Under Hindu law, a Hindu Undivided Family is headed by a senior member called the karta. The karta, usually the oldest man, makes decisions on economic and social matters for the whole family. The other members are coparceners.
In 2016 the Delhi High Court ruled that the eldest woman of such a family can also be its karta. The court reasoned: “If a male member of an HUF, by virtue of his being the first born eldest, can be a Karta, so can a female member.”