Name Kumud Joshi | ||
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Books Treasury of Living Words: A Selection from the Speeches of a Governor | ||
Kumudben Manishankar Joshi was born on January 31, 1934, to Shri Manishanka Joshi in Gujarat. She was the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 26 November 1985 to 7 February 1990. She was the second female Governor of the state after Sharda Mukherjee. She also became Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting (October 1980 - January 1982) and Deputy Minister of Health and Family Welfare(January 1982 - December 1984).
Joshi was a member of the Rajya Sabha thrice, from October 15th 1973 to April 2nd 1976, April 3rd 1976 to April 2nd 1982 and from April 3rd 1982 to November 25th 1985. She was also the General Secretary, Gujarat P.C.C.
Soon after taking charge, she travelled to all the state's 23 districts and often outside, to create a record of sorts - that of being more active than her 13 predecessors in Hyderabad's Raj Bhavan. Between November 26, 1985 and September 30, 1987 she travelled to the districts on 108 occasions, and outside the state 22 times. Rama Rao, the then Prime Minister and his partymen saw this as an attempt by Joshi to build a stronger base for the Congress.
Controversies
Kumudben Manishanker Joshi, was under the threats from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) during her tenure in the Raj Bhawan.
The campaign against her hotted up after the state Cabinet adopted a resolution criticising the "tenor and content" of her Republic Day parade speech "belittling the remarkable progress made by the state".
It also asked Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao to write to President R. Venkataraman in this regard. TDP ministers accused her of behaving like'' a Congress(I) agent''.
In her 20-minute extempore speech in Hindi, Joshi had said: "No state will be able to progress without the support of the Government of India in implementing development programmes." She pointed out that the Central Government spent Rs 4 crore daily at the Vishakhapatnam steel project and provided a subsidy ranging from 75 paise to Re 1 for the distribution of foodgrains. Evidently, the top's charge of discrimination towards non-Congress(I) states was at the back of her mind.
Forest Minister G. Muddukrishnama Naidu soon accused her of projecting only centrally-sponsored schemes and glossing over the welfare measures implemented by the state Government. According to Cooperation Minister N. Yethiraja Rao: "She has downgraded the office of the governor to that of a Congress(I) public relations officer."
Joshi reacted by granting a number of interviews to local newspapers in Hyderabad. She dismissed the charges as "rubbish" and said, "it is below my dignity to reply to such criticism."