Table of Contents
First Person in India
India has a rich history of groundbreaking achievements across politics, military, science, literature, and more. The following list highlights notable “firsts” by Indians, contributing to various fields and shaping the nation’s identity.
1. Political and Administrative Firsts in India
- First Governor-General of Independent India: Lord Louis Mountbatten
- Appointed as the last British Viceroy, he became the first Governor-General of independent India, overseeing the transition of power in 1947.
- First Indian Governor-General of Independent India: Chakravarti Rajagopalachari
- Also known as “Rajaji,” he was the only Indian to hold the position from 1948 to 1950, promoting social reforms and education.
- First President of India: Dr Rajendra Prasad
- India’s only President to serve two terms, he held office from 1950 to 1962, establishing strong principles for the newly independent republic.
- First Vice-President of India: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- A renowned philosopher and scholar, he served as Vice-President from 1952 to 1962, later becoming the second President of India.
- First Prime Minister of India: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
- Serving from 1947 until 1964, Nehru laid the foundations for India’s economic and foreign policies post-independence.
- First Woman Prime Minister of India: Indira Gandhi
- Taking office in 1966, she was known for her significant role in India’s political development and economic policies.
- First Non-Congress Prime Minister of India: Morarji Desai
- Desai led the Janata Party to victory in 1977, becoming the first non-Congress PM after India’s emergency period.
- First Speaker of the Lok Sabha: G.V. Mavalankar
- Mavalankar was instrumental in establishing the protocols of India’s parliamentary system as the first Speaker from 1952 to 1956.
- First Female Governor of an Indian State: Sarojini Naidu
- Known as the “Nightingale of India,” Naidu was the first woman to serve as Governor of Uttar Pradesh in 1947.
- First Woman Chief Minister of an Indian State: Sucheta Kriplani
- Elected in 1963, she served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and was a key figure in India’s freedom struggle.
- First Woman President of India: Pratibha Patil
- Patil served from 2007 to 2012, representing a significant milestone for women in Indian politics.
2. Military and Defense Firsts in India
- First Chief of the Indian Armed Forces: General K. M. Cariappa
- In 1949, Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief, emphasizing discipline and integrity in the military.
- First Field Marshal of India: General Sam Manekshaw
- He was appointed Field Marshal in 1973, celebrated for his role in leading India to victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
- First Indian to Receive the Param Vir Chakra (PVC): Major Somnath Sharma
- Awarded posthumously in 1947 for his bravery during the Indo-Pak war, he set a standard of heroism in the Indian Army.
- First Woman Officer in the Indian Army: Priya Jhingan
- She joined the Indian Army as one of the first female officers, breaking gender barriers in the armed forces in 1992.
- First Woman Fighter Pilot: Avani Chaturvedi
- In 2016, she became one of the first women to be inducted into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot.
- First Woman Major General in the Indian Army: Punita Arora
- Achieving the rank of Lieutenant General, Arora became the first woman to hold a high-ranking position in the military.
3. Science and Technology
- First Indian Space Traveller: Sq. Leader Rakesh Sharma
- In 1984, aboard Soyuz T-11, Sharma became the first Indian to travel in space, proudly declaring “Saare Jahan Se Achha” from orbit.
- First Indian to Conduct a Spacewalk: Sunita Williams
- Williams, an astronaut of Indian descent, holds the record for the most spacewalk time by a woman.
- First ICS Officer: Satyendranath Tagore
- The first Indian to join the Indian Civil Service in 1863, inspiring a generation to seek government roles.
- First Indian Scientist to Win a Nobel Prize: C.V. Raman
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his groundbreaking work in light scattering, known as the “Raman Effect.”
- First Successful Heart Transplant Surgeon: Dr. P. Venugopal
- He performed India’s first heart transplant in 1994, setting a benchmark in Indian medical history.
- First Indian Woman to Reach Antarctica: Meher Moos
- As a pioneer in Indian travel, she represented India in Antarctica in 1970.
- First Indian to Develop a Vaccine in India: Dr. Waldemar Haffkine
- Known as the “Father of Indian Bacteriology,” he developed vaccines for plague and cholera in the 1890s.
4. First Achievers in Arts, Literature, and Social Sciences
- First Indian Nobel Laureate: Rabindranath Tagore
- In 1913, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection Gitanjali, bringing global recognition to Indian literature.
- First Indian Oscar Winner: Bhanu Athaiya
- She won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design in 1983 for her work in Gandhi.
- First Female Bharat Ratna Awardee: Indira Gandhi
- In 1971, she received India’s highest civilian honour for her impactful leadership.
- First Jnanpith Award Winner: G. Sankara Kurup
- Awarded in 1965 for his contributions to Malayalam literature, he set the stage for recognition in Indian literary arts. List of recipients
- First Indian Grammy Award Winner: Pandit Ravi Shankar
- The sitar maestro won multiple Grammy Awards, popularizing Indian classical music globally.
