Influential women politicians who made a mark in India's history

Both Indira Gandhi and Gayatri Devi were prominent figures in Indian politics after India gained its Independence in August 15, 1947.

As India gears up to celebrate 75 years of Independence, here's a look at women politicians who played important roles in shaping the country's history.

Indira Gandhi

In this picture taken early 1984 shows Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi (R) and her son Rajiv (L) at a Congress Party meeting in New Delhi.

Indira Gandhi was the country's third and only woman Prime Minister. daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, the 1st prime minister of India. She served as the Prime Minister from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination in October 1984. Indira Gandhi was known for her political intransigency and unprecedented centralisation of power.

She had announced a state of emergency from 1975 to 1977 where basic civil liberties were suspended and the press was censored. In 1980, she returned to power but in 1984 after she ordered military action in the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star, her own bodyguards and Sikh nationalists assassinated her on October 31.

In 1999, Indira Gandhi was named "Woman of the Millennium" in an online poll organised by the BBC and  in 2020, she was named by Time magazine among the world's 100 powerful women who defined the last century.

Gayatri Devi

While privy purses were abolished in 1971 and the royal families in India lost their titles, Gayatri Devi contested the Lok Sabha elections from Jaipur and made history. (Image credit: @fashionastro/Twitter)

Maharani Gayatri Devi made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest majority won by any candidate in any election in any democratic country in the world. In 1962, she contested the Lok Sabha elections on a Swatantra Party ticket and won the Jaipur seat by the biggest ever majority in the world — 1,75,000 votes.

The Sawai Man Singh II’s third wife, former princess of Cooch Behar and Rajmata of Jaipur was a vocal critic of Indira Gandhi and was even jailed during Emergency.

Sonia Gandhi

Sonia Gandhi has now chosen to stay away from active public life and is represented in the party by her son Rahul Gandhi and daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Italian by birth, Sonia Gandhi moved to India after getting married to Rajiv Gandhi, after the death of her husband and then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, she eventually took up the reigns of the Congress party and guided it and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) through many elections and national crises.

In 2004, when the UPA emerged victorious, Sonia Gandhi was widely expected to pick up the mantle of the Prime Minister. She, however, declined the post and named former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister.

J Jayalalithaa

When J Jayalalithaa became Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister for the first time, she was the state's youngest.

She started off as a an actor before eventually becoming Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and Tamil Nadu's most influential woman politician who held on to power for three decades.

Fondly called "Amma", her most notable contribution to the state includes water projects, people friendly schemes and freebies, attracting investment for the state and ensuring that Tamil Nadu became a power-surplus state.

She, however, also had to spend time in jail after being convicted for corruption.

Sushma Swaraj

Sushma Swaraj had opted out of fighting the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 due to health reasons. She died on August 6 the same year after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Sushma Swaraj was undoubtedly one of the most beloved ministers of the country. She was also the second woman minister to hold the portfolio of External Affairs Easily. Sushma Swaraj was also popular for reaching out to people calling for help on Twitter -- a practice that won millions of hearts.

In 2020 she was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, one of the country's highest civilian honours.

Mamata Banerjee

Mamata Banerjee became the Chief Minister of West Bengal for the first time in 2011.

The first female chief minister of West Bengal, Banerjee is popularly called as "Didi". She launched the Trinamool Congress party in 1997, and dethroned the 34-year-old CPIM government in the state. She was also the first female Railway Minister of the country.

Mayawati

Mayawati was the first woman scheduled caste Chief Minister in India.

Mayawati has been the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh four times and the most powerful dalit leader among women politicians. She is considered an icon by millions of dalits across the country. Her powerful influence also inspired several dalit women to join politics.