Preneet Kaur is an Indian politician who has been the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2009 to 2014. She is a member of the Indian National Congress.
Preneet`s party
Wiki/Biography
Preneet Kaur was born on Monday, 3 October 1944 (age 77 years; as of 2021) in Shimla. Her zodiac sign is Libra. She has done her schooling at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Shimla. She did her B.A. at St. Bede’s College, Shimla. [1]
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 70 kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Preneet Kaur belongs to a Kahlon Jat Sikh family.
Parents & Siblings
Preneet`s father`s name is Sardar Gian Singh Kahlon who worked in the Indian Civil Service.
Preneet as a child with her father
Her mother`s name is Satinder Kaur.
Preneet with her mother
She has one brother whose name is Himmat Singh Kahlon, and he works in UNO. Her sister`s name is Geetinder Kaur.
Husband & Children
Preneet got married to Captain Amarinder Singh who is a politician in October 1964.
Preneet with her husband
She has one son whose name is Raninder Singh, and he is also a politician.
Preneet with her son
Her daughter`s name is Jai Inder Kaur.
Preneet with her daughter
Religion
Preneet follows Sikhism.
Caste
She belongs to a Kahlon Jat Sikh caste.
Address
She lives at 1169,New Moti Bagh Palace, Patiala – 147 001, Punjab.
Signature
Political Career
Preneet started her political career in 1999 when she contested for General elections from Patiala Lok Sabha constituency. Her party did not win the elections, but she won the seat. In the next elections, in 2004, the party won the elections and she retained her seat. During her term, she served the Food, Civil Supplies and Public Distribution; Women’s Empowerment; Public Undertakings; and Water Resources committies. In 2007, Amarinder Singh demitted the party, and Preneet also had to leave the seat. She again took the office when her party won the elections in 2009. In this term, she became the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of External Affairs. In 2014, her party lost the elections, and she had to give up her seat. In 2019, her party won the elections, and she continued to work as the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Controversy
In 2014, Preneet`s name was involved in the list of people who owned an account in the Swiss Bank. The Indian government demanded for probe by the bank against her. The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) of Switzerland had asked them to file an appeal for “exercise of the right to be heard” so that they could carry out the probe against her. [2]
Award
She won the Sikh of the year award in 2009.
Assets/Properties
Movable Assets
- Cash: Rs 2,60,000
- Deposits in Banks: Rs 4,42,50,353.93
- Bonds, Debentures and Shares in companies: Rs 69,61,031.40
- Personal loans/advance given: Rs 2,75,97,436
- Motor Vehicles: Rs 11,62,930
- Jewellery: Rs 1,08,02,006
Gross Total Value: Rs 9,10,33,757 [3]
Immovable Assets
- Agricultural Land: Rs 14,43,80,000
- Non Agricultural Land: Rs 73,60,000
- Residential Buildings: Rs 39,32,00,000
Total Immovable Assets: Rs 54,49,40,000 [4]
Liabilities
- Loans due to Individual / Entity: Rs 24,53,369
- Other Liability: Rs 4,00,00,000
Total Liabilities: Rs 4,24,53,369 [5]
Net Worth
Her net worth as of 2019 is Rs. 91,033,757. [6]
Facts/Trivia
- Preneet Kaur is an Indian politician who is the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2009 to 2014. In 2019, she again held the office after winning the elections.
Preneet as a child with her mother
- Her hobbies include reading, art, social work and gardening.
- Preneet was born in a Sikh Jat family, and her father was in the army.
- She earned the title of ‘Maharani of Patiala’ after she got married to Amarinder Singh in 1964.
Preneet at the time of her marriage
- She founded the institute named Sanjeevani for helping differently-abled children before she became a politician in 1999.
- In 2019, Preneet was tricked by a man in Delhi. On a phone call, he asked her for the bank account details and took Rs. 23 Lakhs from her account. The man was later arrested by the police. [7]
- The Banur Canal System Project on the banks of Ghaggar river near village Chhat Beer was initiated by Preneet.
Preneet inaugrating the Banur project
- To improve the land degradation and declining groundwater levels in Punjab, in 2020, Preneet launched a scheme. The name of the scheme was ‘Tree for Gun.’ It included that anyone who was willing to get a gun license would have to plat 10 tress for receiving the license and anyone who was willing to renew the gun license would have to plant 5 trees. She attended the event online.
Preneet attending the Tree-for-gun project
- To beautify and strengthen the power distribution system in the city, she started the project ‘single wire.’ In an interview, talking about the project, she said,
Every major road in the inner part of Patiala city and every street has been made a part of this project. Work to be carried out for the beautification and strengthening of the power distribution system has been planned.”
- In 2021, Preneet said that she would remain a part of the INC after her husband had left the party and question of her continuation in the party were raised. In an interview, she said,
I will stay in the Congress and will stick to my position (as MP). I have no intention of quitting.”
- In 2021, she gave proprietary ownership certificates to 60 residents of Patiala’s Jiwan Singh Basti under Punjab Government’s BASERA scheme.
Preneet handing over the certificates
- In an interview, talking about the future of women in politics, she said
Women hold several important positions already. However, women are still under represented in Parliament and government. Women are as much politicians as men and I hope that more and more women will enter public life through politics as this would not only increase participation of women in public life but also have a salutary effect for the amelioration of women’s status in India. I look forward to the day when there are more women politicians accepted in their own right and not as ‘women politicians’.”
- She often posts photos of herself at various social events on her social media.
Preneet at social events
- She also posts photos of her family on social media accounts.
Preneet with her son, husband and daughter
