Questions on the 'first person' to hold a post or achieve a feat appear in almost every competitive exam. These static facts cover firsts among men and women in politics, administration, sports and science. They rarely change, so memorising them gives easy marks.
First Men in India
- First President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- First Prime Minister: Jawaharlal Nehru
- First Vice-President: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
- First Indian Governor-General: C. Rajagopalachari
- First Chief Justice of India: H. J. Kania
- First Indian to win a Nobel Prize: Rabindranath Tagore (1913)
- First Indian in space: Rakesh Sharma (1984)
First Women in India
- First woman President: Pratibha Patil (2007)
- First woman Prime Minister: Indira Gandhi
- First woman Governor: Sarojini Naidu (Uttar Pradesh)
- First woman IPS officer: Kiran Bedi
- First woman IAS officer: Anna Rajam Malhotra
- First woman Chief Minister: Sucheta Kripalani
- First woman to climb Mount Everest: Bachendri Pal (1984)
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Firsts in Judiciary and Defence
- First woman judge of the Supreme Court: Justice M. Fathima Beevi
- First woman Chief Justice of a High Court: Leila Seth
- First Field Marshal of India: Sam Manekshaw
- First woman to become a fighter pilot: Avani Chaturvedi (one of the first three)
Firsts in Sports and Awards
- First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal: Karnam Malleswari (2000)
- First Indian to win an individual Olympic gold: Abhinav Bindra (2008)
- First recipient of Bharat Ratna: includes Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari and C. V. Raman (1954)
Quick Revision Points
- First President of India: Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
- First woman President: Pratibha Patil (2007).
- First Indian in space: Rakesh Sharma (1984).
- First woman IPS officer: Kiran Bedi.
- First Indian woman Everest climber: Bachendri Pal (1984).
- First Field Marshal: Sam Manekshaw.
- First woman Supreme Court judge: M. Fathima Beevi.
- First individual Olympic gold: Abhinav Bindra (2008).