Who was the first woman to present the Union Budget of India in the Parliament?

Introduction / Context:
The Union Budget is one of the most important annual financial statements presented in the Parliament of India. Traditionally, this responsibility has been handled by the Finance Minister. However, there have been historic occasions when women have presented the budget, marking milestones for gender representation in high offices. This question asks you to recall the first woman who actually presented the Union Budget in Parliament.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the first woman who presented the Union Budget of India.
• Options include several well known women leaders, some of whom have held high offices.
• We assume awareness that sometimes Prime Ministers have held additional charge of the Finance Ministry.

Concept / Approach:
Indira Gandhi, who served as Prime Minister of India, also held the finance portfolio at one point. In that capacity, she presented the Union Budget, becoming the first woman to do so. Although Nirmala Sitharaman is a more recent full time woman Finance Minister who has presented the budget, she is not the first woman ever to present it. Other options, such as Sucheta Kriplani, Sushma Swaraj, or Sarojini Naidu, were prominent leaders but did not present the Union Budget in Parliament.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Union Budget is usually presented by the Finance Minister in the Lok Sabha.Step 2: Remember that Indira Gandhi, while serving as Prime Minister, also took charge of the Finance Ministry and presented the budget.Step 3: Note that this made her the first woman to present the Union Budget.Step 4: Recognise that Nirmala Sitharaman, though notable as a woman Finance Minister, came later historically.Step 5: Conclude that Indira Gandhi is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can refer to lists of Union Budget presenters available in standard general knowledge compendiums. These lists clearly show Indira Gandhi as the first woman who has presented the Union Budget. They also list Nirmala Sitharaman as a more recent Finance Minister who has presented budgets multiple times, confirming that she is not the first historically. This cross check reinforces that Indira Gandhi holds this specific distinction.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sucheta Kriplani was a prominent freedom fighter and served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, but she did not present the Union Budget. Nirmala Sitharaman is an important contemporary Finance Minister and one of the first full time women Finance Ministers, yet she is not the first woman ever to present the budget. Sushma Swaraj was a senior leader and held portfolios such as External Affairs but not the Finance Ministry in a way that involved budget presentation. Sarojini Naidu was a leading freedom fighter and Governor but did not present the Union Budget.

Common Pitfalls:
Because Nirmala Sitharaman is a current and highly visible Finance Minister, many students instinctively choose her as the first woman to present the budget. This is a classic recency bias. The key is to separate the idea of the first ever woman to present a budget from the first full time woman Finance Minister. Remembering that Indira Gandhi once held both the posts of Prime Minister and Finance Minister at the same time helps avoid this confusion.

Final Answer:
Indira Gandhi