List of Female CMs in Indian History: Check Name, States and Tenure

India’s political landscape has shown a significant representation of women in leadership roles, especially among the Chief Ministers (CMSs) in various states. As of February 2025, the number of female CMS in Indian history has increased with Rekha Gupta’s recent appointment as Chief Minister of Delhi. This article provides a detailed overview of the famous women chief ministers in India, their respective states and their tenure.

Famous female chief minister

Name

state

term of office

Sucheta Kripalani

Uttar Pradesh

October 2, 1963 to March 14, 1967

Nandini satpathy

Odisha

March 14, 1973 – September 1, 1977

Shashikala Kakodkar

Goa

August 1973 – April 1979

Anwara Taimur

Assam

December 1980 – June 1981

Vaikom Narayani Janaki Ramachandran

Tamil Nadu

January 7, 1988 – January 30, 1988

J. Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu

May 14, 1991 to May 15, 1996 (first term); May 2001 to September 27, 2001 (second semester); May 23, 2015 to December 5, 2016 ( The third session)

Mayawati

Uttar Pradesh

From June 3, 1995 to October 18, 1995 (first term); from May 2007 to March 15, 2012 (second semester)

Rajinder Kaur Bhattal

Punjab

February 1997 – May 1997

Rabri Devi

Bihar

July 1997 – February 2005

Sushma Swaraj

Delhi

October 1998 – February 1999

Sheila Dikshit

Delhi

December 1998 – December 2013

Uma Bharti

Madhya Pradesh

November 2003 – August 2004

Vasundhara Raje

Rajasthan

December 2003 – December 2008 (first semester); December 2013 – January 2018 (second semester)

Anandiben Patel

Gujarat

May 2014 to August 2016

Mehbooba Mufti

Jamuk and Kashmir

April 4, 2016 to June 19, 2018

Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal

May 20, 2011 – Gift

Attisie

Delhi

February – February (temporary in 2025)

Rekha Gupta

Delhi

February 20, 2025 – Attendance

Rekha Gupta: A new chapter in Delhi

Rekha Gupta’s recent election as Chief Minister of Delhi marks her fourth woman to serve in the country’s capital, a historic moment. Gupta was born in 1974 in Jind District, Haryana, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has a long-term connection. Her political career began in student politics when she was elected President of the Delhi University Student Union in 1996-97.

Gupta started as a member of parliament from North Pitampura in 2007, followed by Shalimar Bagh’s tenure. Throughout her political career in local government, she has played a key role in launching education reform and establishing community centers such as community centers, as well as women and children’s health check camps. Despite her past election setbacks, such as her failure in the 2023 mayoral election, her determination has led to her winning recent rally polls by an outstanding margin.

Also Read | Delhi’s New Chief Minister: Rekha Gupta’s Net Worth

Her appointment has been a 27-year gap since the last time BJP seized power in Delhi. Gupta’s tenure is expected to be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for the capital. She thanked the Party leadership for this responsibility.

Rekha Gupta is attributed to the list of female leaders in Indian politics, strengthening the legacy of women in Indian politics. The more women participate in leadership roles in the government framework, the more they will achieve and the more open their achievements will be for generations. The process of women becoming chief ministers illustrates not only individual success but also a general social transformation, and towards gender equality in political representation. When Gupta enters her new mission, she joins a women’s club that enjoys influence Indian politics.

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