First in India – Complete List of Important “Firsts” for GK, ADRE, APSC & UPSC

 

Introduction

The “First in India” topic is one of the most important areas of Static General Knowledge for competitive examinations. It covers Indians who achieved a particular distinction for the first time, as well as important firsts in Indian politics, administration, science, space, sports, awards, literature, judiciary and other fields.

Exam Tip: Learn the person + achievement + year together whenever a year is given. This makes revision much easier.

First in India – Political & Constitutional Firsts

Achievement   First Person.  Year/Period

First President of India | Dr. Rajendra Prasad.| 1950

First Vice-President of India.| Dr. S. Radhakrishnan |1952

First Prime Minister of India|Jawaharlal Nehru|1947

First Deputy Prime Minister|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel|1947

First Indian Governor-General of independent India|C. Rajagopalachari|1948

First Governor-General of independent India||Lord Mountbatten1947

First Chief Justice of India|Justice H. J. Kania|1950

First Speaker of Lok Sabha|G. V. Mavalankar|1952

First Chief Election Commissioner|Sukumar Sen|1950

First Finance Minister of independent India|R. K. Shanmukham Chetty|1947

First Home Minister of independent India|Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel|1947

#Dr. Rajendra Prasad was India's first President, while Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister after independence. 

First Women in India

Women have played a major role in India's political, social, scientific, sporting and cultural development.

Achievement.      First Woman

First Woman President of India|Pratibha Patil

First Woman Prime Minister of India|Indira Gandhi

First Woman Governor of an Indian state|Sarojini Naidu

First Woman Chief Minister of an Indian state|Sucheta Kriplani

First Woman Speaker of Lok Sabha|Meira Kumar

First Woman Judge of the Supreme Court|M. Fathima Beevi

First Woman IAS officer|Anna Rajam Malhotra

First Indian woman to climb Mount Everest|Bachendri Pal

First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal|Karnam Malleswari

First Indian woman in space|Kalpana Chawla

First Indian woman to win Miss World|Reita Faria

First Indian woman to swim across the English Channel|Arati Saha

Pratibha Patil became India's first woman President, assuming office on 25 July 2007. 

Firsts in Science and Technology

India has produced many pioneers in science and technology.

Important Science Firsts

First Indian Nobel Prize winner: Rabindranath Tagore – Literature, 1913.

First Indian Nobel laureate in Physics: C. V. Raman – 1930.

First Indian Nobel laureate in Medicine: Hargobind Khorana – 1968.

First Indian Nobel laureate in Economics: Amartya Sen – 1998.

First Indian in space: Rakesh Sharma – 1984.

First Indian satellite: Aryabhata – launched in 1975.

First Indian pilot: J. R. D. Tata.

First Indian to receive a Nobel Prize: Rabindranath Tagore.

Rabindranath Tagore received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, making him the first Indian Nobel laureate. 

First in Space

The Indian space programme has several important milestones.

Rakesh Sharma

Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian citizen to travel into space in 1984, travelling aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz .

Important Space Firsts|Achievement

First Indian in space|Rakesh Sharma

First Indian satellite|Aryabhata

First Indian woman associated with spaceflight|Kalpana Chawla

First Indian-origin woman in space|Kalpana Chawla

Firsts in Mountaineering

Mountaineering is another important area of Static GK.

Mount Everest

The first successful ascent of Mount Everest was achieved by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

For Indian GK, Tenzing Norgay is commonly included among the first Indians associated with climbing Mount Everest. India's first successful Everest expedition was in 1965, and Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to summit Everest in 1984. 

Important Facts

First Indian woman to climb Mount Everest: Bachendri Pal

Year: 1984

First successful Indian Everest expedition: 1965

First in Sports

Sports-related “First in India” questions are very common in competitive examinations.

Achievement

First Indian

First individual Olympic gold medal|Abhinav Bindra

First Indian woman Olympic medalist|Karnam Malleswari

First Indian individual Olympic medalist|K. D. Jadhav

First Indian chess Grandmaster|Viswanathan Anand

First Indian woman Grandmaster|Koneru Humpy

First Indian to win the World Chess Championship|Viswanathan Anand

Abhinav Bindra

Abhinav Bindra created history at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning India's first individual Olympic gold medal, in shooting. 

