International Women’s Day 2024: List of First Women in India
International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on 8 March to honour the achievements of women across the world.
The 2024 theme — “Inspire Inclusion” — highlights the need to create spaces where women feel valued, empowered, and included in all spheres of life.
India’s history is enriched by exceptional women who broke barriers and became the first in their respective fields. Their achievements have shaped politics, science, literature, arts, sports, defence, aviation, and more.
Below is a concise list of pioneering Indian women who created history with their remarkable firsts.
List of First Women in India (Quick Compilation)
Early Trailblazers
Razia Sultan (1236) – First female Sultan of Delhi.
Savitribai Phule (1848) – First female teacher in India.
Anandi Gopal Joshi (1886) – First Indian woman doctor with a medical degree.
Cornelia Sorabji (1889) – First female graduate from Bombay University.
Arts & Culture
Durgabai Kamat (1913) – First Indian woman to act in a film.
T.S. Kanaka (1951) – First female music composer in Indian cinema.
M.S. Subbulakshmi (1966) –
✓ First Indian musician to perform at the UN
✓ First musician awarded Bharat Ratna (1998)
✓ First Indian musician to receive Ramon Magsaysay Award (1974)
Politics & Governance
Sarojini Naidu (1925) – First woman President of INC.
Sucheta Kriplani (1963) – First woman Chief Minister of an Indian state.
Indira Gandhi (1966) – First woman Prime Minister of India.
Pratibha Patil (2007) – First woman President of India.
Nirmala Sitharaman (2019) – First full-time woman Finance Minister.
Science & Education
Kamala Sohonie (1939) – First Indian woman with a PhD in Science.
Rajkumari Amrita Kaur (1947) – First woman Health Minister.
Armed Forces & Defence
Captain Lakshmi Sehgal (1943) – First woman Captain in INA.
Kiran Bedi (1966) – First woman IPS officer.
Shivangi Singh (2016) – First woman fighter pilot to fly MiG-21 Bison.
Shivangi Singh (2021) – First woman Rafale fighter jet pilot.
Aviation & Transport
Lalitha Ayyalasomayajula (1952) – First female Indian commercial pilot.
Vimal Sood (1973) – One of the first women airline pilots.
Shila Dawre (1983) – First woman train driver in India.
Surekha Yadav (1988) – First woman locomotive pilot for Indian Railways.
Sports
Kamaljeet Sandhu (1970) – First Indian woman to win Asian Games gold in athletics.
Sania Mirza (2015) – First Indian woman to become World No. 1 in tennis doubles.
Bachendri Pal (1984) – First Indian woman to scale Mount Everest.
Academics & Judiciary
Leila Seth (1991) – First woman Chief Justice of a State High Court (Himachal Pradesh).
Arundhati Roy (1997) – First Indian woman Booker Prize winner.
Space & Global Recognition
Kalpana Chawla (1997) – First Indian-born woman astronaut in space.
Mother Teresa (1979) – First Indian Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
Conclusion
These iconic women represent courage, leadership, and determination. Their historic achievements continue to inspire millions, proving that when barriers are challenged, new paths open for future generations.
International Women’s Day reminds us to honour their legacy and continue building a more inclusive world for women everywhere.
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