Nainital
Literature
Festival

Born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in December 1947 to prominent INA leaders Capt. Lakshmi Sahgal and Col. Prem Sahgal, Subhashini Ali received her schooling in Kanpur and Dehradun. She pursued higher education in Madras and the United States before returning to India and joining the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in 1969.

She began her political work among trade unions in Kanpur, later relocating to Bombay following her marriage. There, she emerged as a leading voice for women’s rights and was a founding member of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) in 1981. Returning to Kanpur in 1984, she was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989.

Her activism continues unabated. She served as a member of the CPI(M) Politburo from 2014 to 2025 and currently remains an invitee to the party’s Central Committee.