Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1900-1990), the younger sister of Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of independent India, was the first woman to be elected President of the U.N. General Assembly (1953-54). As a child she was deeply influenced by the history of Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi and thereafter by the example of Sarojini Naidu, who had championed the cause of women as early as in 1917. She joined the National Movement under the inspiration of Mahtma Gandhi. Her involvement in the National Movement was total and she was sentenced to imprisonment in 1932 as well as 1940. She served as the Ambassador of India to the USSR, USA, Maxico, Ireland and Spain as well as India's High Commissioner to the UK. She was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1952 and 1964 and was Governor of Maharashtra during 1962-64. Shri K. R. Narayanan, President, Republic of India has described her contribution thus : "as an articulate President of United Nations General Assembly, She brought credit not only to India, but to the decolonized world and to womankind."

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