Who is 'Bihar ki Beti' Kamla Persad, Trinidad and Tobago's first woman PM?

During his official visit to Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly acknowledged his counterpart, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, by calling her "Bihar ki beti" (daughter of Bihar). This was in reference to her ancestral ties to the Indian state of Bihar.

Addressing the Indian community in the Caribbean nation, PM Modi elaborated, "Prime Minister Kamalaji's ancestors lived in Buxar, Bihar. Kamalaji herself has visited there. People consider her a daughter of Bihar." Modi's remark was a tribute to her ancestral roots in Bhelupur village, located in Bihar's Buxar district, from where her forefathers had migrated over a century ago.

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Who is Kamla Persad-Bissessar?

Kamla Persad-Bissessar is the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Persad-Bissessar is the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago — first in 2010 and once again after her party’s win in the 2025 general elections.

Married to Dr Gregory Bissessar, she is also a mother and remains a prominent political figure and symbol of Indian heritage in the Caribbean.

Educational qualifications

A graduate of Iere High School, she pursued higher studies across Jamaica, England, and Trinidad, earning multiple degrees.

Her educational qualifications include Bachelor of Arts (Hons.), a Bachelor of Laws (Hons.), and a Legal Education Certificate, eventually completing an Executive MBA from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

She began her career as an educator and social worker, teaching at institutions in Jamaica and Trinidad, including the University of the West Indies, before transitioning into full-time legal practice.

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Indian ancestral roots

Kamla Persad-Bissessar has deep ancestral ties to India — more specifically, to Bhelupur village in Bihar’s Buxar district. Her ancestral connection was confirmed by archival research.

In 2012, she visited her ancestral village, Bhelupur in Bihar, where she addressed a large gathering and paid homage to her roots. Speaking emotionally, she had said, “Whatever I am today, it is because of my forefathers. It is in my genetic make-up and DNA.”

“They left the country at a time when there was no cellphone or social networking sites. They, in fact, they could not even read and write but they carried with them their quintessential culture and values of their community and land,” she added.

Calling herself a “granddaughter of the village,” she referred to the people of the village as family and described her visit as a “relationship of heart.”

In 2012, she was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman — the highest honour for overseas Indians — by then President Pratibha Patil, acknowledging her outstanding leadership and her efforts in strengthening India-Trinidad ties.

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Entry into politics

According to her official profile on the World Economic Forum, she has been the political leader of the united national congress (UNC) since January 2010.

Her entry into national politics began in 1987 as an alderman in the St. Patrick County Council.

Her political career took off with her appointment to the Senate in 1994, and she went on to represent the Siparia constituency in Parliament from 1995 onward, holding key portfolios such as Attorney General, Minister of Education, and Minister of Legal Affairs.

She was appointed Leader of the Opposition twice before becoming Prime Minister for the first time in 2010, creating history as the first female head of government in the country.