Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Republic of India/ Bharat
Independent 1948 (female suffrage 1947)
Rajya Sabha/ Upper House
1953-54 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya
Sabha Violet Alva
1962-69 Deputy Chairperson
1969 Acting Chairperson (3.5-20-7)
In 1957-62 Minister of State for Home Affairs. The Vice-President is
ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and vacates this position when he/she
acts as President. In this case the Deputy Chairperson acts Chair of the R.S.
In 1969 she resigned after Indira Gandhi backed another than her as
Vice-President of the Nation. She died one week later.
1956-57 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Sharda Bhargava
1957-58 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Savitry Dui
Nigam (née Nigam)
She was member 1952-62 and lived (1919-85)
1959 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Maya Devi Chettry
1965-67 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Tara Ram Chandra Sathe
1982-84 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Dr. Sarojini Mahishi
1982-85 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Dr. Smt. Najoma Akbouvali
Heptulla
1985-86 Deputy Chairperson
1986-88 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha
1988-2004 Deputy Chairperson
1997 Acting Chairperson (24.7-21.8)
1999 Acting Chairperson (April-May)
1999-2002 President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Interparliamentary Union,
IPU
2002 Acting Chairperson of RS (27.7-19.8)
Vice-Chairperson of the COmmonwealth Parliamentary Association in 1987 (as the
first woman), Secretary General of Congress (I) 1986-87 and Party Spokesperson
1986-87 and 1998.In 1997 she was close being nominated as vice-President of the nation, but the
premier backed someone else.In 2002 she was Officiating Chairperson after the
death of the Chairperson and Vice-President of the Nation, who died a couple of
weeks before his successor was to be inaugurated. Vice-Presidential Candidate in 2007 and Union Minister of Minorities from 2014. (b. 1940-).
1983-85 and 1999-2004 Member of the Panel of
Chairmen of Lok Sabha Margaret Alva
MP since 1974. Minister of State a number of times, held high party offices and
is Governor of since 2009.
1985-87 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Kanak Mukherjee
Member of the Government of Maharashtra 1967-78 and 1982-85, Congress Leader and
Leader of the Opposition 1979-80. Deputy Chairperson of the Union Upper House,
the Rajya Sabha 1986-88 and Acting Chairperson in 1987, when the incumbent was
elected President, Governor of Rajasthan 2004-07 and State President from 2007.
Married to Devisingh Shekhawat, a former Mayor of Amravati. (b. 1934-).
1989-91
and 1993-97 Member of Panel of Chairmen of Lok Sabha Geeta Mukherjee
She has been an activist of the Communist Party since 1946. She lived
(1924-2000)
1990-98 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Swaraj Sushma
She qwas chairperson of the Home Affairs Committee, 1996 and 1998
she was
Union Minister of Information, 1998 Chief Minister of Delhi, since 2004 Chairperson of the Home Affairs Commitee of the Rajya Sabha and Foreign Minister from 2014.
1990-91 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Jayanthi Natarajan
1993-97 Director General of the Rajya Sabha V.S. Rama Devi
From 1997 Lt. Govoner of Pondincherry
1994-98 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Saroj Khaparde
Minister of State 1984-89.
1994-97 Member of Panel of Vice-Chairmen of Rajya Sabha Kamla Sinha
In 1997-98 Minister of State of External Affairs.
1994-97 and 2006-14 Member of Panel of Vice-Chairmen of Rajya Sabha Jayanathi Natarejan
Minister of State of Civil
Aviation and of Parliamentary Affairs
1997-98 (b.
1954-)
1996-97
and 1998-99 Member of Panel of Chairmen
of Lok Sabha Prof. Rita Verma
She was Whip of the BJP Parliamentary Party in 1998 and from 1999 Union Minister
of State
2004-14 Member of the Panel of
Chairmen of Lok Sabha Sumitra Mahajan
2014- Speaker of the Lok
Sabha
Chairperson of the Social Justice and Empowerment
Committee, Union Minister of State 1999-2002
2004-06 Vice-Chairperson of Rajya Sabha
Sarla
Maheshwari
2006-09 Member of the Panel of
Chairmen of Lok Sabha Krishna Tirath
Minister for Social Welfare, Labour and
Employment in the State Government of Delhi 1998-2003, Deputy Speaker of the
Delhi Assembly 2003-04 and Minister of State with independent charge of Women
and Child Development.
2009-14 Speaker of Lok Sabha
Meira Kumar
Former diplomat,
MP from 1985,
General-Secretary, All India Congress Committee 1990-1992 and 1996-1999 and
Union Minister of Social Justice and
Empowerment 2004-09 and Minister for Water Resources in 2009. (b. 1945-).
2009-14 Member of the Panel of Chairmen of Lok Sabha Girija Vyas
2014- Member of the Panel of
Chairmen of Lok Sabha Dr. Ratna De (Nag)
Last update 20.05.14