Supriya Sule: A Political Journey of Advocacy and Engagement
Pune, 5th June 2024: Supriya Sule graduated with a B.Sc. in Microbiology from Jai Hind College in Mumbai. On March 4, 1991, she married Sadanand Bhalchandra Sule, with whom she has two children, Vijay and Revati. Following her marriage, Sule lived in California, USA, studying water pollution at UC Berkeley. She later moved to Indonesia and Singapore before eventually returning to India.
Sule made her political debut by being elected to the Rajya Sabha in September 2006 from Maharashtra. She actively campaigned against female foeticide, organizing padayatras, college events, and competitions to raise awareness. In 2012, she founded the Rashtravadi Yuvati Congress to promote the participation of young girls in politics, organizing rallies across Maharashtra focusing on female foeticide, the dowry system, and women empowerment. Sule has garnered recognition for her parliamentary engagement, being acknowledged as one of the Best Performers in Lok Sabha multiple times.
Representing the Baramati Lok Sabha Constituency of the Nationalist Congress Party, she has held the seat since 2009. Regarding political controversies, she faced allegations regarding her involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2010, with reports suggesting her husband’s ownership stake in firms associated with the IPL. Sule denied any direct involvement, citing her minority shareholder status and maintaining distance from such issues.
Supriya Sule and her husband Sadanand Sule possess substantial assets, including cash, bank deposits, shares, and mutual funds. As of 29th February 2024, Supriya holds Rs 42,500 in cash, while Sadanand has Rs 56,200. Their deposits in banks, financial institutions, and NBFCs exceed Rs 20.96 crore. Despite their significant wealth, Sule owes Rs 35 lakh to her sister-in-law, Sunetra Pawar, and Rs 20 lakh to her nephew, Parth Pawar. The Sule couple have invested in shares of various companies, with Supriya owning shares worth Rs 13.69 crore in 61 companies and Sadanand owning shares worth Rs 9.99 crore in 56 companies, including prominent names like Reliance Industries, Infosys, and Tata Consultancy Services. Additionally, Supriya has investments in mutual funds valued at Rs 2.04 crore, spread across seven funds, while Sadanand’s mutual fund investments exceed Rs 1.11 crore, distributed among five funds.
Supriya Sule expressed gratitude towards the voters of Baramati, stating, “I am grateful towards the voters of Baramati. Since the day of the NCP split, I don’t know how these 11 months passed. My responsibilities have increased as the way people have supported me and showed belief in me. The incidents that happened in these elections don’t suit Maharashtra, and I hope this doesn’t happen in the Vidhan Sabha elections. We will make full efforts for that.”
In an interview with Punekar News before the elections, Supriya Sule confidently stated, “Baccha Baccha of our country knows Sharad Pawar, not other Pawar. We will win these elections.”