First Lady of Sikkim Late Smt Karuna Singh
Late Smt. Karuna Singh was born on August 11, 1943 at Bodhgaya. (the place of enlightment of Lord Buddha). Her father Raibahadur Ganesh Prasad Rai and mother Smt. Rajeshwari Devi named her Karuna. She was brought up at Patna and educated in Bankipur Girls High School and later at Patna Women’s College.
Late Smt. Karuna Singh got married at an early age to Shri Balmiki Prasad Singh who was then a lecturer at Post Graduate Department of Political Science in Patna University. They have three children, Sumita & Preeti daughters and Rajeev a son. While Rajeev is a member of the Indian Revenue Service (IT), his wife Kirti is a fashion designer. Sumita is teaching physics in Post-graduate Department of Patna Science College Patna and her husband P.N. Rai, IPS is an Addl. D.G of Police in Bihar. Preeti, a journalist, is married to Rajeev Ranjan, IAS who is a Principal Secretary in Government of Tamil Nadu.
On appointment of Mr. B.P. Singh to the IAS in 1964 they moved to Assam. Smt. Karuna Singh drew particular pleasure in associating herself with cultural and social events of tribal and plains people in Assam.
Late Smt. Karuna Singh was a housewife deeply interested in social works related to education and welfare programmes particularly of the poor. She was actively associated with the IAS Wives Welfare Association, Bihar Mahila Samiti and other national level organizations. Her hobbies were gardening and listening to light music.
Much to the grief of Raj Bhavan and all Sikkimese people, she passed away for her heavenly abode on April 01, 2010 due to cardiac failure at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.
