Diya Kumari

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Diya Kumari
Kumari in 2023
Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan
Incumbent
Assumed office
15 December 2023
Serving with Prem Chand Bairwa
GovernorHaribhau Bagade
Chief MinisterBhajan Lal Sharma
Ministry and Departments
List
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Art, Literature, Culture and Archeology
    • Public Works
    • Women & Child Development
    • Child Empowerment
Preceded bySachin Pilot
Member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 December 2023
Preceded byNarpat Singh Rajvi
ConstituencyVidhyadhar Nagar
In office
8 December 2013 – 11 December 2018
Preceded byAlauddin Azad
Succeeded byDanish Abrar
ConstituencySawai Madhopur
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
23 May 2019 – 6 December 2023
Preceded byHariom Singh Rathore
Succeeded byMahima Kumari Mewar
ConstituencyRajsamand, Rajasthan
Chairperson of RSRDC Corporation
Incumbent
Assumed office
15 March 2024
MinisterPrem Chand Bairwa
Preceded byBhajan Lal Jatav
Personal details
Born (1971-01-30) 30 January 1971 (age 55)
Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
PartyBharatiya Janata Party
Spouse
Narendra Singh
​
(div. 2018)​
RelationsKachhwaha Family
Children3 (including Padmanabh Singh and Lakshraj Prakash)
Parents
ResidenceCity Palace, Jaipur
Alma mater

Diya Kumari (born 30 January 1971) is an Indian politician from Bharatiya Janata Party currently serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan alongside Prem Chand Bairwa in the ministry of Bhajan Lal Sharma from 2023 December.[1] She currently represents Vidhyadhar Nagar as an MLA in the 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. She is a member of Kachhwaha family of the Jaipur State.

She was a member of Lok Sabha from Rajsamand parliamentary seat between 2019 and 2023.[2]

Kumari is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jaipur during the British Raj in India.[citation needed]

Early life and education

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Kumari was born on 30 January 1971 in Jaipur to Bhawani Singh, a decorated Indian Army officer and hotelier, and Padmini Devi.[3][4][5] She is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jaipur during the British Raj.[6]

Kumari attended Modern School (New Delhi), G.D. Somani Memorial School, Mumbai and Maharani Gayatri Devi Girls' Public School, Jaipur. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Fine Art (Decorative Painting) educated at Chelsea School of Arts, London in 1989 and a Hon. Doctorate in Philosophy from Amity University, Jaipur.[2][7][4][8]

She is believed to be a billionaire[4] as she manages several properties, businesses, trusts and schools, including City Palace, Jaipur, which is also her residence; Jaigarh Fort, Amber and two trusts: Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust, Jaipur and the Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust; two schools: The Palace School and Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh School; and three hotels: Rajmahal Palace in Jaipur, Hotel Jaipur House at Mount Abu and Hotel Lal Mahal Palace, Jaipur.[9]

Personal life

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Kumari has three children including Padmanabh Singh. These children are from her marriage to Narendra Singh.[10][11][12] Narendra Singh was an employee at the City Palace, the residence of the Jaipur royals, in 1997.[13] She married in the same gotra which resulted in Rajput community unhappy and furious.[14] Marriage within same gotra (clan) is prohibited by certain sections of Hindu society who believe people of the same gotra are siblings. Rajasthani society, which is still bound by feudal and semi-feudal loyalties, did not accept the match and followed it up with social boycott.[13] The marriage ended in a divorce in December 2018.[15]

Kumari owns a foundation, named the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation, which she runs with her children working on women empowerment via social entrepreneurship.[19]

Political career

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The Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shrimathi Diya Kumari & her colleague meet vice president of India with their head in 2023 Diya Kumari at City Palace, Jaipur, 2026

Kumari's late father and former titular king of Jaipur, Bhawani Singh, had contested the 1989 Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket from Jaipur, but was defeated by the BJP candidate.[11]

Kumari's step grandmother and former queen of Jaipur, Gayatri Devi, had been elected as an MP from the Jaipur constituency three times in 1962, 1967 and 1971. She had won these polls by record margins on the Swatantra Party ticket.[11]

Kumari joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 10 September 2013 before a crowd of two-lakh people, in the presence of then Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, BJP president Rajnath Singh and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, at a rally in Jaipur.[20] She contested the 2013 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election as a BJP candidate from Sawai Madhopur, and became MLA.[15] However, she did not contest the 2018 elections which the BJP ended up losing.[11] In 2019 she was elected as a Member of Parliament to the Lok Sabha from Rajsamand.[21] She secured 858,000 votes and her victory margin of 551,000 votes is considered amongst the top 20 biggest margins of victory in 2019.[22][23]

She was appointed Brand Ambassador, Save the Girl Child, Government of Rajasthan.[2]

She is currently the BJP MLA from Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency in 2023 Rajasthan polls instead of sitting five-term MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi.[24][25][26]

Since 15 December 2023, she is serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan in the ministry of Bhajan Lal Sharma.[27]

