India Ethel/Ethelyn Sharp was born on February 3, 1887 in Chicago, Illinois to John Githens and Mary Alice Stevenson Sharp. She got her bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1909. After graduating, India became the Assistant Principal of High School at Remington, Indiana. In 1910, she started working at Georgia Normal and Industrial College in Milledgeville, Georgia. She was an Assistant Teacher of English until 1911.
On June 12, 1913, India married Jacob Zimmerman and in 1915 they settled down in Harvey, Illinois where they had two kids, Fred and Jarvis S. In 1931, she founded the Rebecca Wells Heald Chapter of the Harvey Daughters of the American Revolution. During her time in the D.A.R. she was state chapalin and was state regent from 1937 to 1939 of the Illinois society. While regent, India visited each of the 113 Illinois chapters of the D.A.R. and raised funds to erect the Illinois Cottage for boys at the D.A.R. school at Tamassee, South Carolina. Eventually, she became Vice President General of the National Society, D.A.R.
India was also on the board of the Harvey Public Library for 37 years. When she was president of the board she helped to develop and open the children's room in the basement of the library.
India was a member of the three member committee that secured the grant from the Harmon foundation which allowed for the present city park to exist. Shortly before her death India held office in the Harvey branch of the Chicago Heart association. She was also a member of the Harvey Woman's club as well as the American Association of University Woman and Celestia Chapter.
India was also involved in religious work. She was President of the Ladies' Aid of the First Methodist Church and was also President of the local Council of Church Women. India passed away in December 1954 at the Ingalls Memorial hospital in Illinois.