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Mayawati Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 6, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth15 January 1956

Age69 Years

BirthplaceShrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, New Delhi, India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Prabhu Das; Mother - Ram Rati; Brother - Anand Kumar; Sisters - None

Net worthINR 111 crore (as in 2012)

Mayawati Biography

Mayawati is an Indian politician and long-time leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). A four-time Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and former national BSP

Early life and background

Mayawati Prabhu Das was born on 15 January 1956 in New Delhi. She grew up in a family from Badalpur in Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh; her father, Prabhu Das, worked at a local post office. Raised in a Hindu Dalit household, she pursued higher education in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, an LLB and a B.Ed. during her academic career.

Before her full-time entry into politics, Mayawati worked as a schoolteacher in the Inderpuri JJ Colony in Delhi. Earlier in her youth she had been preparing for the Indian Administrative Services, a path that was redirected when she began working with Kanshi Ram and the movement that formed the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Career

Mayawati’s formal political journey began in 1984 when she joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Over the next decades she rose through the party ranks and into elected office. In 1989 she won election to the Lok Sabha from Bijnor, and in 1994 she became a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Uttar Pradesh.

Her first term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh began in 1995, making her the youngest person to hold that office in the state at the time and the first female Dalit to become a chief minister in India. She returned to lead the state on multiple occasions, serving terms as chief minister in 1997, 2002 and again after the 2007 elections, bringing her total to four stints in that post.

In 2003 Kanshi Ram formally named her national president of the BSP, a position in which she continued to be the party’s central leader. She has been described by supporters and observers as a self-made politician who built a nationwide party base from modest beginnings.

Public profile

Mayawati is widely known by several sobriquets such as Behenji and Kumari Mayawati. Her public image blends a reputation for firm leadership with frequent media attention to the controversies and legal matters that have arisen during her career. She has faced investigations and legal scrutiny over the years, including inquiries related to financial irregularities and alleged disproportionate assets. Some of these matters drew long-running public and judicial attention; one related case was closed by the Supreme Court in January 2025 when the court characterized it as an old matter without concrete supporting evidence.

Her leadership style, high-profile projects and decisions—such as commissioning statues—have drawn both criticism and support. At various times she has been subject to electoral discipline actions; for example, in April 2019 the Election Commission of India imposed a short ban on her for a Model Code of Conduct violation. She has also been listed among top taxpayers in certain years and has publicly expressed an inclination toward Buddhism.

Personal life

Mayawati has remained unmarried and has said she chose that course in part to avoid perceptions of nepotism. Her birthday is marked by supporters as Jan Kalyankari Diwas. She is known to enjoy reading and writing, and she has authored autobiographical works recounting her life and the Bahujan movement in multiple volumes in Hindi and English.

Latest updates

In December 2023 Mayawati announced Akash Anand as her political successor, naming him national coordinator of the BSP. In May 2024 she removed him from those roles, stating he was not ready to hold the responsibilities assigned to him. In January 2025 the Supreme Court closed a long-standing case connected to earlier allegations, noting lack of concrete evidence.

Mayawati continues to lead the Bahujan Samaj Party and to be a central figure in Uttar Pradesh and national politics. Her trajectory—from schoolteacher and administrator aspirant to founder-era member of the BSP and multi-term chief minister—remains a significant chapter in contemporary Indian political history.
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Recent Work

Announced and later removed Akash Anand as party successor and National Coordinator

Named Akash Anand as her political successor and National Coordinator in December 2023, then removed him from those roles in May 2024.

2023-2024
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined Bahujan Samaj Party in 1984
  2. Elected Member of Parliament from Bijnor in 1989
  3. Elected to Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in 1994
  4. First term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1995; served four terms in total
  5. Became National President of the Bahujan Samaj Party in 2003
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Mayawati born?

15 January 1956

What is Mayawati known for?

Politician

What is Mayawati’s marital status?

Unmarried

What is Mayawati’s net worth?

INR 111 crore (as in 2012)