Vidya Stocks - Shimla Now

Daughter of late Rai Sahib Amin Chand; born on 8th December, 1927 at Kotgarh, Distt. Shimla; Under Graduate; educated at Delhi University; Married to late Shri Lal Chand Stokes ( Member of Himachal Pradesh Vidha Sabha); Horticulturist and Social Worker.

• Remained Member, National Horticulture Board,
• Governing Council of National Cooperative Union of India;
• President, State Co-operative Union (four years);
• Chairperson, H.P.M.C. Ltd. Nov. 1980 to 14 Nov. 1984;
• Board of Directors, SBI from 1972 to 1973,
• Board of Directors, Air India and Indian Airlines, 1994-97;
• Elected Vice President, (twice) Agriculture Committee of International Farmers Agriculture Producers (IFAP);
• Vice President, National farmers Forum (15years).

• Remained Administrator Asian Games,1972;
• Chairperson, Asian Hockey Disciplinary Committee;
• President, Indian Women's Hockey Federation in 1984- 1988, 1988-1994,1994-98 and 1998 -2009 ;
• Vice-President, Asian Hockey Federation, 1986-90 and 1990-94;
• Chairperson, Task Force Committee;
• Member, Technical Committee of Federation of International Hockey; was Pioneer of the merger of men and women Hockey in India in 2010 and presently life Patron of Hockey India.

• Elected to the State Assembly in 1974 (by-election);
• Re-elected in 1982, 1985, 1990 and 1998 from Theog and in 2003 and 2007 from the adjoining Kumarsain constituency as Congress Candidate.
• Remained Minister of State for Rural Development (Independent Charge) 1984-85;
• Speaker, State Legislative Assembly, 1985-90;
• Leader of the Congress Legislature Group, 1990-92;
• Minister for MPP & Power, March 6, 2003 to December 28, 2007;
• Leader of Opposition in the House from 22.1.2008 to December, 2012.

Elected again to the State Legislative Assembly for the eighth time in 2012 and inducted into Council of Ministers as Irrigation & Public Health Minister with additional charge of Horticulture, Information Technology.

• Special Interest : Upliftment of women, strengthening Mahila Mandals and child care.
• Languages Known : Hindi & English
• Travels Abroad : Travelled extensively all over the world.
• Favourite Pastime : Gardening, reading and painting.
• Awards: Recipient of Indira Gandhi National Leaders Award 2003, Distinguished Fellow of Institute of Directors Award , 2005 and Honorary Fellowship of the Horticulturist Society of India in 2007 for significant contribution in the field of horticulture.