Pratibha Singh—Indian Politician from Himachal Pradesh
Early Life & Background
Pratibha Singh was born on 16 June 1956 in Keonthal, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, in a royal family. She is an Indian politician from Himachal Pradesh and a member of the Parliament of India. She was married to the late Raja Virbhadra Singh, a highly respected leader who served as the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh six times, earning immense love and recognition from the people of the state.
Personal Life
Pratibha Singh was born in Keonthal, Shimla, and grew up in a royal household. She is the princess of Keonthal.
- Father: Raja Hitendra Sen of Keonthal
- Mother: Mrs. Shanta Devi
- Education: Completed schooling in Shimla and graduated from Government Women’s College, Sector-II, Chandigarh
In 1985, she married the late Raja Virbhadra Singh, becoming his second wife. His first wife, Princess Ratna Kumari of Jubbal, had passed away earlier. From his first marriage, Raja Virbhadra Singh had four daughters, one of whom is Princess Abhilasha Kumari, who served as a judge in Gujarat.
Children of Pratibha Singh
- Daughter: Aprajita Singh, who married into the royal family of Patiala. Her husband is the Maharaja of Patiala and the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
- Son: Vikramaditya Singh, who is active in politics and currently serves as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Shimla Rural constituency.
Pratibha Singh herself is an important leader of the Indian National Congress, representing the Mandi constituency of Himachal Pradesh in the Lok Sabha.
Political Career
Pratibha Singh is presently serving as the president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Party. Although she aspired to become the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, she is presently elected as a Lok Sabha MP from Mandi. To take on the role of Chief Minister, she would have to resign from her Lok Sabha seat, which would trigger a by-election in Mandi. Owing to this situation, the Congress party chose Sukhwinder Sukhu as the Chief Minister.
Her Political Journey Highlights
- 2004: Won the Lok Sabha seat by defeating Maheshwar Singh.
- 2013: Won the Mandi by-election.
- 2021: Again won the Mandi by-election.
She has secured victory in the Lok Sabha elections from the Mandi constituency on three occasions.
Current Role as President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC)
Currently, Pratibha Singh continues to serve as the president of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC). Even after the Congress high command dissolved the state unit in November 2024, she remained the only leader to hold her position.
Her Latest Contributions Include:
- Actively working on restructuring the Congress Party in Himachal Pradesh.
- Promoting the involvement of experienced leaders along with young members to strengthen the party’s structure.
- Raising concerns over the Election Commission’s neutrality, accusing it of favoring the BJP, and urging for transparent investigations.
- Questioning Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut’s seriousness towards her parliamentary duties, especially during disaster management, when she did not effectively use her MPLAD funds.
- Engaging with the Congress high command in Delhi to prepare strategies and organizational reforms for the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections, aiming to strengthen Congress in the state.
