Atishi Marlena Singh, widely known as Atishi, is an Indian politician and education reformer affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Born on June 8, 1981, in New Delhi, she has held significant positions, including serving as the Chief Minister of Delhi from September 2024 to February 2025, making her the third woman and youngest person to hold this office. 

👨‍👩‍👧 Family Background

  • Father: Vijay Singh, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. 

  • Mother: Tripta Wahi, a social activist and author. 

Atishi was raised in an academically inclined household in Delhi, with both parents having strong ties to academia and social activism. 

💍 Personal Life

  • Spouse: Praveen Singh, an educationist and researcher. The couple met in Delhi and have been involved in social work for many years. 

🧬 Name and Ideological Roots

Atishi's middle name, "Marlena," is a portmanteau of "Marx" and "Lenin," reflecting her parents' Marxist ideological leanings. In 2018, she chose to drop "Marlena" from her public persona to focus attention on her professional work rather than her ideological background. 

🏛️ Political Career

Atishi's political journey began with her involvement in policy formulation for the AAP in 2013. She served as an advisor to the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, primarily on education, from July 2015 to April 2018. She was elected as a Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from the Kalkaji constituency in February 2020. In March 2023, she was inducted into the Delhi Government as a Cabinet Minister, handling portfolios such as Education, Women and Child Welfare, Culture, Tourism, and Public Works Department. Following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal, she became the Chief Minister of Delhi in September 2024. 

📚 Education

  • Schooling: Springdales School, New Delhi.

  • Undergraduate: Bachelor's degree in History from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University (2001).

  • Postgraduate: Master's degree in History from the University of Oxford (2003), and a Master's in Educational Research from Magdalen College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar (2005).

🧬 Early Life and Education

Atishi was born to Vijay Kumar Singh and Tripta Wahi, both professors at Delhi University. She completed her schooling at Springdales School in New Delhi. She pursued a Bachelor's degree in History from St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, graduating in 2001. During her time there, she was recognized for her academic excellence with the Sumitomo-St. Stephen's Scholarship and received the Rajpal Memorial Award for her contributions to college life. 

Atishi furthered her education at the University of Oxford, earning a Master's degree in History in 2003 on a Chevening Scholarship. She then completed a second Master's in Educational Research from Magdalen College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar in 2005. 

🏛️ Political Career

Atishi's political journey began in January 2013 when she joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). She played a pivotal role in drafting the party's manifesto for the Delhi Assembly elections that year. 

In 2015, she served as an advisor to then Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, focusing on education reforms in Delhi's government schools. Her tenure lasted until April 2018.

Atishi contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the East Delhi constituency but was defeated by BJP's Gautam Gambhir. 

In the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, she won the Kalkaji constituency, defeating BJP's Dharambir Singh by a margin of 11,422 votes. 

Following the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal in September 2024, Atishi was appointed as the Chief Minister of Delhi, becoming the third woman to hold this position. Her tenure lasted until February 2025, after which Rekha Gupta succeeded her. 

👨‍👩‍👧 Personal Life

Atishi is married to Praveen Singh, an educationist and researcher.

Her middle name, "Marlena," is a portmanteau of "Marx" and "Lenin," reflecting her parents' Marxist ideological leanings. In 2018, she chose to drop "Marlena" from her public persona to focus attention on her professional work rather than her ideological background.

 

 

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