- First Ramon Magsaysay Awardee from India: Vinoba Bhave
- He received the award in 1958 for his leadership in the Bhoodan Movement, promoting land reform and social justice.
5. Sports and Entertainment Firsts
- First Indian Swimmer to Cross the English Channel: Mihir Sen
- In 1958, Sen completed this feat and went on to swim across several other international straits.
- First Indian Olympic Medalist: Norman Pritchard
- He won two silver medals in athletics at the 1900 Paris Olympics, marking India’s Olympic debut.
- First Indian Woman to Win an Olympic Medal: Karnam Malleswari
- Malleswari won a bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, inspiring women athletes in India.
- First Indian Chess Grandmaster: Viswanathan Anand
- Anand earned the Grandmaster title in 1988 and went on to become a world champion, inspiring a new era of chess in India.
- First Indian to Win the Miss World Title: Reita Faria
- In 1966, Faria became the first Indian to win Miss World, setting the stage for India’s success in international beauty pageants.
- First Indian to Win the World Billiards Championship: Wilson Jones
- He won the title in 1958, placing India on the global map in the sport.
6. Judiciary and Law Firsts
- First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Justice Hiralal J. Kania
- He played a pivotal role in establishing the Supreme Court of India and its judicial practices.
- First Female Judge of the Supreme Court: Justice Fathima Beevi
- Appointed in 1989, she became India’s first woman Supreme Court Judge, paving the way for female representation in the judiciary.
- First Chief Election Commissioner: Sukumar Sen
- Conducted India’s first general election in 1951-52, establishing democratic processes for the world’s largest democracy.
- First Female Chief Justice of a High Court: Justice Leila Seth
- She served as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court in 1991, a landmark for women in law.
7. Social Leadership and Cultural Firsts
- First Indian Member of the British House of Commons: Dadabhai Naoroji
- Elected in 1892, Naoroji advocated for India’s rights in the British Parliament, known as the “Grand Old Man of India.”
- First Leader of the Indian Antarctic Expedition: Dr Syed Zahoor Qasim
- Led India’s first scientific expedition to Antarctica in 1981, expanding India’s research frontiers.
- First Woman IPS Officer: Kiran Bedi
- She joined the Indian Police Service in 1972, breaking barriers for women in law enforcement.
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Quick Revision: First Person in India
| Category | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Governor-General of Independent India | Lord Louis Mountbatten | Last British Viceroy; oversaw the transition to independence |
| First Indian Governor-General of India | Chakravarti Rajagopalachari | Only Indian Governor-General (1948–1950) |
| First President of India | Dr Rajendra Prasad | Served two terms (1950–1962) |
| First Vice-President of India | Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | Philosopher, later became President |
| First Prime Minister of India | Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru | Shaped post-independence policies (1947–1964) |
| First Non-Congress Prime Minister | Morarji Desai | Led Janata Party to power in 1977 |
| First Speaker of Lok Sabha | G. V. Mavalankar | Established legislative procedures |
| First Female Governor of an Indian State | Sarojini Naidu | Governor of Uttar Pradesh, 1947 |
| First Female Prime Minister of India | Indira Gandhi | Became PM in 1966; served for 15 years |
| Military and Defense Firsts | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Chief of Indian Armed Forces | General K. M. Cariappa | First Indian Commander-in-Chief (1949) |
| First Field Marshal of India | General S.H.F.J. Manekshaw | Field Marshal title after the 1971 war |
| First Woman Officer in Indian Army | Priya Jhingan | Among the first female officers (1992) |
| First Woman Fighter Pilot | Avani Chaturvedi | One of the first women IAF pilots (2016) |
| First Woman Major General in the Indian Army | Punita Arora | First woman promoted to Lieutenant General |
| Science and Technology Firsts | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Indian Space Traveller | Sq. Leader Rakesh Sharma | Flew on Soviet Soyuz T-11 (1984) |
| First Indian in Spacewalk | Sunita Williams | NASA astronaut of Indian descent |
| First I.C.S Officer | Satyendra Nath Tagore | Joined ICS in 1863 |
| First Successful Heart Transplant Surgeon | Dr. P. Venugopal | Performed India’s first heart transplant (1994) |
| Arts, Literature, and Social Sciences | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Indian Nobel Laureate | Rabindranath Tagore | Nobel in Literature for Gitanjali (1913) |
| First Ramon Magsaysay Awardee from India | Acharya Vinoba Bhave | Honored for Bhoodan Movement (1958) |
| First Indian to Win an Academy Award | Bhanu Athaiya | Won Oscar for Gandhi (1983) |
| First Female Bharat Ratna Awardee | Indira Gandhi | Awarded Bharat Ratna (1971) |
| Sports and Entertainment Firsts | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Indian Swimmer to Cross English Channel | Mihir Sen | Crossed in 1958 |
| First Indian Grammy Award Winner | Pandit Ravi Shankar | Multiple Grammy wins in Indian classical music |
