Name Bonily Khongmen Role Indian Politician | Died March 17, 2007 Party Indian National Congress | |
Bonily Khongmen (25 June 1912 – 17 March 2007) was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress party. She was elected to the Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament of India from the Autonomous District constituency Assam in 1952. She was a member of the 1st Lok Sabha.She was also the Deputy Speaker in Assam assembly.
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Early life and career
Khongmen was educated at Welsh Mission Girls' High School, Shillong, and Diocesan College, Calcutta. Between 1932 and 1946, she worked in education, as headmistress of Golaghat Girls' School (1932–33), Assamese Girls School, Shillong (1935-1940), and Lady Reid School, Shillong (1940-1946).
Political career
In 1946, Khongmen participated in the provincial elections to the Assam legislative assembly, contesting and winning the Shillong reserved seat, which was then part of Assam. She was subsequently elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, the first woman to serve in that position. Khongmen contested the first Lok Sabha election in 1951 from the Autonomous District constituency of Assam. She won the election with 54% of the vote, defeating Wilson Reade of the KJD who was runner-up with 30% of the votes.
Other career
After serving as an MP in the first Lok Sabha, Khongmen served as the first female Chairperson of the Assam Public Service Commission.
Personal life
She was interested in playing the violin, in spinning and weaving clothes, collecting books and gardening, and in reading, sewing and knitting.