International Women’s Day 2024: List of First Women in India

PWOnlyIAS March 08, 2024 02:27 5112 0

Here's a list of some pioneering women who were the first in their respective fields in India, download pdf here.

International Women’s Day 2024: List of First Women in India

Context:

International Women’s Day is celebrated on 8th March to celebrate the contribution and achievement of women in society. 

  • International Women’s Day 2024 theme: ‘Inspire Inclusion’ –  It emphasises the importance of inspiring women to be included, fostering a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

List of First Women in India

Throughout India’s rich and diverse history, numerous women have defied societal norms and paved the way for generations to come by achieving notable ‘firsts’ in various fields. From the realms of politics and academia to sports and entrepreneurship, these remarkable women have left an indelible mark on Indian society. Here’s a list of some pioneering women who were the first in their respective fields in India:

Year Name Achievement Description about Achievement
1236 Razia Sultan First Female Sultan of Delhi Sultanate
  • Razia Sultan, daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, became the first female Sultan of Delhi in 1236, challenging gender norms and ruling with authority during her reign.
1848 Savitribai Phule First Female Teacher in India
  • Savitribai Phule, along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, established the first school for girls in Pune in 1848, making her the first female teacher in India.
1886 Anandi Gopal Joshi First Female Indian Physician
  • Anandi Gopal Joshi became the first Indian woman to obtain a degree in Western medicine in 1886, paving the way for women in the field of medicine in India.
1889 Cornelia Sorabji First Female Graduate from Bombay University
  • Cornelia Sorabji, a pioneer in legal education for women, became the first female graduate from Bombay University in 1889, breaking academic barriers.
1913 Durgabai Kamat First Female Indian Actress to Perform on Screen
  • Durgabai Kamat made her mark as the first female Indian actress to appear on screen in the silent film “Raja Harishchandra” in 1913, pioneering the Indian film industry.
1925 Sarojini Naidu First Female President of Indian National Congress
  • Sarojini Naidu, also known as the “Nightingale of India,” became the first woman to preside over the Indian National Congress in 1925, playing a significant role in India’s freedom struggle.
1939 Kamala Sohonie First Indian Woman to Obtain a PhD in Science
  • Kamala Sohonie became the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in the field of science, specializing in biochemistry, from the University of Cambridge in 1939.
1943 Captain Lakshmi Sehgal First Female Captain in Indian National Army
  • Captain Lakshmi Sehgal served as a captain in the Indian National Army under Subhas Chandra Bose during World War II, becoming the first female captain in the army.
1947 Rajkumari Amrita Kaur First Female Health Minister of India
  • Rajkumari Amrita Kaur served as the first female Health Minister of India from 1947 to 1957, playing a pivotal role in shaping India’s healthcare policies.
1951 Thanjavur Santhanakrishna Kanaka First Female Music Composer of Indian Cinema
  • Thanjavur Santhanakrishna Kanaka, also known as T. S. Kanaka, was the first female music composer of Indian cinema, composing music for Tamil films in the 1950s.
1952 Durba Banerjee First Female Physician to Receive Padma Bhushan
  • Dr. Durba Banerjee, a renowned oncologist, became the first female physician to receive the prestigious Padma Bhushan award in 1952 for her contributions to medicine.
1952 Lalitha Ayyalasomayajula First Female Airline Pilot in India
  • Lalitha Ayyalasomayajula became the first Indian woman to obtain a commercial pilot’s license in 1952, paving the way for women in aviation.
1959 Chonira Belliappa Muthamma First Female Indian Diplomat
  • Chonira Belliappa Muthamma became the first female Indian diplomat in 1959, serving as India’s High Commissioner to Ghana and later as Ambassador to Hungary.
1963 Sucheta Kriplani First Woman Chief Minister
  • Sucheta Kriplani served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 1963 to 1967, becoming the first female chief minister of any state in India.
1966 Kiran Bedi First Woman IPS Officer
  • Kiran Bedi made history by becoming the first female Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in 1966, breaking barriers in law enforcement.
1966 Indira Gandhi First Woman Prime Minister
  • Indira Gandhi made history as the first female Prime Minister of India in 1966, serving multiple terms in office and leaving a lasting legacy in Indian politics.
1966 Miss Reita Faria First Asian Woman to Win Miss World
  • Miss Reita Faria made history as the first Asian woman to win the Miss World title in 1966, showcasing Indian beauty and talent on the global stage.
1966 Ms Subbulakshmi First Indian Musician to Perform at the UN
