WOMEN: The Matriarchs

Though Asia is not a women's world, its two biggest powers were reported about to honor women who bear great names.

In India Prime Minister Nehru's handsome 41-year-old daughter, Indira Gandhi, emerged as the leading candidate for the presidency of the Congress Party, a post held previously by both her father and her grandfather. A veteran politician and a sloe-eyed, animated woman, Indira is married to M.P. Feroze Gandhi (no kin to the Mahatma), has two young sons, is a determined left-winger and a close confidante of her father, as well as his official hostess. The only foreseeable bar to her election next month would be Nehru's disapproval, and, in accepting the nomination, Indira remarked: "I don't think he is very happy about it."

In Red China the government chairmanship has been vacant since Mao Tse-tung stepped down in December (while hanging on to his all-powerful chairmanship of the party). In the rumor mills of Hong Kong the favored candidate to succeed him is Soong Ching-ling (Madame Sun Yat-sen), 68-year-old widow of the founder of the Chinese Republic, and sister of Madame Chiang Kaishek. Though not a member of the Communist Party, Madame Soong has often been trotted out to endorse Red policies. Long regarded by many an overseas Chinese as a cultured, sincere woman, she is both admired and pitied as a bird in a lacquered cage, singing the tunes the Communists want sung. As President of Red China, she would be a respectable figurehead.