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{{Short description|Indian politician (born 1913)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Krishna Mehta
| birth_date = 4 June 1913
| birth_place = Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, British India
| death_date = 20 October 1993 (aged 80)
| death_place = [[Kishtwar]], Jammu and Kashmir, India
| occupation = Social worker, politician
| office = [[Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha]]
| constituency = Jammu and Kashmir
| term_start = 1962
| term_end = 1968
| spouse = Duni Chand Mehta
| children = 6
| known_for = First woman MP from Jammu and Kashmir
}}

'''Krishna Mehta''' (4 June 1913 – 20 October 1993) was an Indian politician, social worker, and the first woman member of parliament from [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]. She is known for her contributions to social welfare and rehabilitation efforts in the aftermath of the [[Partition of India|1947 Partition]], as well as for her work in establishing institutions for disadvantaged women and refugees in Jammu and Kashmir.<ref name="ref1"/>

== Early life and 1947 Partition ==
Krishna Mehta was born on 4 June 1913 into the prominent Mehta family of [[Kishtwar]] in [[Jammu and Kashmir Princely State]]. Her great-grandfather, Colonel [[Mehta Basti Ram]], served as a commander under General [[Zorawar Singh (Dogra general)|Zorawar Singh]]. After the general was killed in battle, Basti Ram survived the ambush that nearly took them both and, moved by loyalty and loss, he devoted his life to honoring his leader’s legacy, turning every campaign into a tribute to his fallen commander.<ref name="ref2"/> In 1947, Krishna Mehta, who was already married to Duni Chand Mehta and serving as the Wazir-e-Wazarat (District Commissioner) of [[Muzaffarabad]] in Jammu and Kashmir, faced a similar tragedy when her husband was killed in the line of duty.<ref name="ref1"/> Inspired by her great-grandfather’s unwavering resolve, she too chose to honor her husband’s legacy, serving the families of fallen victims with strength and compassion.
=== Founding of Social Welfare Organizations ===
In October 1947, during the tribal invasion of Jammu and Kashmir from the North-West Frontier Province, Krishna Mehta and her six children fled their home as [[Muzaffarabad]] came under attack. Her husband was killed while defending the area.
Subsequently, she was taken as a prisoner of war by Pakistani authorities and held in [[Muzaffarabad]] and later at the [[Narowal]] camp, where she witnessed and endured severe hardships.<ref name="ref2"/><ref name="ref4"/>
After repatriation, though she had the means to resettle in [[Kishtwar]], she chose instead to remain with the refugees, sharing in their suffering. She dedicated herself to their rehabilitation and offered them emotional support. At the [[Kurukshetra]] refugee camp, she met Prime Minister [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], whose encouragement inspired her to establish two institutions dedicated to the welfare of refugees and underprivileged women.<ref name="ref1"/><ref name="ref3"/>
In 1949, Mehta established the Gandhi Seva Sadan in Jammu and the Khadi Gram Udyog Sangh in Allahabad, with ₹5,000 allocated for each by the [[Prime Minister]].

True to its title, [[Munshi Premchand]]’s novel [[Bazaar-e-Husn|Seva Sadan]] centers on the themes of social service and moral redemption. Through the journey of its protagonist, Suman—a woman who transforms her life from one of personal despair to one devoted to the upliftment of other women—the novel explores issues of gender inequality, societal reform, and the transformative power of selfless service. Shri Gandhi Sewa Sadan Jammu,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shri Gandhi Sewa Sadan|url=http://www.gandhiseva.org|access-date=6 April 2025}}</ref> which she considered her as third son focused on providing vocational training and economic support for displaced and disadvantaged women, with the aim of promoting self-reliance.<ref name="ref1"/><ref name="ref3">{{cite news | last=Rohmetra | first=Ravi | title=First womenMP from J&K | website=Daily Excelsior | date=3 June 2019 | url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/first-womenmp-from-jk/ | access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref>

== Political career ==
In 1962, Mehta was nominated to the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of [[Parliament of India|India's Parliament]], becoming the first female MP from Jammu and Kashmir. In this role role, she advocated for social development initiatives and worked to bring national attention to issues in her home state. She invited then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to Kishtwar to provide a firsthand understanding of the region’s challenges.<ref name="ref2">{{cite web|title=Paying tribute to India’s freedom fighters – Krishna Mehta|website='Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav', Ministry of Culture, Government of India|url=https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail.htm?3716|access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref><ref name="ref4">{{cite web | title=Feminine Fortitude in India's Freedom Struggle: The Overlooked Women Heroes of Jammu Kashmir | website=Jammu Kashmir Now | date=14 March 2023 | url=https://www.jammukashmirnow.com/Encyc/2023/3/14/Feminine-Fortitude-in-India-Freedom-Struggle-The-Overlooked-Women-Heroes-of-Kashmir.html | access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref>

== Later life and death ==
Mehta maintained an interest in spirituality, spending time at the ashram of her guru, Magan Baba, in Kishtwar. She continued her work in social welfare and wrote about her experiences, including the challenges faced in Kashmir. Krishna Mehta died on 20 October 1993, in Kishtwar. In accordance with her wishes, her ashes were immersed in the [[Chenab River]].<ref name="ref1">{{cite news | last=Excelsior | first=Daily | title=First women MP from J&K | website=[[Daily Excelsior]] | date=3 June 2013 | url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/first-women-mp-from-jk/ | access-date=2 November 2024}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Krishna}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1993 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian social workers]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Women members of the Rajya Sabha]]
[[Category:Women members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women politicians]]
[[Category:People from Kishtwar district]]
[[Category:India MPs 1957–1962]]
[[Category:Women Indian independence activists]]
[[Category:Women members of the Lok Sabha]]
[[Category:Nominated members of the Lok Sabha]]

Krishna Mehta - Revision history

CharlineDiederic at 22:35, 26 February 2026