The list of firsts in India is one of the most consistently tested static GK topics across UPSC, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, Banking, Railways, NDA, CDS, and all State PSC competitive exams — questions typically ask who was the first person to hold a specific position, achieve a milestone, or accomplish a feat in Indian history.
This page covers 70+ firsts across politics, constitutional offices, the armed forces, sports, science & space, arts, and social milestones — all updated with post-independence and recent achievements through 2026, including Chandrayaan-3’s historic lunar south pole landing (2023) and Manu Bhaker’s Paris 2024 double.
⚡ Quick Facts & Exam Traps
- First PM: Jawaharlal Nehru (1947); First President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad (1950 — only President elected twice).
- First woman PM: Indira Gandhi (1966); First woman President: Pratibha Patil (2007).
- First Indian in space: Rakesh Sharma (1984, Soviet Soyuz T-11); famous quote “Saare Jahan Se Achha” to PM Indira Gandhi from space.
- Chandrayaan-3 (2023): India = first country to soft-land on Moon’s south pole (Vikram lander, Aug 23, 2023).
- First Indian individual Olympic gold: Abhinav Bindra (10m Air Rifle, Beijing 2008).
Trap 1 — First woman Governor vs CM: Sarojini Naidu = first woman Governor (UP, 1947). Sucheta Kripalani = first woman Chief Minister (UP, 1963). Both in Uttar Pradesh — easily confused.
Trap 2 — Rakesh Sharma vs Kalpana Chawla: Rakesh Sharma (1984, Indian citizen, Soviet mission) = first INDIAN in space. Kalpana Chawla (1997, NASA) was Indian-born but had US citizenship — she is described as the first Indian-origin woman in space, NOT the first Indian in space.
Trap 3 — First Indian film vs first Indian talkie: First SILENT film = “Raja Harishchandra” (1913, Dadasaheb Phalke). First TALKIE = “Alam Ara” (1931, Ardeshir Irani). Two different firsts, often confused.
Trap 4 — Norman Pritchard vs Abhinav Bindra: Norman Pritchard = first medal (2 silvers, Paris 1900). Abhinav Bindra = first individual GOLD (Beijing 2008). Pritchard’s medals were not gold.
✅ My Progress Tracker
🏅 List of Firsts in India — Complete
| # ↕ | The First ↕ | Person / Entity | Year ↕ | Category | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Prime Minister of India Most Tested | Jawaharlal Nehru | 1947 | Politics | Took office Aug 15, 1947 (Independence Day); served until 1964 = longest-serving PM |
| 2 | First President of India Most Tested | Dr. Rajendra Prasad | 1950 | Politics | Took office Jan 26, 1950 (Constitution in force); ONLY President elected twice; served until 1962 |
| 3 | First Vice-President of India | Dr. S. Radhakrishnan | 1952 | Politics | Philosopher; later became 2nd President; his birthday (Sep 5) = Teachers’ Day |
| 4 | First Deputy Prime Minister | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel | 1947 | Politics | “Iron Man of India”; also first Home Minister; integrated 562 princely states into India |
| 5 | First Speaker of Lok Sabha | G. V. Mavalankar | 1952 | Politics | “Father of Lok Sabha”; after first general elections (1951–52); served until 1956 |
| 6 | First Chief Justice of India | H. J. Kania | 1950 | Politics | Supreme Court of India established Jan 26, 1950; Kania served as first CJI until Nov 1951 |
| 7 | First Attorney General of India | M. C. Setalvad | 1950 | Politics | Longest-serving Attorney General; served until 1963; 13 years in office |
| 8 | First Election Commissioner of India | Sukumar Sen | 1950 | Politics | Conducted first general elections (1951–52) — largest democratic exercise in history at the time |
| 9 | First (and Last) Indian Governor-General | C. Rajagopalachari (“Rajaji”) | 1948 | Politics | Only Indian to serve as Governor-General (1948–50); also last GG before Republic; Tamil Nadu statesman |
| 10 | First Woman Prime Minister Most Tested | Indira Gandhi | 1966 | Politics | World’s SECOND female head of government (after Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka, 1960); served 3 terms |
