India Local Leaders

Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
India Local Leaders
Ministers in the states are to be added later

Governors

1947-49 Sarojini Chattopadhyaya Naidu, Uttar Pradesh
She was leading member of the Congress. Lived (1879-1949)

1956-57 Padmaja Naidu Mukherjee, West Bengal
She was daughter of Savorjini Naidu. Lived (1900-75)

1963-64 Vijaya L. Pandit, Maharastra
She was sister of Premier Pandit Nehru.Also ambassador and President of the UN General Assembly. Lived (1900-90)

1977-83 Jyoti Venkatachalam, Kerala

1977 Sharada Mukherjee, Andra Pradesh
1978-84 Governor of Gujarat

1985-90 Kumudben Joshi, Andra Pradesh

1988-90 Ram Dulari Sinha, Kerala

1989-90 Serla Grewal, Madhyra Pradesh

1991-91 Chandrawati, Pondicherry (Union Territory) (Lieutenant Governor)

1995-98 Rajendra Kumari Bajapi, Pondicherry (Lieutenant Governor)
She lived (1925-99)

1995-98 Sheila Kaul, Himshal Pradesh
(b.1915-)

1997-2001 M.S. Fatima Beeri, Tamil Nadu

1997-99 V.S. Ramadevi, Himashal Pradesh
1999-2002 Governor of Karnataka

1998-2002 Dr. Jajani Rai, Pondicheery (Lieutenant Governor)

2004-07 Pratibha Patil, Rajastan
President of India from 2007.

2008- Prabha Rau, Himachal Pradesh
2009- Governor of Rajasthan
From December 2009-January 2010 she was Acting Governor of Rajasthan, following the death of her predecessor. (1935-).

2009- Margaret Alva, Uttarakhand
MP 1974-2004. Member of the Panel of Vice-Chairmen of Lok Sabha 1983-85 and 1999-2009, Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs 1984-85, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sports, Women and Child Development 19856-89, Minister of State with independent charge of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions 1991 and 1993-96 and also Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs 1993-96, Deputy Chief Whip of the Congress Party 1993-95 and Party Secretary General and in charge of Party Affairs in several provinces until 2008. Daughter-in-law of Violet Alva. (b. 1944-)

2009 Dr Kamla Beniwal, Tripura
2009- Governor of Gujarat
Former Minister of Irrigation and Revenue and Deputy Chief Minister in 2003 in Rajasthan. (b. 1926-).

2010- Urmila Singh, Himachal Pradesh

Chief Ministers

1935-49 Vice-President of the State-Council Princess Abida Sultaan of Bhopal, Bhopal
1960 Titular 18th Nawwab Begum Regnant of Bhopal
She succeded to the title after the death of her father, HH Sikander Savlat Ifrikar il-Mulk Haji Sir Muhammad Hamidullah Khan Badur, but relinguished it in favour of a sister, and lived (1913-2002)

1963-67 Sucheta Kripalani, Uttar Pradesh
She lived (1908-74)

1972-73 Nadini Satpathy, Orissa
1974-76 Chief Minister
Also Union Minister of Information. She lived (1931-2006).

1973-79 Shashikala Kakodkar, Goa, Daman and Diu

1980-81 Anwara Sayeda Taimur, Assam

1987-88 V.V. Janaki Ramachandra, Tamil Nadu
She lived (ca. 1923-96)

1991-96, 2001 and 2002-2006 J. Jayalalitha Jayaram, Tamil Nadu

1995, 1997, 2002-03 and 2007- Mayawati, Uttar Pradesh
Vice-President of Bahujan Samaja Party 1995-2002 and Party Leader from 2002.

1996-97 Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Punjab
2004- Deputy Chief Minister

1997-99, 1999 and 2000-05 Rabri Devi, Bihar

1998 Sushma Swaraj, Delhi
Former and later Union Minister

1998- Sheila Dixit, Delhi
Former Union Minister

2003- Vasundhra Raje, Rajastan
Former Union Minister

2003-04 Uma Bharati, Madhyra Pradesh
Former Union Minister and a leader of the BJP-Party.

Parliaments

1951 and 1962-66 Deputy Speaker of the State Assembly Shano Devi, Punjab

1955-56 Speaker of the Legislature Ammal Lakshimi Pathi, Madras
India's first female deputy speaker was also in Madras, Dr. Muthulakhimi Reddi, 1929-33.

1955-56 Speaker of the Assembly Sushila Nayyar, Delhi

1985-90 Speaker of Vidhan Sabha (Asembly) Vidya Stokes, Himachal Pradesh

1999-2004 Speaker of the Assembly K. Pratibha Bharati, Andra Pradesh
She was Minister of Social Welfare 1983, 1985 and 1994 and 1998 of Higher Education.

1999-2005 Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Kalawati Subba, Sikkim
From 2005 Minister in the government.

2003- Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Sumitra Singh, Rajesthan
MLA 1957-80, 1985-92 and from 1998, Minister of State 1967-71 and Minister of Energy 1990. (b 1930-).

Mayors

1958 Aruna Asaf Ali, Delhi

2007- Arti Mehra, New Delhi
The other main candidate was ms. Meera Aggarwal

Other

1946 Minister of Health Rukmini Laxmipathi, Madras
Member of the Congress Pararty from 1923, she was member of the Madras Legislative Assembly from 1937. Lived (1892-1951)

Last update 20.01.10