Dr. Jigeesha Jatinbhai Sheth

These days, women’s empowerment has been discussed at National and International levels, and has taken various steps to motivate them in order to boost their social and health status and engage them in development activities. By entering different industries, empowered women have contributed to the management of the country.

Dr. Jigeesha Sheth, an inspiring journey from small town to the 57th Mayor of Vadodara City and third woman Mayor of Vadodara, also holds post-graduation in Anesthesia. She will continue to serve the post of Mayor for 2.5 year term, which was reserved for woman candidate. Earlier, she was a Municipal Councillor of Ward No.8, Sayajiganj Assembly (from 2015 to 2020) and the Chairman of Standing Committee, Vadodara Municipal Corporation (V.M.C) for 2.5 Years (from December-2015 to June-18). She is also the Member of Vishwamitri River Development Company Ltd. With the major provision included in the amendment for the 33% reservation given to women, under which she joined the corporation as the 74th constitutional amendment act in 1993 decree the setting up and decentralization of powers to Urban Local Bodies (ULB), or city governments as the lowest unit of governance in cities and towns. This act gave ULB a responsibility larger than just that of service providers that provide water, waste management, electricity, and modernization of the traditional system to a highly effective system.

Because of her experience, and the fact that her tenure as the standing committee chairman of the communal body was impeccable, her name was being debated among the front-runner for the post. In 1999-2000, she also held the role of chairperson and was also named for a decade to key roles of the party in the past, including that of a member of the state executive committee and the vice president of the Vadodara city unit.

She held the multiple position of Municipal Councillor of Old Ward No. 7 (from 1995 to 2005) for two terms, along with the Chairperson of Health Committee (from 1995 to 1997), Chairperson of Standing Committee (from 1999 to 2000), Member of Standing Committee (from 1998 to 2000) and Member of Gujarat Pollution Board (from 1995 to 1997). She also remained Director of Smart City Vadodara (S.P.V), for 2.5 Years, Director of Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) for 2.5 Years and Member of Affordable Housing Committee, V.M.C for 2.5 Years. She remained Chairperson of the Prenatal Diagnostic Technique (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse Act-1994) Jilla Collector of Vadodara for 5 Years, Member of Consumer Protection Committee (Gujarat Government) for 5 Years, Director of Gujarat Municipal Finance Board (from Nov-2013 to March-2017), and Member of Municipal School board, Vadodara (from 2011 to 2015).

She was also active member of Gujarat Pradesh Karobari (from 2013 to 2016) and Vice Chairperson of Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.) Vadodara City 10 Years. Jigeesha Sheth has also contributed in Member Board of Management, Maharani Shantadevi Nursing Home, Bhailal Amin General Hospital, Beautiful Baroda Council, Soclean, and Handicapped Society.

For women working shoulder to shoulder with men, Dr. Jigeesha Sheth sets the perfect exampleof women empowerment and she have proved this fact by achieving a lot in her life. She integrates her daily routine life with family as care taker and Mayor as work profession. Such an inspirational person is the ideal for the other women who wants to achieve and learn from her.