Iychettira Prema Cariappa is an Indian political and social worker. A politician from Indian National Congress party, she was a former Mayor of Bangalore and a former MP (member of the Parliament of India), as she was representing Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. She is also the chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board. Personal life Prema Cariappa was born in Virajpet on 15 August 1951 to Somaiyanda B. Kushalappa and Thangamma. She completed her college education in Mysore where she studied Bachelor of Arts from Teresian College. Later she married Iychettira M. Cariappa on 13 June 1971. They have two children, a son and a daughter. Career Mayor of Bangalore During 1990–91, Prema Cariappa had been the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, Bangalore City Corporation. Between 1991 and 2001, she was a Corporator in the Bangalore City Corporation. In the years 1991–93, she was Deputy Leader of the Bangalore City Corporation. In 1996–97 she became the Party Leader of the Bangalore City Corporation. In the years1996-99, she was Secretary for the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. She first became the deputy mayor of Bangalore in 1994–95 and then later she became the Mayor of Bangalore in 2000–01, hence becoming the first woman to have occupied both positions. Member of the Rajya Sabha She was elected to the Rajya Sabha for a six-year term in April 2002. On 16 June 2004, she was appointed the Chief Whip of the Congress Party in the Rajya Sabha. During the winter session of 2006, she had strongly supported the Women's Reservation Bill along with other women politicians from across parties. Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board On 16 June 2008, she took over as chairperson of the Central Social Welfare Board. Social Welfare She has worked for the uplift of the poor, widows and destitutes, the development of cities and villages, the improvement of water supply and sanitation and the maintenance of green cover. Various Organisations In 1998–99 she was Chairman of Public Works & Town Planning. In 2000–2002 she was Member of Indian Institute of Public Administration. Between April 2002 and Feb. 2004 she was Member of Committee on Urban and Rural Development. Between August 2002 and February 2004 she was Member of Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Member, Hindi Salahakar Committee (Sub-Committee on Science and Technology). From August 2002 onwards she