Table of Contents
Introduction: First in The World
In history, there are moments known as the “First in the World” that have made a lasting impact on humanity. These events mark the beginning of something new and significant. From the first human journey into space to the creation of the first life-saving vaccine, these milestones show the power of human effort and curiosity. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most important “First in the World” achievements that every UPSC and PSC exam aspirant should know.
First in the World
| First in the World | Details |
|---|---|
| First Human in Space | Achievement: Yuri Gagarin’s Spaceflight Date: April 12, 1961 Spacecraft: Vostok 1 Person: Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut and the first human to orbit the Earth. Gagarin became an international hero and a symbol of Soviet space achievements during the Cold War. Significance: Marked the beginning of human space exploration. |
| First Powered Flight | Achievement: Wright Brothers’ Flight Date: December 17, 1903 Aircraft: Wright Flyer Persons: Orville and Wilbur Wright, American inventors and aviation pioneers. Their invention of the first successful powered aeroplane laid the foundation for modern aviation. Significance: Revolutionized global transportation. |
| First Vaccine Developed | Achievement: Smallpox Vaccine by Edward Jenner Date: 1796 Disease Targeted: Smallpox Person: Edward Jenner, an English physician and scientist. Known as the “Father of Immunology,” Jenner’s work with the smallpox vaccine is considered one of the greatest medical achievements. Significance: Laid the foundation for modern immunology and led to the eradication of smallpox. |
| First Circumnavigation of the Globe | Achievement: Ferdinand Magellan’s Expedition Date: 1519-1522 Person: Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer leading the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe. Although Magellan was killed in the Philippines, his expedition was completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano. Significance: Proved that the Earth is round and expanded European knowledge. |
| First Man on the Moon | Achievement: Apollo 11 Mission Date: July 20, 1969 Astronauts: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins Person: Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon. His words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” became iconic. Significance: Marked the pinnacle of human exploration and the Space Race. |
| First Woman to Win a Nobel Prize | Achievement: Marie Curie’s Nobel Prize in Physics Date: 1903 Field: Physics Person: Marie Curie, a Polish-born physicist and chemist. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields (Physics and Chemistry). Significance: Pioneered research on radioactivity and set a precedent for women in science. |
| First Successful Human Organ Transplant | Achievement: Kidney Transplant by Dr. Joseph Murray Date: December 23, 1954 Organ Transplanted: Kidney Person: Dr. Joseph Murray, an American plastic surgeon who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990 for his work in organ transplantation. Significance: Laid the foundation for modern organ transplantation. |
| First Man to Reach the South Pole | Achievement: Roald Amundsen’s Expedition Date: December 14, 1911 Person: Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer known for his expeditions to the polar regions. Amundsen’s successful journey to the South Pole solidified his reputation as one of the greatest explorers of all time. Significance: Marked the successful conquest of one of the Earth’s last great frontiers. |
| First Woman in Space | Achievement: Valentina Tereshkova’s Spaceflight Date: June 16, 1963 Spacecraft: Vostok 6 Person: Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut and engineer. She became the first woman to fly in space and remains the only woman to have been on a solo space mission. Significance: Pioneered the role of women in space exploration. |
| First Country to Grant Women the Right to Vote | Achievement: Women’s Suffrage in New Zealand Date: September 19, 1893 Country: New Zealand Person: Kate Sheppard, a prominent suffragist in New Zealand who played a leading role in the movement for women’s right to vote. Sheppard’s efforts were instrumental in making New Zealand the first country to achieve this milestone. Significance: Set a global precedent for women’s suffrage. |
| First Solo Non-Stop Flight Across the Atlantic Ocean | Achievement: Charles Lindbergh’s Flight Date: May 20-21, 1927 Aircraft: Spirit of St. Louis Person: Charles Lindbergh, an American aviator and author. His successful solo transatlantic flight made him an international hero and advanced the field of aviation. Significance: Demonstrated the potential of long-distance air travel. |
