In the context of Indian Politics, Sushma Swaraj's impact can not be emphasised enough. She wasn't just a politician but a true leader and an example of how a politician must conduct oneself with grace and poise.

Her political career began as a student in the 70s when the JP movement was ebbing and flowing. She was an important contributor to the Total Revolution Movement that began in 1974 and played a crucial role in mobilizing the students, an early glimpse of her prowess as a leader of the masses. A few years down the line after the emergency ended, she became a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party, where she remained for the rest of her political career.

At a time when women were still seen through a regressive lens, she made a name for herself, becoming the youngest cabinet minister at 25 years of age. Although she has many political laurels to her name, her most significant contribution to the Indian body politic came in her final stint in a position of responsibility, when she served as the Minister of External Affairs from 2014 to 2019.

She thrived in her responsibilities, juggling the demands of the international arena and the masses with effortlessness. She revamped how the formulation of foreign policy had been approached- she gave the people a stake in the process, and the people's will reflected in whatever she chose to do. Her use of social media in public outreach truly revolutionised the relations between the executive and the people.

She chose to abscond from participating in the next elections due to liver complications. A few months after, in August 2019, she passed away due to a cardiac arrest, but she left a golden legacy behind. In Sushma Swaraj, we found a leader who truly lived by the words- by the people, of the people, and for the people.