The first woman Governor of a state in free India was

Question

The first woman Governor of a state in free India was

1. A. Indira Gandhi
2. B. Vijaya Laxmi Pandit
3. C. Sarojini Naidu (Correct answer)
4. D. Sucheta Kripalani

Correct Answer

Option C — Sarojini Naidu

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Sarojini Naidu.

Key Points

• Sarojini Naidu became the first woman Governor of a state in independent India, taking office as Governor of the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) in 1947.
• Known as the Nightingale of India, she was also the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress, in 1925.
• Sucheta Kripalani was India's first woman Chief Minister (Uttar Pradesh, 1963) — a different office.
• Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first woman President of the UN General Assembly.

Additional Information

• Sarojini Naidu was also the first Indian woman to serve as President of the Indian National Congress, at its 1925 Kanpur session. The first woman to hold that post at all was Annie Besant in 1917.
• Known as the Nightingale of India (Bharat Kokila) for her poetry, her collections include *The Golden Threshold* and *The Broken Wing*.
• Her birthday, 13 February, is observed as National Women's Day in India.