Born at the turn of the twentieth century, in 1900, 'Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit' played a key role in India's freedom struggle. After Independence, Pandit entered the diplomatic service and served as India's ambassador to the Soviet Union, the United States, Mexico and Ireland. She was also the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. In 1953, she became the first woman President of the United Nations General Assembly. In India, she served as Governor of Maharashtra from 1962 to 1964, after which she was elected to the Lok Sabha. Her writings include 'So I Became a Minister' and 'The Scope of Happiness: A Personal Memoir'.