Maharani Preneet Kaur Member of Parliament, Patiala (Punjab) Ex-Minister of State for External Affairs, Government of India
A workaholic, a walk-lover, a hands-on politician, a loving great-grandmother, an intelligent- task-oriented leader, and a caring and loving person. At 78, Maharani Preneet Kaur has an unmatched enthusiasm, possibly of a 20-year-old. From being a humble party worker in the late 1990s, who assisted her husband in elections, to being a Minister of State for External Affairs later with the Government of India and now a fourth-time MP from the royal city of Patiala, she has come a long way. A journey that has transcended her perception of situations and people and has given more meaning to her role as a lady with royal ancestry in modern times.
Here is a heart-to-heart conversation between the Member of Parliament from Patiala, Maharani Preneet Kaur, and the Editor-in-Chief of The Lifestyle Journalist Magazine, Dr Neha Miglani.
Your journey as a Politician has been so long; what are the most significant changes you see in politics then and now?
There is a massive change from 1999 to 2023. A long journey and the most significant change has been the onset of social media and the globalization of everything. There is a flood of information on social media, which may not always be correct, but it’s controlling the narrative!
What is your view on women in politics and working women in current times in general?
That’s become an economic need. Also, women have been more empowered with knowledge. Knowledge is the greatest empowerment, and anybody can have it! In the olden days, girls weren’t educated, and the mindset was also that girls were raised to be a housewife. Even when I was growing up, there was an idea that one gets married between 18 and 20. But now you can’t even put this idea to your daughters! So, women have found a different role. Men are more supportive. Women still have the more challenging task because they have to do the housework and professional work too. If you want to keep up in any field, there isn’t any leniency given to women. However, women are blessed with that power, and they can cope better.
Do you feel you missed out on anything normal or the routine of being a part of a privileged clan and family?
To tell you the truth, it was a long, happy journey from childhood to getting married. After marriage, I enjoyed being with the family and doing everything everybody did. It was only when I came into active politics after 1999 that things were different due to the natural constraints of politics. It’s almost a 24×7 job; there are no Saturdays and Sundays. There’s no time to think beyond that since we have such a vast constituency, so many people to look after, and the expectations are so much. It’s not like you are an MP and only do MP’s work. You have to work like an MLA, like a Municipal Councilor. So, there is no time to do the other normal things. Even if you want to, you’re too tired by the end of the day to want to do anything else.
If not in Politics, what would have been your bent towards? Social work or some other profession?
Definitely, a housewife and a mother; that’s how I began my adult life at the age of 20. I got married, then there were children, and later they started going to school. After that, I got involved in social work. I enjoyed doing that; we weren’t trained to go into a profession or lead a professional life. There was no training of that kind, and the mindset needed to be prepared for that, but social work came fairly naturally. I was fortunate to have good guides in Patiala, and I did a lot of social work before entering politics. And the day I stop being in active politics, I want to do whatever social work I can.
Please share something about the bond you share with your children and grandchildren.
I have a son and a daughter; they are equally precious to me. My grandchildren are even more special. There are small instances, like when they used to jump on sofas and did all kinds of mischief; my daughter used to tell me that I never allowed them to make all that mischief! But with my grandchildren, I was way lenient. I told my children that discipline is now your prerogative as parents, and the spoiling part is your father’s and mine as grandparents. I have really enjoyed my grandchildren because there’s just enjoyment without responsibility; it’s the same for all grandparents. I have five grandchildren; my daughter has two boys, and my son has two girls and a boy. And then further, they have children now. So, I have three great-grandchildren. I’m very blessed that I’ve spent much time with them. In that sense, the COVID-19 pandemic brought many families back together again. So, as they say, something good comes out of everything; the best thing COVID did for everybody, and certainly for me, was to get more time to spend with my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
What do you see as your biggest strength and biggest weakness?
My biggest strength has been my family and the people who have repeatedly stood by me and elected me. Well, your strength can also become your weaknesses because that is what you are dealing with more! I am trying to understand what weakness would mean. Sometimes we have to overlook things of our loved ones and keep supporting them. It’s human nature. So strengths and weaknesses go hand in hand.
What is your attitude towards challenges in life, and how do you overcome them?