| 11 | First Woman President | Pratibha Patil | 2007 | Politics | 12th President of India (2007–2012); Maharashtra; Congress; proposed by UPA government |
| 12 | First Woman Speaker of Lok Sabha | Meira Kumar | 2009 | Politics | 15th Lok Sabha Speaker (2009–2014); Bihar; Congress; also first Dalit woman Speaker |
| 13 | First Woman Chief Justice of a High Court | Justice Leila Seth | 1991 | Politics / Law | Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court; mother of author Vikram Seth |
| 14 | First Woman Supreme Court Judge | Justice M. Fathima Beevi | 1989 | Politics / Law | First woman appointed to the Supreme Court of India; Kerala; 1989 |
| 15 | First Dalit President of India | K. R. Narayanan | 1997 | Politics | 10th President of India; Kerala; IFS diplomat; first Dalit to hold the highest office |
| 16 | First Woman Chief Minister of an Indian State | Sucheta Kripalani | 1963 | Politics | CM of Uttar Pradesh (1963–67); UP also had first woman Governor (Sarojini Naidu, 1947) |
| 17 | First Woman Governor of an Indian State | Sarojini Naidu | 1947 | Politics | Governor of Uttar Pradesh (1947); “Nightingale of India”; poet and freedom fighter |
| 18 | First Woman IAS Officer | Anna Rajam Malhotra | 1951 | Social | Kerala cadre; first woman in the Indian Administrative Service after Independence |
| 19 | First Woman IPS Officer | Kiran Bedi | 1972 | Social | Indian Police Service; later Lt. Governor of Puducherry; social reformer; “Crane Bedi” nickname |
| 20 | First Woman President of INC | Annie Besant | 1917 | Politics | Also first non-Indian to head the INC; Irish; founded Theosophical Society; Home Rule League advocate |
| 21 | First Indian C-in-C of Indian Army | General K. M. Cariappa | 1949 | Military | Jan 15, 1949 = now celebrated as Army Day; later promoted to Field Marshal |
| 22 | First Field Marshal of India | General S. H. F. J. Manekshaw | 1973 | Military | “Sam Bahadur”; hero of 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War; promoted to Field Marshal on Jan 1, 1973 (while alive); only 2 Field Marshals ever — Manekshaw (1973) & Cariappa (1986) |
| 23 | First Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) | General Bipin Rawat | 2020 | Military | Post created Dec 2019; Rawat took charge Jan 1, 2020; died in helicopter crash, Dec 2021 |
| 24 | First Women Fighter Pilots (IAF) | Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh | 2016 | Military | Three women commissioned as IAF fighter pilots simultaneously in June 2016; historic milestone |
| 25 | First Param Vir Chakra Recipient | Major Somnath Sharma | 1947 | Military | Kashmir operations (Nov 3, 1947); awarded posthumously; PVC = India’s highest wartime military honour |
| 26 | First Indian to Win Victoria Cross | Subedar Khudadad Khan | 1914 | Military | World War I; Flanders, Belgium; Victoria Cross = highest British Commonwealth military decoration |
| 27 | First Woman Recipient of Ashoka Chakra | Neerja Bhanot | 1987 | Military | Posthumous; Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking hero (1986); 23 years old; saved 359 lives; film “Neerja” (2016) |
| 28 | First Indian Olympic Medal | Norman Pritchard | 1900 | Sports | 2 silver medals (200m Sprint + Hurdles); Paris 1900; first Asian Olympic medalist; born Calcutta |
| 29 | First Indian Individual Olympic Gold Most Tested | Abhinav Bindra | 2008 | Sports | 10m Air Rifle, Beijing 2008; India’s first and only individual Olympic gold until Neeraj Chopra (2020) |
| 30 | First Indian Woman Olympic Medalist | Karnam Malleswari | 2000 | Sports | Weightlifting Bronze (69kg), Sydney 2000; lifted 240kg total; also received Khel Ratna (1994–95) |
| 31 | First Indian Track-and-Field Olympic Gold | Neeraj Chopra | 2021 | Sports | Javelin Throw, Tokyo 2020 (held 2021); 87.58m; India’s 2nd individual Olympic gold; Panipat, Haryana |
| 32 | First Indian Chess Grandmaster & World Chess Champion | Viswanathan Anand | 1988 / 2000 | Sports | First Indian Grandmaster (1988); World Champion 5 times (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012); also first Khel Ratna |
