Veena George
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| Minister for Health and Woman and Child Development, Government of Kerala | |
| Assumed office 20 May 2021 (2021-05-20) | |
| Chief Minister | Pinarayi Vijayan |
| Preceded by | K. K. Shailaja |
| Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 2 June 2016 (2016-06-02) | |
| Preceded by | K. Sivadasan Nair |
| Constituency | Aranmula |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1976-08-03) 3 August 1976 (age 47) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Political party | Communist Party of India (Marxist) |
| Spouse | George Joseph |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, University of Kerala (B.Sc., M.Sc., B.Ed.) |
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Veena George (born 3 August 1976) is an Indian politician and former journalist who currently serves as the Minister for Health and Woman and Child Development in the Government of Kerala.[1] She represents Aranmula Assembly constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 2016. A member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Veena worked with major Malayalam news channels for over 16 years prior to joining politics. She was also the first female executive editor among Regional Malayalam news channels.[2]
Veena George was born in Thiruvananthapuram on 3 August 1976 to Rosamma Kuriakose and Adv. P. E. Kuriakose in a Malankara Orthodox Christian family. She completed her basic schooling from Mount Bethany High School MylaprainPathanamthitta district. She pursued BSc and MSc Physics from Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram and completed her BEd as a University of Kerala rank holder. She had taught PhysicsatCatholicate College Pathanamthitta for one year before taking up journalism as her career choice. She joined Kairali TV as a journalist trainee and had a 16 year long successful career with prominent Malayalam news channels. In 2015, she took charge as the executive editor of the Malayalam news channel TV New and become the first woman to do so.[3] She is married to Dr. George Joseph, a higher secondary school teacher.[4]
Veena George began her career at Kairali TV as a journalist trainee, later she joined Manorama News as a news anchor and also presented morning shows and special international news programmes. Later she was associated with Malayalam news channels Indiavision, Reporter TV in prominent roles and joined TV New in the role of executive editor in 2015.[5]
She was a Students' Federation of India (SFI) activist in her college days. She contested elections for the first time when the CPI (M) fielded her from an INC held Aranmula seat in 2016 assembly polls. She defeated senior INC leader, K. Sivadasan Nair with a margin of 7646 votes. In 2019 Indian general election, Veena contested from Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency and came second in a fierce tri-cornered battle with the BJP and INC.[6] She retained her seat in 2021 assembly elections with an increased margin of 19,003 votes. On 20 May 2021, she was sworn in as a cabinet minister in the first Left Democratic Front government to retain power and the first government to be re-elected since 1977.[7] On 21st, she took charge as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare as the successor of renowned CPI (M) leader, K. K. Shailaja.[8]
| Year | Constituency | Opponent | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Aranmula | Adv. K. Sivadasan Nair (INC) | Won | 7646[9] |
| 2021 | Aranmula | Adv. K. Sivadasan Nair (INC) | Won | 19000[10] |
| Year | Constituency | Opponent | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Pathanamthitta | Anto Antony (INC) | Lost | 44243[11] |
