'Untouchable' becomes India's first female speaker - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation): India's parliament has elected its first woman speaker, who is also a member of the low-caste 'untouchable' Dalit community.
Meira Kumar, 64, was elected unopposed by a voice vote in India's 543 seat lower house of parliament.
'For the first time a woman member has been elected speaker and that too a woman from the Dalit community,' Indian Manmohan Singh said after Ms Kumar had taken her seat of office.
'In electing you... we members of parliament pay tribute to the women of our country and the great contribution that they have made.'
A five-term MP, she was a career diplomat who entered politics in 1985.