| 33 | First Indian to Summit Mount Everest | Tenzing Norgay | 1953 | Sports | With Sir Edmund Hillary (May 29, 1953); first ascent of Everest; born in Khumbu, Nepal-Sikkim area |
| 34 | First Indian Woman to Climb Mount Everest | Bachendri Pal | 1984 | Sports | Summited May 23, 1984; Uttarakhand; continues to lead adventure expeditions; Padma Bhushan recipient |
| 35 | First Indian to Score a Test Century | Lala Amarnath | 1933 | Sports | Scored 118 vs England in Bombay (1933); father of Mohinder and Surinder Amarnath |
| 36 | First (and Only) Cricketer with 100 International Centuries | Sachin Tendulkar | 2012 | Sports | 100th century vs Bangladesh (Mar 16, 2012); only player in cricket history to achieve this; “God of Cricket” |
| 37 | First Indian Woman World Boxing Champion | Mary Kom | 2002 | Sports | Won 6 World Boxing titles; London 2012 Olympic Bronze; Manipur; “Magnificent Mary”; film biography (2014) |
| 38 | First Indian with Two Medals at Same Olympics | Manu Bhaker | 2024 | Sports | Two bronze medals in shooting at Paris 2024 (individual + mixed team with Sarabjot Singh); Jhajjar, Haryana |
| 39 | First Indian in Space Most Tested | Rakesh Sharma | 1984 | Science | Soviet Soyuz T-11 (Apr 3, 1984); replied “Saare Jahan Se Achha” to PM Indira Gandhi; only Indian in space to date |
| 40 | First Indian Satellite | Aryabhata | 1975 | Science | Launched by USSR (Apr 19, 1975); named after ancient Indian mathematician; built by ISRO |
| 41 | First Indian Rocket Launch | Rohini-75 (sounding rocket) | 1963 | Science | Launched from Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), Kerala (Nov 21, 1963) |
| 42 | First Indian Moon Mission | Chandrayaan-1 | 2008 | Science | Launched Oct 22, 2008; discovered water molecules on Moon’s surface; major ISRO achievement |
| 43 | First Indian Mars Mission | Mangalyaan (MOM) | 2013 | Science | Launched Nov 5, 2013; entered Mars orbit Sep 24, 2014; India = first country to succeed on maiden Mars attempt; cost ₹450 crore |
| 44 | First Soft Landing on Moon’s South Pole 2023 | Chandrayaan-3 (Vikram lander) | 2023 | Science | Aug 23, 2023; India = FIRST country to land on lunar south pole; Russia’s Luna-25 crashed days earlier |
| 45 | First Indian Nobel Prize Winner | Rabindranath Tagore | 1913 | Science | Nobel Prize in Literature 1913 for “Gitanjali”; first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in any category |
| 46 | First Indian Nobel Prize in Science | C. V. Raman | 1930 | Science | Nobel Prize in Physics 1930 for Raman Effect (discovered Feb 28, 1928 = National Science Day) |
| 47 | First Indian Nuclear Test | Pokhran-I (Smiling Buddha) | 1974 | Science | May 18, 1974; Rajasthan desert; under PM Indira Gandhi; “peaceful nuclear explosion”; Pokhran II = 1998 |
| 48 | First Indian-Origin Woman in Space | Kalpana Chawla (NASA) | 1997 | Science | NASA STS-87 mission (1997); Indian-born but US citizen; died in Columbia disaster (2003); NOT the same as Rakesh Sharma (Indian citizen) |
| 49 | First IIT in India | IIT Kharagpur | 1951 | Science | Established 1951 (West Bengal); oldest IIT; set up under Nehru’s vision; now 23 IITs in India |
| 50 | First Nuclear Power Plant in India | Tarapur Atomic Power Station | 1969 | Science | Maharashtra; established with US assistance (1969); still operational; NPCIL |
| 51 | First Chairman of ISRO | Dr. Vikram Sarabhai | 1963 | Science | “Father of India’s Space Programme”; INCOSPAR (precursor to ISRO) founded 1963; died 1971 aged 52 |
| 52 | First India-Developed Supercomputer | PARAM 8000 | 1991 | Science | Developed by C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing); Vijay Bhatkar led the project |
| 53 | First Indian Silent Film Most Tested | Raja Harishchandra (dir. Dadasaheb Phalke) | 1913 | Arts | Dadasaheb Phalke = “Father of Indian Cinema”; his birthday (Apr 30) = National Film Day |
| 54 | First Indian Talkie (Sound Film) | Alam Ara (dir. Ardeshir Irani) | 1931 | Arts | First sound film in India (1931); different from first SILENT film (Raja Harishchandra, 1913); in Urdu/Hindi |
