Who is regarded as the first woman to sit on the throne of Delhi and rule as a sovereign in medieval Indian history?

Introduction / Context:
Indian history records a few prominent women who attained positions of supreme power. One of the earliest examples is a woman who ruled the Delhi Sultanate, breaking many gender norms of her time. Exams often ask who is considered the first woman ruler to sit on the throne of Delhi or, more broadly, the first woman ruler of medieval India in a sovereign capacity.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the first woman ruler in this sense.
• The options are Indira Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Razia Sultan, and Sucheta Kriplani.
• We assume the context is medieval political history, not just modern elected positions.

Concept / Approach:
Razia Sultan, daughter of Iltutmish, ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the thirteenth century. She is widely regarded as the first woman to sit on the throne of Delhi and rule as a sovereign monarch. Indira Gandhi and Sucheta Kriplani are important modern political leaders (Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh respectively), and Sarojini Naidu was an eminent freedom fighter and Governor, but they are not medieval monarchs.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that medieval ‘‘ruler’’ here refers to a monarch, not a modern elected official. Step 2: Recall that Razia Sultan was the only woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. Step 3: Note that Indira Gandhi was a twentieth-century Prime Minister, not a medieval queen on a throne like those of the Delhi Sultans. Step 4: Remember that Sarojini Naidu and Sucheta Kriplani were significant political leaders but again from the modern period. Step 5: Therefore, choose ‘‘Razia Sultan’’ as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most standard history textbooks highlight Razia Sultan as a special case – a woman who ruled in her own right during the Sultanate period. Whenever exam questions mention ‘‘first woman ruler’’ in a medieval context, they almost always refer to her. The other options are 20th-century political leaders and therefore do not fit this description.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Indira Gandhi: First woman Prime Minister of India, but not a medieval monarch.
Sarojini Naidu: Freedom fighter and poet, later Governor of Uttar Pradesh, not the first woman ruler of Delhi.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes mix up ‘‘first woman Prime Minister’’ with ‘‘first woman ruler’’. The key is to watch for historical period clues. If the question sounds medieval or mentions ‘‘throne of Delhi’’, think of Razia Sultan. If it asks about the first woman Prime Minister, the answer is Indira Gandhi.

Final Answer:
The first woman to rule from the throne of Delhi as a sovereign monarch was Razia Sultan.