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Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

(1900-1990), Indian Ambassador to the United States and President of the United Nations General Assembly

Sitter in 16 portraits
Born in Allahabad, India, the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru. Like her brother, she was imprisoned for activism during India's struggle for independence. She became the first woman to hold a cabinet position in pre-Independence India (1937). She was the leader of the All Indian Women's Conference (1941-1943). Widowed after her barrister husband Ranjit Sitaram Pandit died in jail after being arrested for Independence activism. She brought up her children independently because of discriminatory Indian laws dictated that women were not entitled to any inheritance. During her political career she was Indian ambassador in Moscow, Washington and Mexico, the leader of the Indian UN delegation (1946-8, 1952-3), the first woman president of the UN General Assembly (1953) and Indian High Commissioner to London (1954-56). She became the Indian representative to the UN Human Rights Commission in 1978.

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Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Bern Schwartz
dye transfer print, 27 March 1978
NPG P1231

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Bassano Ltd
bromide print, September 1938
NPG x84424

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Vivienne
bromide print mounted on card, late 1950s
NPG x133231

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

By Ida Kar
2 1/4 inch square film negative, 1958
NPG x137395

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

By Ida Kar
2 1/4 inch square film negative, 1958
NPG x137396

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Ida Kar
vintage bromide print, 1958
NPG x125515

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104678

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104679

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104680

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104681

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104682

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104683

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104684

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104685

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104686

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)

by Rex Coleman, for Baron Studios
5 x 4 inch film negative, 31 July 1961
NPG x104687

Related People

Jawaharlal Nehru (brother)

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Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Sarup Kumari Nehru)