In Indian tradition, women are seen as having superpowers. This superpower has contributed much to our nation’s wealth and has led every previous revolution. Even though women’s traditional responsibilities in India were confined to the home, they still had a significant impact on the development of society. Women have historically produced influential figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Some of the leaders, such as Rani Lakshmi Bai, have also protected our nation and served as role models for others. Indian women have made history and established standards for others to follow in a variety of fields, from politics to space. Nonetheless, some women have made history by setting particular records and reaching certain heights in a variety of industries before anyone else. This is a list of first women in all fields in India, some of India’s pioneering women. Go over the list and be motivated by these women.
List of First Women in all fields in India
Women who fought tenaciously for their rights and achieved success in a variety of disciplines are abundant in Indian history. These Indian women continuously inspire and uplift other women. Below is a list of the first women in India to achieve success.
Sr. N. | Field | Name of the Person |
1. | First woman Prime Minister of India/First Indian woman to receive Bharat Ratna | Indira Gandhi(First woman in a man’s world) |
2. | First woman governor of an Indian state(Uttar Pradesh) | Sarojini Naidu(Also known as Nightingale of India) |
3. | First Indian woman to hold a cabinet post in pre-Independence India/ First woman to be elected President of the United Nations General Assembly | Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit |
4. | First woman Chief Minister of India(1963 to 1967, Uttar Pradesh) | Sucheta Kripalani(Founded the All India Mahila Congress) |
5. | First woman President (2007-2012)/First woman to serve as governor of Rajasthan | Pratibha Patil |
6. | First woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha | Meira Kumar(Five-term MP and then a Cabinet minister) |
7. | First woman president of Indian National Congress | Annie Besant(Founded the Central Hindu College aka BHU) |
8. | first health minister of India/First Indian woman to hold a government position after 1947 | Rajkumari Amrit Kaur |
9. | First woman Chief Election Commissioner of India | V.S. Ramadevi |
10. | India’s first female judge | Anna Chandy(the Country’s first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court) |
11. | First woman judge of the Supreme Court of India | M Fathima Beevi(First woman to top the Bar Council of India’s exam) |
12. | First Indian-born woman to fly in space | Kalpana Chawla |
13. | India’s first woman to pilot a flight | Sarla Thukral(First Indian women to complete 1,000 hours of flight time to gain her a license) |
14. | First Indian woman Commercial pilot | Durba Banerjee(First woman to fly the Tornado A-200 aircraft) |
15. | First Indian Woman Fighter Pilot | Bhavna Kanth |
16. | First woman IAS officer | Anna Rajam Malhotra(Executed the construction of India’s first computerized port -Jawaharlal Nehru Port) |
17. | First Indian badminton player to win a medal at the Olympic Games | Saina Nehwal |
18. | First Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal | Sakshi Malik |
19. | India’s first woman IPS officer | Kiran Bedi |
20. | First Director General of Police | Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya(Country’s second woman Police Officer) |
21. | First Indian woman to climb Mt Everest | Bachendri Pal |
22. | First woman scientist to head a missile project in India | Tessy Thomas(Missile Woman of India) |
23. | First woman Train Driver | Surekha Yadav |
24. | First Indian female boxer to win a medal | Mary Kom |
25. | First Indian woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize | Mother Teresa |
26. | First Indian woman to win Booker Prize award | Arundhati Roy(For her novel The God of Small Things) |
27. | First woman to win Sahitya Akademi award | Amrita Pritam(For her book Sunehade) |
28. | First Indian woman to win Miss Universe | Sushmita Sen |
29. | First female director of India | Fatima Begum(She wrote and directed Bulbul-e-Paristan in 1926) |
30. | First woman singer to receive Bharat Ratna | MS Subbulakshmi |
31. | First female Recipient of the Ashoka Chakra | Neerja Bhanot |
32. | First Indian Woman Doctor | Anandi Gopal Joshi |
33. | First Woman President of INC | Annie Besant |
34. | First Indian Woman President of INC | Sarojini Naidu |
35. | First Indian Woman to swim across English Channel | Arati Saha |
36. | First Indian woman to get Arjuna Award | Stephie D’Souza |
37. | First Indian Woman to become Miss World | Miss Reita Faria |
38. | First Indian Woman to win Gold in AsianGames | Kamaljeet Sandhu |
39. | First Indian Woman to get Jnanpith Award | Ashapoorna Devi |
40. | First Indian Women to win Oscar Award | Bhanu Athaiya |
41. | First Woman to get Ashok Chakra | Nirja Bhanot |
42. | First Indian Woman to win Medal in Olymbic | Karnam Malleswari |
43. | First Indian Woman to win WTA Title | Sania Mirza |
44. | First Indian Woman to climb Mt Everest twice | Santhosh Yadhav |
45. | First transgender woman to be a police officer in India (Dharmapuri) | K Prithika Yashini |
46. | First Indian athlete to win gold at the IAAF World Under 20 Athletics Championships. | Hima Das(The 20-year-old who currently holds the national record also goes by the name “Dhing Express.”) |
47. | First Woman Ruler on Delhi Throne | Razia Sultan |
48. | First Woman Supreme Court Judge of India | Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi |
49. | First woman IFS officer Ambassador in India | CB Muthamma |
50. | First woman Chief Election Commissioner of India | V.S Ramadevi |
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FAQs on List of First Women in all fields in India
The first woman to serve as president of India was Pratibha Patil. Between 2007 and 2012, Pratibha Patil presided over India.
In India, the first transgender woman police officer is K Prithika Yashini (Dharmapuri).
The first Indian woman to lead the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu (INC).
Annie Besant was chosen to serve as the Indian National Congress’s first female president (INC). At Varanasi, Annie Besant also started the Central Hindu College, better known as BHU.
Sarla Thukral was the first Indian woman to pilot a flight. She is the first Indian woman to obtain a license after 1,000 hours of flight experience.