Stop tiptoeing around this: Why the wait for the first woman Chief Justice of India carries on April 20, 2021, 7:32 AM IST The writer is Research Director; Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Sultan Iltutmish has the distinction of being the only ruler of medieval Delhi to be succeeded by a woman. During his lifetime, he had declared his daughter Razia as his heir, impressed by her ability to administer Delhi in his absence. But patriarchy and intrigue both ran deep in the Delhi Sultanate. Its power brokers ensured the succession of the king’s son Rukn-al-din instead. When Razia was ultimately crowned, she was quickly deposed in favour of another son, Bahram. The deep state of the Sultanate conspired to deny Razia her due.