Question

The first woman President of the Congress was
a. Annie Besant
b. Sarojini Naidu
c. Indira Gandhi
d. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

Answer 1

Hint: The Indian National Congress was formed in the year 1885. The party had a dominant position during India’s struggle for independence from the British rule.

Complete Step by Step Answer: The Indian National Congress was the first nationalist movement to emerge in Asia and Africa during the colonization by the British. Its first session was conducted in Bombay from 28th December to 31st December in 1885 when a retired Civil officer named Allan Octavian Hume. At the first, the objective was to get a larger share in the government for educated Indians and to create a stage for civic and political communication between the Indians and the British.
The Congress at first concentrated on moderate reforms during the British rule in India. Afterwards, during the 20th century, the activists started boycotting British imports and promoting locally manufactured goods. In other words, they started boosting the Swadeshi movement. Later during the 1920s Mahatma Gandhi took up the leadership and started non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements ultimately driving out the British from India.
Looking at the given alternatives,
Option a- Annie Besant was a British theosophist, socialist, writer and women’s right activist. She was an ardent supporter of Indian as well as Irish self-rule. She also helped launch Home Rule League. She was the first woman to have presided the Congress session held at Calcutta in 1917 and was elected as its first woman president. So, this is the right answer.
Option b- Sarojini Naidu was an Indian poet and a political activist. She was an active nationalist who led various rallies for Indian independence. She was also conferred the title of Nightingale of India because of her poetry work. She also became the president of the Congress in 1925 but was not the first woman to do so. Thus, it is an incorrect answer.
Option c- Indira Gandhi was an Indian politician. She was the first woman Prime Minister of India. She is known to have utmost political determination and centralisation of power. She also became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1959 years after Annie Besant did so. This is a wrong answer.
Option d- Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was also an Indian politician and diplomat. She was the first female president of the United Nations General Assembly and not the Indian National Congress. So, this is also a wrong alternative.
Hence, option ‘a’ is correct.

Note: Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee became the first President of the Indian National Congress after its foundation.