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
Ms. Pandit was a veteran politician and leader in her own right but also came from a family background steeped in politics, including her brother, Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister following the country’s hard-won independence from a near century of British rule.
An active Indian nationalist, she was also the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-independence India. As newly independent India’s top diplomat, Ms. Pandit served as ambassador, to the then Soviet Union as well as the United States, and as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1961.
Watch Madame President Pandit address the world body here, part of our #ThrowbackThursday series showcasing epic moments from UN history from the UN Audiovisual Library’s 49,400 hours of video and 18,000 hours of audio recordings.
Catch up on our series here, and watch episodes from UN Video’s Stories from the UN Archive playlist here.
UN Photo/Albert Fox
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, pictured at UN Headquarters alongside then Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. (file)
Nora Chambers, an acclaimed journalist with a focus on global affairs and humanitarian issues, has dedicated over twenty years to reporting from conflict zones worldwide. Her work has spotlighted marginalized communities and highlighted urgent international concerns.
Was Ms. Pandit the first woman to become the President of the UN General Assembly?
Yes, Ms. Pandit was indeed the first woman to serve as the President of the UN General Assembly. She made history with her remarkable leadership and contributions to the international community.
As an Indian woman, I am inspired by Ms. Pandit’s accomplishments and her impactful role in shaping India’s pre-independence politics. Her journey from a cabinet minister to becoming the first female president of the UN General Assembly is truly remarkable.
As an Indian woman, I feel incredibly proud to see Ms. Pandit breaking barriers and making history as the UN’s first female President. Her leadership and diplomatic achievements have paved the way for future generations of women in politics. Truly inspiring!
Who was the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-independence India?
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-independence India. She blazed a trail for women in politics and diplomacy, leaving a lasting impact on India’s history.
It’s truly inspiring to see a trailblazing figure like Ms. Pandit take on such a pivotal role. Her background and experience make her a strong leader for the UN, bringing a fresh perspective and shaking things up in the best way possible. Looking forward to witnessing her impactful contributions!
Wow, what an inspiring story! Ms. Pandit truly paved the way for women in politics and diplomacy. Her legacy will continue to inspire future generations of leaders.
As an Indian myself, I am immensely proud of the legacy and achievements of Ms. Pandit. Her groundbreaking role as the UN’s first female president truly embodies the spirit of progress and equality. She paved the way for women in leadership across the world, leaving an indelible mark on history.
It’s incredible to see the UN elect its first female president, breaking barriers and paving the way for gender equality in global leadership. Ms. Pandit’s remarkable journey and achievements are truly inspiring, and her contributions to diplomacy and politics have left a lasting impact on the world stage.
As an Indian woman, it’s truly inspiring to see Ms. Pandit break through barriers and lead the UN as its first female President. Her legacy continues to inspire women around the world to pursue leadership roles and make a difference in global affairs.
It’s truly inspiring to see the UN elect its very first female President! Ms. Pandit’s legacy as a groundbreaking female leader in Indian politics sets a powerful example for women everywhere.