| 55 | First Indian to Win an Oscar | Bhanu Athaiya | 1983 | Arts | Costume Design Oscar for the film “Gandhi” (1982); first Indian Academy Award winner; returned her Oscar in 2012 |
| 56 | First Indian Director — Honorary Oscar | Satyajit Ray | 1992 | Arts | Lifetime Achievement Oscar (1992); “Pather Panchali” (1955) trilogy; Bengal’s greatest filmmaker |
| 57 | First Indian Newspaper | Hicky’s Bengal Gazette | 1780 | Arts | Published by James Augustus Hicky from Calcutta (1780); first newspaper in India and Asia |
| 58 | First Woman Recipient of Bharat Ratna | Indira Gandhi | 1971 | Social | First woman to receive India’s highest civilian honour; also first woman PM (1966) |
| 59 | First Indian Nobel Prize in Economics | Amartya Sen | 1998 | Social | Nobel Prize in Economics 1998; welfare economics; human development; West Bengal; Harvard/Cambridge |
| 60 | First Indian Woman to Cross the English Channel | Arati Saha | 1959 | Social | Also first Asian woman to swim the English Channel; Bengal; Padma Shri; completed in 16 hours 20 mins |
| 61 | First Indian to Circumnavigate Globe Solo by Sea | Commander Dilip Donde | 2010 | Social | Indian Navy; solo circumnavigation in INS Mhadei sailboat; Mumbai to Mumbai (2009–2010) |
| 62 | First Indian Woman to Scale All Seven Summits | Premlata Agarwal | 2011 | Social | Jharkhand; climbed all 7 highest peaks on 7 continents; oldest woman to summit Everest at 48 (at that time) |
⚖️ Compare Two Firsts
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
Jawaharlal Nehru became PM on August 15, 1947 (Independence Day) and served until his death on May 27, 1964 — longest-serving PM. Dr. Rajendra Prasad became President on January 26, 1950 (when the Constitution came into force) — the only President elected twice; served until 1962. Before 1950, India had a Governor-General, NOT a President. Lord Mountbatten was the first GG (1947–48); C. Rajagopalachari was the first and last Indian GG (1948–50).
Four milestone firsts every exam tests: Sarojini Naidu = first woman Governor (UP, 1947). Sucheta Kripalani = first woman Chief Minister (UP, 1963). Indira Gandhi = first woman Prime Minister (1966) — also world’s second female head of government after Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka, 1960). Pratibha Patil = first woman President (2007). Mnemonic: “Sarojini Governs, Sucheta Manages, Indira Leads, Pratibha Rules.” Both UP firsts (Sarojini + Sucheta) are in the same state.
Rakesh Sharma flew on Soviet Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984 — the first and to date ONLY Indian citizen to travel to space. His famous reply to PM Indira Gandhi’s question “How does India look from space?” — “Saare Jahan Se Achha” — is one of the most tested trivia facts in Indian GK. Kalpana Chawla (NASA, 1997) was Indian-born but held US citizenship — she is described as “first Indian-origin woman in space,” NOT first Indian in space. This distinction is frequently tested.
Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander soft-landed on the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023 — making India the first country to successfully land on the Moon’s south pole. Russia’s Luna-25 attempted the same feat days earlier but crashed. The Moon’s south pole is scientifically significant because it contains water ice in permanently shadowed craters. This is the most heavily tested post-2023 “first” for India and appears in current affairs questions every year since.
“Raja Harishchandra” (1913) directed by Dadasaheb Phalke = India’s first silent feature film. Phalke is called the “Father of Indian Cinema.” His birthday (April 30) = National Film Day. India’s first talkie (sound film) was “Alam Ara” (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani. These are two different firsts — 18 years apart — often confused in exams. Bhanu Athaiya was India’s first Oscar winner (Costume Design, for the film “Gandhi,” 1983).
