Mamata Banerjee, born on January 5, 1955, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), West Bengal, is a prominent politician, legislator, and incumbent chief minister of West Bengal. She achieved a historic milestone as the first female chief minister of West Bengal, serving in this capacity since 2011.

Growing up in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in south Calcutta, Mamata faced adversity early on with the death of her father. Nevertheless, she pursued education, earning multiple degrees, including a bachelor's in law and a master's in arts from the University of Calcutta. Her political journey began during her school days when she joined the Congress (I) Party in West Bengal. Over the years, she held various positions within the party and other local political organizations.