Bonily Khongmen (25 June 1912 – 17 March 2007) was an Indian politician in the Indian National Congress Party.[1] She was elected to the Lok Sabha, lower house of the Parliament of India from the Autonomous District constituency Assam in 1952. She was a member of the 1st Lok Sabha.She was also the Deputy Speaker in Assam assembly.[2][3][4][5]
Bonily Khongmen | |
---|---|
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
In office 1952-1957 | |
Succeeded by | George Gilbert Swell |
Constituency | Autonomous District, Assam |
Personal details | |
Born | Jowai, West Jaintia, Assam, British India (present-day Meghalaya, India) | 25 June 1912
Died | 17 March 2007 | (aged 94)
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Source: [1] |
Khongmen was educated at Welsh Mission Girls' High School, Shillong, and Diocesan College, Calcutta.[6] Between 1932 and 1946, she worked in education, as headmistress of Golaghat Girls' School (1932–33), Assamese Girls School, Shillong (1935-1940), and Lady Reid School, Shillong (1940-1946).[6]
In 1946, Khongmen participated in the provincial elections to the Assam legislative assembly, contesting and winning the Shillong reserved seat, which was then part of Assam.[7] She was subsequently elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, the first woman to serve in that position.[8] Khongmen contested the first Lok Sabha election in 1951 from the Autonomous District constituency of Assam.[9] She won the election with 54% of the vote, defeating Wilson Reade of the KJD who was runner-up with 30% of the votes.[9]
After serving as an MP in the first Lok Sabha, Khongmen served as the first female Chairperson of the Assam Public Service Commission.[10]
She played the violin, and took an interest in spinning and weaving clothes, collecting books, gardening, reading, and knitting.[6]