1. Violet Hari Alva was an Indian lawyer, journalist and politician, and Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, and member of the Indian National Congress.
15 Facts About Violet Alva
1. 2.
Violet Alva was the first woman lawyer to appear before a High Court in India and the first to preside over the Rajya Sabha.
3.
Violet Alva graduated from St Xavier's College, Bombay and Government Law College.
4.
In 1944, Violet Alva started a women's magazine, The Begum, later renamed as Indian Women.
5.
In 1947, Violet Alva served as an Honorary Magistrate in Mumbai; and from 1948 to 1954, she served as the President of the Juvenile Court.
6.
Violet Alva was actively involved with numerous social organisations such as Young Women's Christian Association, the Business and Professional Women's Association and the International Federation of Women Lawyers.
7.
Violet Alva was the first woman to be elected to the Standing Committee of the All India Newspaper Editors Conference in 1952.
8.
In 1952, Violet Alva was elected to the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, where she made significant contributions to family planning, rights of animals subjected to research and defence strategy, especially the naval sector.
9.
Violet Alva cautioned the government to be careful when dealing with foreign capital and supported linguistic states.
10.
In 1962, Violet Alva became the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, thereby becoming the first female to preside over the Rajya Sabha in its history.
11.
In 1969, Violet Alva resigned after Indira Gandhi declined to back her as Vice-President of India.
12.
In 1937, Violet Hari married journalist, lawyer and later freedom fighter and parliamentarian Joachim Alva.
13.
In 1943, Violet Alva was arrested by British Indian authorities.
14.
Violet Alva carried her five-month old baby son, Chittaranjan, into Arthur Road Jail where she was imprisoned.
15.
Gopalan and Nirmal Chandra Chatterjee paid their tributes to Violet Alva and commended her for having lived a life of simplicity.