Daughter of late Rai Sahib Amin Chand; born at Kotgarh, Distt. Shimla on 8th December, 1927; Under Graduate; educated at Delhi University; married to late Shri Lal Chand Stokes; Horticulturist and Social Worker. Remained member, i) Indian National Congress since 1970, ii) Pradesh Congress Committee since 1974 iii) All India Congress Committee, 1976; General Secretary, Pradesh Congress Committee, 1977; Chairperson, Finance Committee Pradesh Congress during Lok Sabha Elections, 1980; Observer, i) All India Congress Committee for Sikkim, Assembly elections, 1994, ii) re-constitution of Congress Party in Assam, 1994, and iii) elections to Punjab Legislative Assembly, 1997; President, Pradesh Congress Committee.

        Remained President, i) State Unit of National Farmers Forum, ii) State Co-operative Union for four years; iii) Regional Institute of Public Health, Chandigarh ; Vice-Chairperson, i) National Farmers Forum, ii) H.P.M.C. Ltd. Nov. 1980 to 14 Nov. 1984, iii) National Institute of Co-operation and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resources Development (Govt. of India), 1995, iv) Himachal Red Cross Society; Director, i) State Bank of India. Delhi Board, 1973-74, ii) Air India and Indian Airlines, 1994-97; Member, Planning and Project Committee of H.P.M.C., Ltd., ii) Board of Management, Agriculture University, Palampur, and iii)H.P. University Court, Shimla, iv) Executive, Finance and Planning Committee, v) Indian Council of Child Welfare, vi) H.P. State Social Welfare Advisory Board for over ten years, and vii) National Horticulture Board; and served on the Editorial Board of the Co-operative Magazine. Remained President, Indian Womens Hockey Federation in 1984, 1988, 1994 and 2003, ii) Volley Ball Association, Himachal Pradesh, iii) Asian Hockey Disciplinary Committee, 1990-94; Vice-President, Asian Hockey Federation, 1986-90 and 1990-94; Honourary General Secretary, All India Womens Hockey Federation; Member, i) G-Technical Committee of the Asiad, ii) Technical Committee of International Hockey Federation, 1989-93, iii) Jury, Womens Hockey during Asian Games held in China, 1992.

        Recipient of various awards for distinguished services rendered in the international field; accompanied the Indian Womens Hockey team during World Cup held in Spain and during the Pre-Olympics held in Moscow.

        A social worker of repute; honorary General Secretary, Indian Council of Child Welfare for the last more than ten years; set-up schools, homes for blind, deaf and dumb and physically handicapped Children; running several destitute Homes/Training Centres for girls; has started various schemes for orphan/destitute children and for poor but brilliant children; vocational training for blind, deaf, and dumb; President, Samaj Uthan Samiti (a voluntary organization for the welfare of women and children) which organizes adult womens educational centers, balwaries, creches, holiday homes, maternity, child health care and family planning programmes etc. for more than 22 years.

        Elected to the State Assembly in 1974 (by-election), 1982, 1985, 1990 and 1998 from Theog and in 2003 from the adjoining Kumarsain constituency as Congress Candidate. Remained Minister of State for Rural Development (Independent Charge)1984-85; Speaker, State Legislative Assembly, 1985-90; Leader of the Congress Legislature Group, 1990-92; and Minister for MPP and Power, March 6, 2003 to December 28, 2007. Elected to the Assembly for a seventh term in December 2007(Kumarsain); unanimously elected leader of Congress Legislature Party on 10.1.08 and recognised by the Speaker as Leader of Opposition in the House from 22.1.2008.