Karnam Malleswari

Karnam Malleswari became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal, winning bronze in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. 

First in Awards and Honours

Bharat Ratna

The Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award. 

The first Bharat Ratna awards were given in 1954 to:

C. Rajagopalachari

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

Dr. C. V. Raman

Important Bharat Ratna Firsts

First Bharat Ratna awardees: C. Rajagopalachari, S. Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman

First woman Bharat Ratna awardee: Indira Gandhi

First sportsperson to receive Bharat Ratna: Sachin Tendulkar

First Indian Nobel Prize Winners

Category

First Indian

Nobel Prize – Literature|Rabindranath Tagore

Nobel Prize – Physics|C. V. Raman

Nobel Prize – Medicine|Hargobind Khorana

Nobel Prize – Economics|Amartya Sen

Nobel Peace Prize associated with India|Mother Teresa|Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore became the first Indian Nobel laureate when he won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. 

First in Cinema and Entertainment

Important Firsts

First Indian to win an Academy Award (Oscar): Bhanu Athaiya

Award: Best Costume Design

Film: Gandhi

Year: 1983

Bhanu Athaiya is widely recognized as the first Indian Oscar winner. 

First Indian feature film: Raja Harishchandra

Director: Dadasaheb Phalke

First Indian talkie: Alam Ara

First Indian colour film: Kisan Kanya

First in Literature

First Indian Nobel laureate: Rabindranath Tagore

First Indian to win the Booker Prize: Arundhati Roy

First recipient of the Jnanpith Award: G. Sankara Kurup

First in Administration and Civil Services

First Indian IAS officer: R. C. S. (related historical references vary depending on whether the question refers to the pre-independence ICS or post-independence IAS).

First woman IAS officer: Anna Rajam Malhotra.

First Indian Chief Election Commissioner: Sukumar Sen.

First Comptroller and Auditor General of India: V. Narahari Rao.

First in Judiciary

Achievement

First

First Chief Justice of India|H. J. Kania

First woman Supreme Court judge|M. Fathima Beevi

First woman High Court Chief Justice|Justice Leila Seth

First Indian judge at International Court of Justice|Justice R. S. Pathak

M. Fathima Beevi became the first woman appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1989. 

First in Banking and Economy

First Governor of the Reserve Bank of India: Sir Osborne Smith

First Indian Governor of RBI: C. D. Deshmukh

First Finance Minister of independent India: R. K. Shanmukham Chetty

First Indian bank: Bank of Hindostan

First major Presidency bank: Bank of Bengal

First in Transport and Communication

First railway line in India: Bombay to Thane

First passenger train: Bombay to Thane

First Indian railway passenger service: 1853

First newspaper in India: Hicky's Bengal Gazette

First Indian radio station: Radio Club of Bombay

First Indian television service: Doordarshan's experimental service

First in Defence

First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army: General K. M. Cariappa

First Field Marshal of India: Sam Manekshaw

First Indian Marshal of the Indian Air Force: Arjan Singh

First Chief of Defence Staff: General Bipin Rawat

First in Beauty Pageants

Reita Faria became the first Indian woman to win the Miss World title in 1966. 