Four woman political firsts: “Sarojini Governs (1947) | Sucheta Manages (1963) | Indira Leads (1966) | Pratibha Rules (2007)” → SSIP in chronological order
First three Presidents: “Rajendra → Radhakrishnan → Zakir” → 1st, 2nd, 3rd Presidents
India’s space milestones: “Aryabhata 1975 → Rakesh 1984 → Kalpana 1997 → Chandrayaan-1 2008 → Mangalyaan 2013 → Vikram South Pole 2023”
First Indian Nobel Prizes: “Tagore Lit (1913) → Raman Scattered (1930) → Mother Teresa Loved (1979) → Amartya Measured (1998)”
Rakesh Sharma quote: “Saare Jahan Se Achha” = “India from space is the most beautiful in the world”
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Sucheta Kripalani became India’s first woman Chief Minister when she was elected CM of Uttar Pradesh in 1963. Sarojini Naidu was the first woman Governor (also of UP, 1947) — different role. Indira Gandhi was the first woman Prime Minister (1966). Note: both the first woman Governor AND first woman CM were in Uttar Pradesh.
Rakesh Sharma became India’s first person in space aboard Soviet Soyuz T-11 on April 3, 1984. Kalpana Chawla flew on NASA’s STS-87 in 1997 but was an Indian-American (US citizen), not an Indian citizen. Aryabhata (1975) was India’s first satellite, not a crewed mission.
Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander soft-landed on the lunar south pole on August 23, 2023 \u2014 making India the first country in the world to land on the Moon’s south pole. Chandrayaan-1 (2008) had earlier discovered water molecules on the Moon’s surface (a different first). Russia’s Luna-25 crashed days before.
Karnam Malleswari won a bronze medal in Weightlifting (69kg) at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. PV Sindhu (2016 silver) and Saina Nehwal (2012 bronze) came 12+ years later. Mary Kom won her Olympic bronze in 2012.
“Raja Harishchandra” (1913), directed by Dadasaheb Phalke, was India’s first feature-length silent film. Phalke is revered as the “Father of Indian Cinema.” India’s first talkie was “Alam Ara” (1931), directed by Ardeshir Irani. Satyajit Ray directed “Pather Panchali” (1955). These are three separate directors and three different films.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
India’s first Prime Minister was Jawaharlal Nehru, who took office on August 15, 1947 — Independence Day — and served until his death on May 27, 1964 (longest-serving PM). India’s first President was Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who assumed office on January 26, 1950 when the Constitution came into force, and served two terms until 1962 (only President elected twice). Before the President, India had a Governor-General — C. Rajagopalachari was the first and last Indian to hold that post (1948–1950).
Key women firsts tested in competitive exams: Sarojini Naidu — first woman Governor (UP, 1947); Sucheta Kripalani — first woman Chief Minister (UP, 1963); Indira Gandhi — first woman Prime Minister (1966); Kiran Bedi — first woman IPS officer (1972); Anna Rajam Malhotra — first woman IAS officer (1951); Justice M. Fathima Beevi — first woman Supreme Court judge (1989); Meira Kumar — first woman Lok Sabha Speaker (2009); Pratibha Patil — first woman President (2007); Karnam Malleswari — first woman Olympic medalist (2000); Bachendri Pal — first Indian woman to climb Everest (1984).
India’s landmark space firsts include: Aryabhata (1975) — first Indian satellite; Rakesh Sharma (1984) — first Indian in space (Soyuz T-11); Chandrayaan-1 (2008) — India’s first Moon mission, discovered water on Moon; Mangalyaan/MOM (2013–2014) — India’s first Mars mission, making India the first country to succeed on a maiden Mars attempt; Chandrayaan-3 (August 23, 2023) — Vikram lander made India the first country to land on the lunar south pole. ISRO was founded in 1969 with Dr. Vikram Sarabhai as its first chairman.
The highest-frequency firsts in UPSC, SSC, and Banking exams are: First PM (Nehru), First President (Rajendra Prasad), First woman PM (Indira Gandhi), First woman President (Pratibha Patil), First Indian in space (Rakesh Sharma, 1984), First individual Olympic gold (Abhinav Bindra, 2008), First Indian Nobel Prize (Tagore, 1913), First Indian film (Raja Harishchandra, 1913), First woman IPS officer (Kiran Bedi), First soft landing on Moon’s south pole (Chandrayaan-3, 2023), and First Indian to score 100 international centuries (Sachin Tendulkar). These 12 facts alone cover a large proportion of “firsts” questions in any exam.
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