Sucheta Kriplani holds the distinction of being the first woman Chief Minister in India. She served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1963 to 1967, making her the first woman to lead the government of any Indian state. Known for her principled leadership and administrative integrity, her tenure was marked by transparency and fairness. A significant challenge during her leadership was the historic 62-day strike by state government employees, which she navigated with firmness and diplomacy, eventually reaching a compromise without compromising governance.

Born as Sucheta Mazumdar in Ambala, Haryana, she pursued her education at Indraprastha College and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and later became a lecturer at Banaras Hindu University. In 1936, she married prominent socialist leader Acharya Kripalani. Sucheta Kriplani played a vital role in the Indian freedom movement, particularly in the Quit India Movement. Post-Independence, she was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and 1957, and later served as Minister of State for Small Scale Industries. In 1962, she was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Kanpur and joined the state cabinet before becoming Chief Minister. She retired from active politics in 1971 and passed away in 1974, remembered as a pioneering woman leader in Indian history.