Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB). The privatisation lowered distribution losses from more than 50% to merely 15%, leading to improved power supply in and around the city. The savings achieved on such reforms were invested in constructing more than a dozen hospitals, which boosted the health infrastructure of Delhi.
Political Challenges and Loss of Power
Even though she emerged victorious, Sheila Dikshit’s Indian National Congress lost in the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Arvind Kejriwal were the victors, and Sheila Dikshit lost New Delhi constituency to Kejriwal. She was compelled to resign as Delhi Chief Minister.
Following her defeat, Dikshit remained politically active in the country. She was appointed for a short term as Governor of Kerala in 2014 but resigned within months due to political reasons involved with being Governor.
Awards and Honours
Sheila Dikshit was given many awards and honours while holding office for her outstanding leadership and service to the people of Delhi. Some of her most prized awards are:
- Best Chief Minister of India (2008) by Journalist Association of India
- Politician of the Year (2009) by NDTV
- Dara Shikoh Award (2010) from the Indo-Iran Society
- Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award (2013) for exceptional public service
These awards are a gesture of appreciation for her contribution to the development of Delhi and for piloting Delhi during bad times.
Personal Life
Sheila Dikshit’s family life also was very different. She was married to Vinod Dikshit, an IAS officer, and she could manage her political life without compromising her family life in any way. Her son Sandeep Dikshit also took one of her steps in the political life and became an MP of 15th Lok Sabha from East Delhi. Sheila Dikshit’s family supported her political dream throughout her professional life.
Her health was also affected after years of serving the public. She also had angioplasty in 2012 and a heart surgery in 2018. She kept on serving the people of Delhi even after all the hardships until her death.
Death and Legacy
Sheila Dikshit passed away on 20 July 2019 at the age of 81 following a series of cardiac arrests. She was widely grieved throughout India, particularly in Delhi, where she had left her mark. The Delhi government declared two-day mourning and cremated Dikshit with a state funeral. Her son, Sandeep Dikshit tribute and said that “Whenever people talk of a developed and growing Delhi, Sheilaji’s name will be remembered.”
Sheila Dikshit’s Lasting Impact
Sheila Dikshit’s leadership and vision changed Delhi into a developed and modern urban city. Her emphasis on privatisation of power, environmental reforms, public transport, and infrastructure was the turning point in taking Delhi to a position of utmost significance in India. Her political legacy as an individual who merged government complexities with growth and development is now inscribed deep into the history of Delhi.
