Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (िवजयलक्ष्मी नेहरू पण्िडत) (1900 1990) was an Indian diplomat and politician. She was the sister of Indian Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Following India's independence from the British in 1947, she became India's envoy to the Soviet Union. She then became India's ambassador to the United Nations. She was the President of the United Nations General Assembly during the year 1953, becoming the first woman to hold that position. She served as governor of Maharashtra from 1962 until 1964. Pandit was a harsh critic of her niece, Indira Gandhi, after Gandhi became Prime Minister in 1966.

Related Topics:
1900 - 1990 - Indian - Jawaharlal Nehru - 1947 - Soviet Union - United Nations - President of the United Nations General Assembly - 1953 - Governor - Maharashtra - 1962 - 1964 - Indira Gandhi

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In 1921 she married Ranjit Sitaram Pandit. She was the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet post. In 1937 she was elected to the provincial legislature of the United Provinces and designated minister of local self-government and public health. She held the latter post until 1939 and again from 1946 to 1947.

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After independence, she entered the diplomatic service and was India's ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1947-49, and to the US and Mexico from 1949-51. She also headed the Indian delegation to the United Nations from 1946-68 and in '52. She also served as Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and ambassador to Ireland (1955-61) and to Spain (58-61). She was a member of the Indian Lok Sabha from 1964 to1968.

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In 1979 she was appointed the Indian representative to the UN Human Rights Commission, after which she retired from public life. Her writings include The Evolution of India (1958) and The Scope of Happiness: A Personal Memoir (1979).

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Her daughter Nayantara Sahgal is a well-known novelist.

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