Selja Kumari was born on 24 September 1962 at Chandigarh. She is the daughter of Late Shri Choudhury Dalbir Singh, who was an agriculturist. She acquired an M. Phil. Degree from Punjab University, Chandigarh. She is an agriculturist and political and social worker.

In 1990, she became Joint Secretary of All India Mahila Congress. She was elected to 10th Lok Sabha in 1991. She became Union Deputy Minister in Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education and Culture in July 1992, a post she held till September 1995. In 1996 and 2004, she was re-elected to 11th and 14th Lok Sabha respectively. In 2004, she became Union Minister of State, holding Independent Charge, in the Ministry of Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation.

She has a special interest in literacy programmes and as one of the most senior Dalit members of the Congress Party, works towards the eradication of discrimination against the Dalits. She is also concerned with environment issues, especially the regeneration of ecologically degraded areas, and in developmental problems in the Third World in general.