New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday picked Atishi Marlena as the new chief minister of Delhi.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has proposed the name of Atishi as the new chief minister. Atishi was elected as the leader of AAP’s Legislative Party in the national capital.
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Atishi currently oversees 11 portfolios in the Kejriwal-led government. This is the highest number of departments a minister holds in the Delhi government right now.
AAP convened a crucial legislative party meeting on Tuesday to finalise the name of the new chief minister. The Delhi assembly will also hold a special session on September 26 and 27.
Last week, Arvind Kejriwal said that he will quit as the chief minister of Delhi after being released on bail in the liquor policy case.
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Atishi Marlena: From Activist to Delhi’s Chief Minister
Atishi emerged as a prominent figure within the AAP following the arrest of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in an alleged excise policy case.
In 2023, Atishi was appointed the Minister for Education, Public Works Department (PWD), Culture, and Tourism in the Delhi Government. From 2015 to 2018, she worked as an advisor to Manish Sisodia, focusing primarily on educational reforms.
Early Life and Education:
Born on June 8, 1981, Atishi was named “Marlena” by her parents, Vijay Singh and Tripta Wahi, combining the names Marx and Lenin. However, as elections approached in 2018, she chose to drop “Marlena” and began using just “Atishi.”
Atishi completed her schooling at Springdales School, New Delhi, and earned her bachelor’s degree in History from St. Stephen’s College in 2001. She later attended Oxford University, where she was awarded a Chevening scholarship and completed her master’s in History in 2003. As a Rhodes scholar, she also attended Magdalen College, Oxford, in 2005.
Entry into Politics:
Her political career with AAP began in 2013, where she played a key role in shaping party policies. Atishi participated in the 2015 Jal Satyagraha in Madhya Pradesh, supporting AAP leader Alok Agarwal in his protests.
Electoral Journey:
In 2019, Atishi contested the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat against BJP’s Gautam Gambhir but lost by a significant margin. However, she achieved success in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, winning the Kalkaji constituency by over 11,000 votes against BJP’s Dharambir Singh.
Champion of Education:
Atishi’s contributions to Delhi’s education system have been transformative. She played a major role in improving the infrastructure of government schools, establishing school management committees in alignment with the Right to Education Act, and implementing regulations to control private school fee hikes.
She also introduced the widely praised “happiness curriculum,” which focuses on students’ emotional well-being and holistic development.