Who was the first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the Republic of India?

Introduction / Context:
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award in India, given for exceptional service towards the advancement of art, literature, science, and public service. Questions about the first recipients in different categories frequently appear in competitive exams. This question specifically asks for the first Indian woman who was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, making it a combination of both gender based firsts and national honours in general knowledge.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The focus is on the first Indian woman to receive Bharat Ratna.
- Options are Indira Gandhi, Vijay Laxmi Pandit, Mother Teresa, Leela Seth, and Sarojini Naidu.
- We assume prior knowledge that Bharat Ratna is conferred by the Government of India and that only a small number of women have received it.

Concept / Approach:
The key is to remember the chronological order of Bharat Ratna recipients. Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, became the first Indian woman to receive Bharat Ratna in 1971 for her public service. Mother Teresa, although highly respected and later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and Bharat Ratna, received Bharat Ratna after Indira Gandhi. Vijay Laxmi Pandit, Leela Seth, and Sarojini Naidu have received many honours but not necessarily Bharat Ratna. Matching this timeline leads to the correct answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Bharat Ratna is India highest civilian award and that relatively few women have received it.
Step 2: Remember that Indira Gandhi, the first and only woman Prime Minister of India, was conferred Bharat Ratna in the early nineteen seventies.
Step 3: Note that Mother Teresa received Bharat Ratna later, in the late nineteen eighties, and cannot therefore be the first Indian woman recipient.
Step 4: Recognise that Vijay Laxmi Pandit, Leela Seth, and Sarojini Naidu, though prominent, are not recorded as Bharat Ratna awardees in standard lists.
Step 5: Conclude that Indira Gandhi is the correct and historically first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard tables of Bharat Ratna awardees mention Indira Gandhi under the year 1971 and identify her as the first woman to receive this honour. Mother Teresa is listed later, which confirms the chronological order. Checking such lists, whether in textbooks or exam guides, verifies that Indira Gandhi is the answer for this particular first in India question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Vijay Laxmi Pandit was a distinguished diplomat and sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, but she is not listed among Bharat Ratna recipients.

Mother Teresa did receive the Bharat Ratna, but she is not the first Indian woman to do so; her award came after Indira Gandhi.

Leela Seth was a pioneering judge and legal figure but is not a Bharat Ratna awardee.

Sarojini Naidu, known as the Nightingale of India, was an important freedom fighter and poet, yet she did not receive the Bharat Ratna.

Common Pitfalls:
One common confusion is between Mother Teresa and Indira Gandhi because both are highly honoured women in India and both names appear in lists of major awards. However, the exam question emphasises the word first, which refers to Indira Gandhi. Misinterpreting the wording or relying on partial memory can lead to incorrect choices.

Final Answer:
The first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna was Indira Gandhi.