Rajasthan Budget 2026–27

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In February 2026, Diya Kumari, serving as the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Rajasthan, presented the Rajasthan Budget 2026–27 in the State Legislative Assembly. The budget outlined the state government's priorities in infrastructure development, healthcare expansion, welfare measures for farmers, women and youth, and fiscal management.[28]

The budget included measures such as free healthcare coverage for individuals lacking documentation, relief initiatives for farmers, and schemes aimed at supporting women and youth.[29]

The presentation of the budget drew reactions from opposition parties, who raised concerns regarding employment generation, rising debt, and implementation gaps in projects.[30]


Electoral record

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Election results
Year Office Constituency Party Votes for Diya Kumari % Opponent Party Votes % Margin Result Ref
2013 Member of the Legislative Assembly Sawai Madhopur Bharatiya Janata Party 57,384 37.29 Kirodi Lal Meena National People's Party 49,852 38.68 7,532 Won [1]
2019 Member of the Lok Sabha Rajsamand 863,039 69.61 Devikinandan Gurjar Indian National Congress 311,123 25.09 551,916 Won [2]
2023 Member of the Legislative Assembly Vidhyadhar Nagar 158,516 63.30 Sitaram Agarwal 87,148 34.80 71,368 Won [3]

References

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  1. ^ "Who Are Diya Kumari, Prem Bairwa: 'Princess Who Walks On Streets' Among Rajasthan Deputy CMs". ABP News. 12 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Diya Kumari| National Portal of India". www.india.gov.in. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Members : Lok Sabha". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Who Is Diya Kumari, The Billionaire Princess Of Jaipur Who Claims Taj Mahal Belonged To Her Ancestors?". Zee News. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  5. ^ Webdunia. "Diya Kumari, दीया कुमारी, Vidhyadhar Nagar, विद्याधर नगर, BJP, Rajasthan, राजस्थान, asssembly election 2023". hindi.webdunia.com (in Hindi). Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  6. ^ Parihar, Rohit (21 August 2006). "New will by Gayatri Devi's late son resurfaces, ignites property war in family". India Today. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Royal Jaipur- Explore the Royal Landmarks in Jaipur". royaljaipur.in. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Home | Amity Alumni". alumni.amity.edu. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  9. ^ "The Royal Family of Jaipur". Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum. 20 February 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  10. ^ Asnani, Rajesh (10 December 2018). "Jaipur's former princess Diya Kumari files for divorce, seeks privacy". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d "In Jaipur royal Diya Kumari rise in BJP, an echo of estranged mentor Raje arc". The Indian Express. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  12. ^ Sebastian, Sunny (9 October 2003). "A royal surprise in Jaipur". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 13 January 2004.
  13. ^ a b Singh, Rashpal (7 December 2013). "Rajputs bury gotra row, back Diya". Hindustan Times.
  14. ^ "BJP Lawmaker And Jaipur Royal Diya Kumari Files For Divorce". NDTV.com. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  15. ^ a b Joseph, Joychen (16 January 2019). "After 21 years, Rajasthan ex-royal Diya Kumari, her hubby separated". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  16. ^ "When Royalty Cares for the Rural: Princess Diya Kumari Foundation". www.luxuryfacts.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  17. ^ India, NGOs (23 September 2018). "Princess Diya Kumari Foundation Society, Jaipur". NGOs India and Funding Agencies. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  18. ^ Airbnb (22 October 2019). "Airbnb Partners with the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation". Airbnb Newsroom. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  19. ^ [16][17][18]
  20. ^ "Jaipur princess joins BJP". The Telegraph. India. 11 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  21. ^ "Erstwhile royal family member Diya Kumari wins Rajsamand seat by over 5 lakh votes". Zee News. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  22. ^ भाषा (24 May 2019). "रिकॉर्ड मतों से जीतने वाले बढ़े, पहली बार चार प्रत्याशी छह लाख से ज़्यादा मतों से जीते". The Wire - Hindi. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  23. ^ "BJP's C R Patil wins by 6.89 L votes, biggest victory margin". Rediff. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  24. ^ "भाजपा ने दीया कुमारी को विद्याधर नगर से टिकट दिया। देखें तस्वीरें।". Patrika News (in Hindi). 9 October 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  25. ^ "Diya Kumari files nomination from Vidyadhar Nagar seat". The Times of India. 2 November 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  26. ^ "Rajasthan Assembly polls: Diya Kumari, BJP candidate from Vidhyadhar Nagar, files nomination". www.indiatvnews.com. India TV News. 1 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  27. ^ "Diya Kumari New Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 2023 | दीया कुमारी को राजस्थान का नया उप मुख्यमंत्री नियुक्त किया गया - The News Dispatcher". 15 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Rajasthan Finance Minister explains Rs 6.11 lakh crore Budget priorities in NDTV Exclusive". NDTV. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  29. ^ "Rajasthan Budget promises free healthcare for those without documents, relief for farmers, women, youth". The New Indian Express. 11 February 2026. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  30. ^ "Rajasthan budget draws Opposition fire over jobs, debt and project gaps". National Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
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