With a record 78 MPs, this election proved that female candidates can win.
Meet some first-timers without any political lineage to find out the odds they conquered on the way to Parliament.
The newly-elected 17th Lok Sabha set the record with highest number of woman: 78 MPs. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, which was sworn-in on Thursday, in a largest-ever gathering, has only six women ministers in the government.
Breaching a largely male bastion, India's new Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday became the first woman in 48 years since then prime minister Indira Gandhi to hold charge of the key ministry.
Women will make up about 15% of the lower house of parliament — less than the global average.
The outcome of the world’s largest election is almost upon us – the counting of votes by 900m eligible voters begins on May 23.
Swati Yadav had lost count of the number of village campaign stops she had made since her morning began — was it 27, or 28?
Women politicians have made it to the top headlines this poll season.
For the first time, female voters are set to outnumber male voters in the world's largest national election.
Although women have held powerful government positions in India, their political participation in the country has largely been curtailed by a male-dominated system. Will the ongoing general election bring about a change?