First in Women Empowerment

First Woman Prime Minister: Indira Gandhi

First Woman President: Pratibha Patil

First Woman Governor: Sarojini Naidu

First Woman Chief Minister: Sucheta Kriplani

First Woman Supreme Court Judge: M. Fathima Beevi

First Woman Lok Sabha Speaker: Meira Kumar

First Indian Woman in Space: Kalpana Chawla

First Indian Woman to climb Everest: Bachendri Pal

First Indian Woman Olympic medalist: Karnam Malleswari

Most Important Firsts in India – Quick Revision

⭐ Top 30 for ADRE/APSC/UPSC

First President – Dr. Rajendra Prasad

First Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru

First Vice-President – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

First Indian Governor-General – C. Rajagopalachari

First Woman President – Pratibha Patil

First Woman Prime Minister – Indira Gandhi

First Woman Governor – Sarojini Naidu

First Woman Chief Minister – Sucheta Kriplani

First Chief Justice of India – H. J. Kania

First Woman Supreme Court Judge – M. Fathima Beevi

First Speaker of Lok Sabha – G. V. Mavalankar

First Chief Election Commissioner – Sukumar Sen

First Nobel laureate from India – Rabindranath Tagore

First Indian Nobel laureate in Physics – C. V. Raman

First Indian in space – Rakesh Sharma

First Indian woman associated with spaceflight – Kalpana Chawla

First individual Olympic gold medalist – Abhinav Bindra

First Indian woman Olympic medalist – Karnam Malleswari

First individual Olympic medalist – K. D. Jadhav

First Indian chess Grandmaster – Viswanathan Anand

First Indian woman to climb Everest – Bachendri Pal

First Indian Oscar winner – Bhanu Athaiya

First Indian Miss World – Reita Faria

First Bharat Ratna awardees – Rajagopalachari, Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman

First Indian Commander-in-Chief – K. M. Cariappa

First Field Marshal of India – Sam Manekshaw

First Indian railway passenger service – Bombay–Thane

First Indian satellite – Aryabhata

First Indian Booker Prize winner – Arundhati Roy

First Indian feature film – Raja Harishchandra

First in India – One-Line Revision Table

Question|Answer

Who was India's first President?

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Who was India's first Prime Minister?

Jawaharlal Nehru

Who was India's first Vice-President?

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

Who was India's first woman President?

Pratibha Patil

Who was India's first woman Prime Minister?

Indira Gandhi

Who was the first Indian in space?

Rakesh Sharma

Who was the first Indian Nobel laureate?

Rabindranath Tagore

Who was the first Indian Nobel laureate in Physics?

C. V. Raman

Who won India's first individual Olympic gold?

Abhinav Bindra

Who was India's first woman Olympic medalist?

Karnam Malleswari

Who was the first Indian woman to climb Everest?

Bachendri Pal

Who was the first Indian Oscar winner?

Bhanu Athaiya

Who was India's first Miss World?

Reita Faria

Who was the first woman Supreme Court judge?

M. Fathima Beevi

Who was the first Lok Sabha Speaker?

G. V. Mavalankar

Why “First in India” Is Important for Competitive Exams

Questions from First in India are popular because they test a candidate's knowledge of important historical milestones and personalities.

For ADRE and APSC, this topic can appear under:

General Knowledge

Indian History

Indian Polity

Indian Geography

Science and Technology

Sports

Awards and Honours

Art and Culture

Current Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who was the first President of India?

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.

2. Who was the first Prime Minister of India?

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of independent India.

3. Who was the first woman President of India?

Pratibha Patil was the first woman elected President of India.

4. Who was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize?

Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913. 

5. Who was the first Indian in space?

Rakesh Sharma, in 1984. 

6. Who won India's first individual Olympic gold medal?

Abhinav Bindra, in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

7. Who was the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest?

Bachendri Pal, in 1984. 

Conclusion

The First in India topic is a high-value section of Static GK and is especially useful for ADRE, APSC, UPSC, SSC, Railways and other competitive examinations. Instead of memorising a long list randomly, candidates should organise the information into categories such as Polity, Women Achievers, Science, Space, Sports, Awards, Judiciary, Defence, Literature and Culture.

For quick revision, remember the most frequently asked combinations:

Rajendra Prasad → First President

Nehru → First Prime Minister

Pratibha Patil → First Woman President

Indira Gandhi → First Woman Prime Minister

Tagore → First Indian Nobel laureate

Rakesh Sharma → First Indian in Space

Abhinav Bindra → First Individual Olympic Gold

Bachendri Pal → First Indian Woman to Climb Everest

Bhanu Athaiya → First Indian Oscar Winner

Regular revision of these “First in India” facts can help improve performance in ADRE and other competitive-examination GK sections.

 Title: First in India – Complete List of Important Firsts for ADRE, APSC & UPSC

Description: Complete list of important First in India facts covering Indian Polity, women achievers, science, space, sports, awards, judiciary, defence, literature and culture for ADRE, APSC, UPSC and other competitive exams.

Focus Keywords: First in India, First in India GK, Important Firsts in India, First in India list, First in India for ADRE, First in India for APSC, First in India for UPSC, Static GK First in India, Indian GK, General Knowledge India.