Sushila Tiriya belongs to a freedom fighters family. Her father, Shri Rupnarayan Tiriya, opened a school and took keen interest in educating the tribal community.[1]
At the age of 24, Sushila Tiriya joined the Youth Congress (I) and became its President and Vice-president in 1983 and 1984 respectively, from Mayurbhanj District, Odisha.[1]
In 1994, she contested in the tenth Lok Sabha elections for an ST seat and won from Mayurbhanj. During that term, she served as Member of Consultative Committees of Ministry of Science and Technology, Forest and Environment, and Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies, from 1994 to 1996.[1]
From 1995 onwards, she served as the Joint Secretary of All India Congress Committee, along with getting re-elected as a Lok Sabha member in 1996.[1]
Social work
Sushila Tiriya has special interests in the upliftment of rural poor tribals as well as the unemployed youth. She is associated with tribal organisations, namely, `SUGAR'; `Swayan Vikas Samity' and Rural Youth Tribals Development Association. She also organises two sports events in village Kaluakhaman through tribal association every year to encourage the tribal youth to improve their ability in sports field in Distt. Mayurbhanj.[1]