Prabha Thakur

Prabha Thakur (born 10 September 1951) is an Indian politician, Congress leader, renowned Hindi poet and social worker. She was the Rajya Sabha MP for two consecutive terms from Rajasthan during 2004 to 2014 as well as Lok Sabha MP from Ajmer during 1998-99. Thakur also the President of the All India Mahila Congress. Thakur has also produced, directed and sung for some Hindi and Rajasthani films.

Early life
Prabha Thakur was born on 10 September 1951 to father Devi Singh Barhath, an RAS officer and mother Sushila Devi, and belonged to Chota Udaipur (or Udaipur Khurd) village in Kishangarh, Ajmer.

Career
Thakur was a member of 12th Lok Sabha from Ajmer constituency in Rajasthan from 1998 to 1999. In 2009, she was openly critical of the Left Front rule of the state of Bengal, saying that crimes against women have been growing in the previous 33 years of rule. In 2014, she was part of a group of women who supported an Aam Sabha for the 33% Women's Reservation Bill. She stated that the bill would help "empower Indian women socially, economically and politically."

Thakur has spoken out on other women's issues, calling for stricter anti-rape provisions in India. Thakur was also a supporter of laws against 'honour killings.' She has responded to comments about implementing dress codes to combat incidents of rape and has been quoted saying, "The question is not about the dress code, but the mentality of men. What the girls should wear should be the concern of the girl, her parents and her family only. I don't think there is a need for anyone else to say anything about how a girl should behave." Thakur believes instead, that as more women see rapists being dealt "justice," they will be more likely to file cases against assailants. She has previously spoken out about the amount of violent crime against women in Delhi.

Prabha has been a member of Maha Bodhi Society working for world peace and harmony through Buddhism. As a social worker and parliamentarian, she made special efforts in the field related to women and children.

Thakur donated a sum of 1 lakh rupees to CM Fund during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Literature and films
Prabha Thakur is a well-known poet and her poems have been regularly published in literary magazines such as Saptahik Hindustan, Dharmayuga, and Kadambani as well as on All India Radio and Doordarshan. She takes part in various Hindi literary conferences and poets' symposiums. She has also produced, directed, written, composed and sung for some Hindi and Rajasthani films.

Books

 * Bauraya Man (Poetry Collection) (1982)
 * Aakhar Aakhar (Poetry Collection) (1990)
 * Dehri Ka Man (Poetry Collection) ISBN 978-81-267-2532-8 (2013)

Edited

 * Chetna Ke Swar (Collection of Poems) (1985)