BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan was born on 12 April 1943, who is also the Speaker of the 16th Lok Sabha. She is currently the longest-serving woman member of Lok Sabha. She has represented the Indore constituency of Madhya Pradesh since 1989. Here are 9 interesting things you should know about the new Lok Sabha Speaker:

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1. Soft-spoken Sumitra Mahajan, an eight-time BJP MP, is a battle-hardened leader who has risen from the ranks to the top post of Lok Sabha Speaker.

2. Mahajan is the second woman after Meira Kumar to be elected as Lok Sabha Speaker.

3.  Sumitra Mahajan began her political career as a Corporator in Municipal Corporation, Indore in 1982. She later became Deputy Mayor, Indore in 1984.

4. A lawyer-turned-politician, Mahajan is known for her trademark simplicity, honesty and clean image beside her impeccable winning record at the hustings.

5. The mild-mannered Mahajan has over the years emerged as a force to reckon with in Indore where she never lost since she first became an MP in 1989 and a generation of opposition leaders have been waiting to trounce her.

6. She, however, had lost the Indore assembly election thrice before becoming an MP.

7. People in her constituency (Indore) fondly address Sumitra Mahajan as Tai (Sister).

8. Mahajan won her Lok Sabha seat for the eighth consecutive time in this election by an impressive margin of 4.67 lakh votes.

9. Sumitra Mahajan has been a cabinet minister in the past. From 2002 to 2004, Sumitra held various portfolios such as Human Resources, Communications, and Petroleum

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