Atishi Marlena Singh has been named the new Chief Minister of Delhi following Arvind Kejriwal’s proposal during a party meeting on September 17, 2024. Kejriwal decided to step down after his release on bail in a case related to the Delhi liquor policy. He fulfilled his promise to resign within 48 hours.
Atishi, who is a senior leader in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and currently holds important portfolios such as finance, education, and public works. She will take over as the second woman CM of Delhi, after Sheila Dikshit.
Atishi’s rise to this position underscores her significant role in AAP’s governance and her close alignment with Kejriwal’s leadership style. She is expected to continue many of the initiatives that marked his tenure.
Atishi, New Chief Minister of Delhi’s Background
Atishi Marlena, commonly known as Atishi, is a prominent Indian politician from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and has played a vital role in the governance of Delhi. She was born on June 8, 1981, into an academic family—her father, Vijay Singh, is a professor of Hindi, and her mother, Tripta Wahi, is a professor of Russian.
Atishi completed her schooling at Springdales School in New Delhi. She later pursued a Bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. She then went on to study at the University of Oxford on a Chevening Scholarship, where she earned her Master’s degree.
Atishi Marlena Singh Political Career
Atishi began her political career as an activist and policy expert before joining AAP in 2013. Initially, she was a key member of the team that worked on the party’s manifesto. She was instrumental in crafting many of the policies that shaped the party’s governance in Delhi.
She gained recognition for her work in transforming Delhi’s public education system as an advisor to Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister at the time. Her efforts in introducing reforms such as the “Happiness Curriculum” and infrastructure improvements in schools earned her widespread acclaim.
New Chief Minister of Delhi, Atishi’s Achievements
In 2019, Atishi ran for the East Delhi constituency in the Lok Sabha elections but lost to BJP’s Gautam Gambhir. However, in the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, she won the Kalkaji seat. She was appointed to the Delhi Cabinet in March 2023, handling important portfolios like finance, education, public works, and energy.
Throughout her political career, Atishi has been known for her commitment to education reform, transparency in governance, and women’s empowerment. Her elevation to Chief Minister of Delhi in 2024 makes her the second woman to hold this position after Sheila Dikshit.
