The Vocal Voice

One of the principal figures in non-Congress politics in Bihar since the early seventies, the Dinajpur-born Sinha's political instincts were honed when she married the veteran labour leader and freedom fighter, Basawan Singh, in 1951. Since then, she has been in and out of jail in the sixties. Active in the JP movement, she was arrested under the infamous MISA during the Emergency.

Though Sinha is associated with several activist bodies in the country, she is best known for being the longest surviving member of the International Union of Socialist Youth (Vienna). Her skills are known abroad too; she is the vice-president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Union (Asia-Pacific region).

In Bihar Janata Dal politics, she is a known supporter of Laloo Prasad Yadav. But that is clearly not being held against her: she is certainly not in the ministry under the