| First Successful Climb of Mount Everest | Achievement: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s Ascent Date: May 29, 1953 Peak Height: 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) Persons: Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal. Their successful ascent of Everest is considered one of the greatest achievements in mountaineering history. Significance: Marked a historic achievement in human endurance and exploration. |
| First Satellite in Space | Achievement: Launch of Sputnik 1 Date: October 4, 1957 Person: Sergey Korolev, the chief designer behind the Soviet space program, often regarded as the father of practical astronautics. Significance: Marked the beginning of the space age and revolutionized global communication. |
| First Nobel Peace Prize Winner | Achievement: Henry Dunant and Frédéric Passy Date: 1901 Persons: Henry Dunant, the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Frédéric Passy, a French pacifist and economist. They were recognized for their significant contributions to humanitarian work and peace. Significance: Recognized for promoting peace and humanitarian work. |
List of First Men in The World
| First Man in The World | |
|---|---|
| First Secretary-General of the United Nations | Trygve Lie (Norway) |
| First President of the United States of America | George Washington |
| First President of the Republic of China | Dr. Sun Yat Sen (1912) |
| First Prime Minister of Great Britain | Robert Walpole (1715) |
| First Ethnic-Indian Prime Minister of Fiji | Mahendra Choudhary |
| First American President to visit India | Dwight David Eisenhower |
| First man to go into space | Major Yuri Gagarin (USSR) |
| First man to walk in space | Alexey Leonov (Russia) |
| First space tourist | Dennis Tito (USA) |
| First man to set foot on the Moon | Neil Armstrong (USA) |
| First man to fly an aeroplane | Wright Brothers |
| First man to reach the North pole | Robert Peary |
| First man to reach the South pole | Roald Amundsen |
| First man to climb Mount Everest | Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary (29th May 1953) |
| First blind man to scale Mount Everest | Erik Weihenmayer (25th May 2001) |
| First man to draw a map of Earth | Anaximander (610 – 546 BC), a Greek philosopher |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Literature | Sully Prudhomme (France)(in 1901) |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Peace | Henry Dunant (Switzerland) and Frederic Passy (France) |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Physics | WK Roentgen (Germany) |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Chemistry | Jacobus H Van’t Hoft (Holland) |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Medicine | AE Von Behring (Germany) |
| First man to win Nobel Prize for Economics | Ragnar Frisch (Norway) and Jan Tinbergen (Holland) |
| First and only black man ever to win singles Wimbledon Trophy | Arthur Ashe (USA) |
| First Asian to head the International Cricket Council | Jagmohan Dalmiya |
| First man to hit a double century in One Day International Match | Sachin Tendulkar (India) |
List of First Women in the World
| First Woman in the World | |
|---|---|
| First woman President of the UN General Assembly | Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1953) |
| First woman President of a country | Maria Estela Peron (Argentina) |
| First woman Prime Minister of a country | S Bhandarnayake (Sri Lanka) |
| First woman Prime Minister of England | Margaret Thatcher 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990 |
| First woman cosmonaut in space | Valentina Tereshkova (USSR) Spaceflight – Vostok 6 Date – 16 June 1963 |
| First woman space tourist | Anousheh Ansari (Irani American) |
| First woman to reach the North Pole | Frances Phipps |
| First woman to set foot on the North Pole | Ann Bancroft, USA |
| First woman to reach Antarctica | Caroline Michaelson |
| First woman to climb Mount Everest | Junko Tabei (Japan) |
| First woman in the world to cross the Strait of Gibraltar | Sophie Psilolignou (Greek) |
| First woman to chair US Central Bank ‘Federal Reserve’ | Janet Yellen |
| First female Amputee to climb Mount Everest | Arunima Sinha |
| First woman CFO and MD of World Bank | Anshula Kant |
| First woman chief economist for IMF | Gita Gopinath |
| First female ICC match referee | GS Lakshmi |
| First astronauts complete historic all-female spacewalk | Christina Koch and Jessica Meir |
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