ium ▁of ▁the ▁Little ▁Kh ural ) ▁of ▁a   partial ly ▁recognized   country . ▁Su kh ba at ary n ▁Yan j ma a , ▁Mong olia ▁( 1 9 5 3 – 1 9 5 4 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁acting ▁head ▁of ▁state ▁( Ch air person ▁of ▁the ▁Pres id ium ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁Great ▁Kh ural ). ▁Sir im avo ▁Band ar ana ike , ▁C ey lon , ▁now ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁( 1 9 6 0 – 1 9 6 5 ): ▁The ▁first ▁elected ▁female ▁prime ▁minister ▁( head ▁of ▁government ) ▁of ▁a ▁so ver eign ▁country . ▁She ▁served ▁again ▁ 1 9 7 0 – 7 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 4 – 2 0 0 0 ; ▁in ▁total ▁she ▁served ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years . ▁Ind ira ▁Gand hi , ▁India ▁( 1 9 6 6 – 1 9 7 7 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁a ▁present - day ▁G 2 0 ▁country . ▁She ▁served ▁again ▁ 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 8 4 . ▁So ong ▁Ch ing - ling , ▁China ▁( 1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 2 ): ▁The ▁first ▁female ▁acting ▁co - head ▁of ▁state ▁( Co - Ch air person ). ▁She ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁Honor ary ▁President ▁for ▁ 1 2 ▁days ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁Gold a ▁Me ir , ▁Israel ▁( 1 9 6 9 –