| First Indian to Win an Olympic Medal | Norman Pritchard | Won two silver medals (1900) |
| First Indian Woman to Win an Olympic Medal | Karnam Malleswari | Bronze in weightlifting (2000) |
| Judiciary and Law Firsts | First Person in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Chief Justice of Supreme Court | Justice Hiralal J. Kania | Appointed in 1950 |
| First Female Judge of Supreme Court | Justice Fathima Beevi | Appointed in 1989 |
| First Chief Election Commissioner | Sukumar Sen | Conducted India’s first general election (1951-52) |
| First Female Chief Justice of High Court | Justice Leila Seth | Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court (1991) |
List of First Men in India GK
| Category | First Men in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Governor-General of Independent India | Lord Louis Mountbatten | Oversaw India’s transition to independence in 1947 |
| First Indian Governor-General of India | Chakravarti Rajagopalachari | Served as the only Indian Governor-General (1948–1950) |
| First President of India | Dr. Rajendra Prasad | Served two terms (1950–1962) |
| First Vice-President of India | Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan | Philosopher, later became President |
| First Prime Minister of India | Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru | Shaped post-independence policies (1947–1964) |
| First Non-Congress Prime Minister | Morarji Desai | Led the Janata Party to power in 1977 |
| First Speaker of the Lok Sabha | G. V. Mavalankar | Established legislative procedures and norms |
| First Chief of the Indian Armed Forces | General K. M. Cariappa | Appointed as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief (1949) |
| First Field Marshal of India | General S.H.F.J. Manekshaw | Promoted to Field Marshal in 1973 |
| First Indian Space Traveller | Sq. Leader Rakesh Sharma | Flew on the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11 (1984) |
| First I.C.S Officer | Satyendra Nath Tagore | First Indian to join the Indian Civil Services in 1863 |
| First Indian Nobel Laureate | Rabindranath Tagore | Won the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913) |
| First Ramon Magsaysay Awardee from India | Acharya Vinoba Bhave | Received the award in 1958 for the Bhoodan Movement |
| First Indian to Win an Olympic Medal | Norman Pritchard | Won two silver medals in 1900 |
| First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court | Justice Hiralal J. Kania | Appointed in 1950 |
| First Indian Member of the British House of Commons | Dadabhai Naoroji | Elected in 1892 |
| First Leader of the Indian Antarctica Mission | Dr. Syed Zahoor Qasim | Led the first scientific mission to Antarctica in 1981 |
| First President of the Indian National Congress | Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee | Presided over the first INC session in 1885 |
| First Person to Address the United Nations in Hindi | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | Delivered a historic speech in Hindi in 1977 |
| First Indian President of the Indian Science Congress | Justice Sir Asutosh Mookerjee | Presided over the Congress in 1917 |
| First Successful Heart Transplant Surgeon | Dr. P. Venugopal | Performed India’s first successful heart transplant (1994) |
List of First Women in India
| Category | First Women in India | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Female Governor of an Indian State | Sarojini Naidu | Appointed as the Governor of Uttar Pradesh in 1947 |
| First Female Prime Minister of India | Indira Gandhi | Became India’s first female Prime Minister in 1966 |
| First Woman Officer in the Indian Army | Priya Jhingan | Commissioned in 1992 as one of the first female officers |
| First Woman Fighter Pilot in India | Avani Chaturvedi | Part of the first batch of female fighter pilots in 2016 |
| First Woman Major General in the Indian Army | Punita Arora | First woman promoted to Lieutenant General in the Indian Armed Forces |
| First Indian Woman in Spacewalk | Sunita Williams | NASA astronaut of Indian descent, conducted multiple spacewalks |
| First Indian Female Grammy Award Winner | Pandit Ravi Shankar | Classical musician; won multiple Grammy Awards |
| First Female Recipient of Bharat Ratna | Indira Gandhi | Received in 1971 for her political contributions |
| First Female Judge of the Supreme Court | Justice Fathima Beevi | Appointed as Supreme Court judge in 1989 |
| First Female Chief Justice of a High Court | Justice Leila Seth | Appointed Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court in 1991 |
| First Woman President of the Indian National Congress | Annie Besant | Led the Congress in 1917 |
| First Woman Minister in Independent India | Rajkumari Amrit Kaur | Served as the Health Minister in Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet |
| First Indian Woman to Win an Olympic Medal | Karnam Malleswari | Won bronze in weightlifting (2000) |
| First Woman to Win the Jnanpith Award | Ashapoorna Devi | Honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 1976 for Bengali literature |
| First Female IPS Officer | Kiran Bedi | Joined the Indian Police Service in 1972 |
| First Woman President of the Indian Science Congress | Dr. Asima Chatterjee | First female President of the Indian Science Congress (1975) |