Najma Heptulla

Dr. Najma Heptulla is a Parliamentarian, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of the Indian Parliament) in July 1980. She has the unique distinction of being elected as Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha four times, having served for seventeen years. She was also unanimously elected as President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in 1999 in Berlin, a body of 140 Parliaments of the world, she is the first lady and an Indian to hold the position