(Top female politicians in India) India has always valued strong and powerful women. From the Hindu mythology which contains strong and powerful Goddesses like Durga. Queens who run entire kingdoms like Razia Sultana, to Indian freedom fighters like Sarojini Naidu, to present-day chief ministers and other politicians. Women have had the right to vote since the beginning of our democracy and they have actively participated and taken interest in the political situation of our country. Unlike some countries (I’m not throwing shade here), women have held all the important posts in our country.
The top female politicians in India have shown great grit and determination and have ruthlessly climbed the ladder. They are very powerful and often revered for their work. But their efforts and achievements in this male-dominated sphere often go unrecognized.
Here is a short list of Top Female Politicians in India!
1. Indira Gandhi
She was India’s first prime minister and she was ruthlessly good at what she did. World leaders like America’s President Richard Nixon used to call her a Man and revere her talent at getting things done her way. Belonging to a political family, the central figure of the Indian National Congress party. She served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, making her the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of India after her father. She was a strong purveyor of centralization of power. Indira declared war on Pakistan and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. She was also known for the controversial declaration of Emergency. There are numerous reasons why she was known as India’s Iron Lady. She deserved the title in every respect. Therefore, she is at number 1 in our list of top female politicians in India.
2. Prathiba Patil
She was the 12th President of India and the only woman to hold that position. BBC has described Patil’s political career prior to assuming presidential office as “long and largely low-key”. She was elected to the parliament at a young age of 27! She practiced law and was a governor for many years. As President, she evoked controversy when she commuted the death sentences of 35 petitioners to life, a record. For the most part, as the first commander in chief of the Indian army, she leads a dignified presidency and did not indulge in much political controversy. Throughout her life, she took great interest in social issues such as improving the conditions faced by Indian women. Her strong determination and empathy makes her one of the top female politicians in India.
3. Jayalalitha
Jayalalitha was an Indian actor and politician who served six terms as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Yeah, you read that right! Six terms! Over the span of 14 years! She began as an actress but soon became a political aide to the then chief minister (who was also a costar) and slowly climbed the ranks of her party: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), a Dravidian party whose cadre revered her as their Amma (mother). She was once assaulted on the floor of the state legislature and she vowed never to return unless she came in as chief minister. And she did!
She was a benevolent philanthropy and one of the top female politicians in India. She sold the necessities of life at highly subsidized rates and had a huge range o “amma” branded products. But her life, as well as death, was ridden with a wide range of controversy with her spending a little while in the Karnataka jail as well!
4. Sushma Swaraj
She is a twitter icon. Rightfully. She is an Indian politician, former Supreme Court lawyer and the current Minister of External Affairs of India. Sushma has been elected around 7+3 times to the Lok Sabha and the state legislature. She was the youngest cabinet minister of her state! Sushma was actually voted in as India’s ‘best-loved politician’ by the US daily Wall Street Journal. She is extremely good at her job as the external minister and maintains friendly relations with many leaders over a wide range of years from Hillary Clinton to Phillip Hammond. Hearing her speak and represent the country at international platforms has united many people with different political affiliations to approve of the job she does.
Sushma Swaraj is one of the top female politicians of the modern India. She is extremely active on twitter and visibly works and helps any Indian abroad who asks her for help. Her quick, efficient and transparent work is worthy of applause.
5. Meira Kumar
A lawyer and former diplomat, I grew up watching Meira Kumar calmly and classily handle many heated parliamentary debates in the Lok Sabha. She is an Indian politician and five-time Member of Parliament. She was elect unopposed as the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha and served from 2009 to 2014. Prior to being a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, she had been elect four times to the Lok Sabha. She served as a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (2004–2009).
6. Smriti Irani
She is the current Information and Broadcasting and Textiles Minister in the Government of India. Smriti Irani is a former model and television actress famous for her role in the hit Indian daily ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’. She proved that being an actress doesn’t necessarily mean being airhead and aloof when she became an active participant in politics. Irani was the most famous pick for the Ministry Of Human Resources of the Modi led BJP government. Her political participation is follow very closely by the media who still see her as a beacon of Indian television. Therefore, she is one of the top female politicians in India.
So, these women were few of the many top female politicians in India. With the pick of women for three major parliamentary positions in the current Modi government, including the first Female Minister of Defence, women continue to be a dominant part of the Indian political scene.
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