  • M. S. Subbulakshmi, a renowned Carnatic vocalist, became the first Indian musician to perform at the United Nations General Assembly in 1966, showcasing Indian classical music on a global platform.
  • first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna (1998).
  • first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award (1974).
1970 Kamaljeet Sandhu First Female Asian Games Gold Medalist from India
  • Kamaljeet Sandhu made history as the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in athletics at the Asian Games, achieving this feat in the 1970 Asian Games.
1973 Vimal Sood First Female Indian Airline Pilot
  • Vimal Sood made history as the first Indian woman to become a commercial airline pilot in 1973, breaking gender barriers in the aviation industry.
1976 Ashpurna Devi First Female Recipient of Jnanpith Award
  • Ashpurna Devi, a renowned Bengali writer, became the first female recipient of the prestigious Jnanpith Award in 1976 for her outstanding contributions to literature.
1979 Mother Teresa First Indian Nobel Peace Prize Winner
  • Mother Teresa, known for her humanitarian work, became the first Indian to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her dedicated service to the poor and marginalized communities.
1983 Shila Dawre First Female Train Driver in India
  • Shila Dawre became the first female train driver in India in 1983, challenging gender norms and stereotypes in the transportation sector.
1984 Bachendri Pal First Indian Woman to Climb Mount Everest
  • Bachendri Pal achieved the historic feat of becoming the first Indian woman to summit Mount Everest on May 23, 1984, inspiring generations of mountaineers.
1988 Surekha Yadav First Female Train Driver for Indian Railways
  • Surekha Yadav made history as the first female train driver for Indian Railways, breaking gender barriers in the male-dominated railway industry.
1991 Leila Seth First Female Chief Justice of a State High Court in India
  • Leila Seth became the first female Chief Justice of a state High Court in India when she was appointed as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court in 1991.
1997 Arundhati Roy First Female Indian Booker Prize Winner
  • Arundhati Roy became the first Indian woman to win the prestigious Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997 for her debut novel “The God of Small Things.”
1997 Kalpana Chawla First Female Astronaut to Fly on Space Shuttle
  • Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian-born woman in space aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997, inspiring millions with her achievements.
2007 Pratibha Patil First Female President of India
  • Pratibha Patil made history as the first woman to hold the office of the President of India, serving from 2007 to 2012.
2015 Sania Mirza First Female Indian Tennis Player to Rank World No. 1
  • Sania Mirza made history as the first female Indian tennis player to achieve the World No. 1 ranking in doubles in 2015, inspiring a generation of young athletes.
2016 Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh First Female Fighter Pilot in Indian Air Force
  • Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh created history by becoming the first female fighter pilot to fly the MiG-21 Bison aircraft in the Indian Air Force.
2019 Nirmala Sitharaman First Female Finance Minister of India
  • Nirmala Sitharaman made history as the first full-time female Finance Minister of India, taking charge of the Ministry of Finance in 2019.
2021 Shivangi Singh first woman Rafale fighter jet pilot 
  • The country’s first woman Rafale fighter jet pilot Shivangi Singh was part of the Indian Air Force tableau at the Republic Day parade 2021. 
  • She is only the second woman fighter jet pilot to be part of the IAF tableau. 
  • In 2021, Flight Lieutenant Bhawna Kanth became the first female fighter jet pilot to be part of the IAF tableau.

Conclusion

These pioneering women have left an indelible legacy, demonstrating the power of perseverance, resilience, and determination in overcoming obstacles and achieving greatness. Their stories serve as a source of inspiration for future generations of Indian women, reminding us of the limitless potential and boundless possibilities that exist when barriers are broken and dreams are pursued with unwavering resolve.

Also Read: Women Freedom Fighters Of India

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Razia Sultan, daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, was the first female Sultan of Delhi, known for her authoritative rule.

Anandi Gopal Joshi was the first Indian woman to obtain a degree in Western medicine in 1886.

Durgabai Kamat was the first female Indian actress to appear on screen in the silent film "Raja Harishchandra" in 1913.

Indira Gandhi became the first female Prime Minister of India in 1966, serving multiple terms.

Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh created history by becoming the first female fighter pilot to fly the MiG-21 Bison aircraft.
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