Najma is chief of global MPs

NEW DELHI, JULY 17: Najma Heptulla, Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, became the first acting woman president of the Inter-Parliamentary Council comprising of 138 countries.

She returned from Geneva yesterday after taking over as president. This is first time in the 112 year-old history of the IPC that a woman and that too from the Asia-Pacific region, has become its president. Heptulla who was an elected vice president of the body, took over as its acting president after Martinez of Spain quit to become the president of European Parliamentary body.

Heptulla is set to contest for the post of the president of the IPC slated to be held later this year.