It’s changed over the years. When I was younger, the instant reaction was to be very intense. Now, I don’t react that much. I take time to digest it. I don’t give an instant response, which one learns through time and experience. And it’s better this way. If there is a challenge, and there’s definitely a challenge every day in something or the other, the best thing is not to let it get to you, to let it ride in some cases and to let it pass sometimes. Wait and see; if you have to react, you must be very calm. Refrain from giving a reaction. Talk it out; think it over. And if, straight away, somebody wants an answer, then you, in your best wisdom, do what is right!
How do you like to spend your leisure time if not at work?
I used to love reading, playing bridge, and golf. There’s no time for golf or bridge, and I’ve given up reading also because, by the end of the hectic day, you need rest! I like to walk for about 45 minutes in the evening, and yes, I am a walk lover because it clears my mind for the evening. I feel fresh. I’m not one of those who can do early morning walks. I get up early enough to do my housework and be in the office by 10am. Therefore I need that space and that time to walk in the evening. Later in the evening, after everything is over, I watch some TV. I would typically read or something, but now there’s the television! So, to watch part of a serial or something is very relaxing. I loved to read a lot of books, mainly fiction, because it was to relax!
Who is Maharani Preneet Kaur in real life, beyond what people know about her? What are her nature and temperament?
Your real nature is always with you because you can’t pretend too much! One cannot put on a mask because when dealing with everyone, your real nature is with you from morning to evening. I haven’t ever tried to put on any mask when dealing with people. I enjoy meeting people. I enjoy being in politics, and my job is listening to or solving problems. You don’t just sit to have a chat. There are, of course, lighter moments with colleagues!
What is the most prized possession you have received as an heirloom from your family? Are any specific jewellery, land or clothing you wish to share about.
On my 21st birthday, my father-in-law gave me a very special piece of jewellery. It was a brooch with the insignia of the Sikh Regiment. The 2nd Sikh regiment because he and my husband, and before him, everyone had done a stint in the 2nd Sikh regiment; it was known as the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs regiment earlier, and now it is the 2nd Sikh regiment. A lovely note came to me with this bejewelled brooch saying ‘from one pandra (means 15) numbariya to another’ because the brooch was made by his father when it was known as the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs. So, it was an old piece, and I treasure it. It had a lot of meaning and meant a lot to me!
What do you feel about the role or place of Monarchy or members of royal families in modern times, especially in India?
Being born into any family happens as an act of God or nature. So, it doesn’t matter whether you are a small family or a big family; you definitely have some lineage, and everyone has ancestry. The family I have come into has a very long ancestry, and we are very proud of our ancestors. Many families in India lost their right to rule, and it happened all over, and I think that in India, most families adjusted very well to modern times while keeping their heritage alive yet leading lives like everybody else does. In this day and age, with their heritage and upbringing, they also have a good sense of their public duties. So, you’ll see a lot of them naturally are in politics because that’s what they were used to doing, and they do it well. They are respected by the people. Today in this age, there is no such thing as a royal family since the government took away titles and other things. It’s because of the lineage that they are recognized. That is their inheritance. To lead and work with people, you must be democratically elected and earn respect. So, in that case, you become like anybody else. So, it’s just that your family history is such and what has been left to you as your inheritance. What matters is the kind of respect you can earn from your fellow citizens, which they have managed very well (most royal families).
Your message to the youth of the country and young women in particular.
Youth are our most precious resource for a family and for a country. Young people must know that the future belongs to them. And it’s how they will act that the future will be scripted. Unfortunately, this menace of drugs has come into the youth, who unwittingly fall into it. They need to realize when they start where it will leave them. Feel blessed that you have been born human and work to achieve your dreams. Please stay away from drugs. If you have been through it and recovered, help others because you can help much more. I have seen a drug addict getting well and reaching out to others. They can teach them better, understand and advise them better. The future is yours.
I see examples in my own home. When I got married, the people who served in the household, their children studied well. We helped them. They became house servants to government clerks, and their children are now becoming IAS and PCS, so if you work hard, the future is yours. And all youngsters must feel lucky that they are born in a democratic situation where everybody has an equal chance. So, the future is yours. Go for it!
