Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first woman to hold a ministerial position in India. In 1937, she was elected to the provincial legislature of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) and served as the Minister for Local Self-Government and Public Health, making her the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet-level post. She served in this role until 1939 and resumed the position from 1946 to 1947, showcasing her dedication to governance and public welfare during the tumultuous years leading up to independence.

The sister of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit had a distinguished career in both national and international politics. After India’s independence in 1947, she was appointed as India’s first ambassador to the Soviet Union and later served as ambassador to several countries including the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. In 1952, she returned to India and was elected to the Lok Sabha. A year later, in 1953, she created history by becoming the first woman to be elected President of the United Nations General Assembly. A staunch advocate of human rights and global peace, she also took a firm stand against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. After retiring from public life, she lived in Dehradun until her death on December 1, 1990, leaving behind a legacy of courage, diplomacy, and trailblazing leadership.