Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

Pandit, Vijaya Lakshmi (1900– ), Indian diplomat and political leader. The sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, Pandit was active in the struggle for India's independence and helped implement a postwar policy of nonalignment. She was ambassador to the United States (1949–51) and was the first woman to serve as president of the UN General Assembly (1953–54). She was governor of Maharashtra (1962–1967). After 1967 she became a member of Parliament. In 1977 she retired from the Congress Party.

See also: India.