First in India (Women) — Set 3

Correct Answer: A. Harita Kaur Deol

• **Harita Kaur Deol** = She was the first woman pilot in the Indian Air Force to fly solo. • **1994** — She achieved the milestone of flying solo in an Avro HS-748 at the age of 22 in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Gunjan Saxena: was one of the first Indian women to fly in a combat zone, but not the first pilot to fly solo; Avani Chaturvedi: is one of the first three women fighter pilots of India, but joined much later; Bhawana Kanth: is also one of the first three women fighter pilots, but not the first overall woman pilot.

Correct Answer: D. Amrita Pritam

• **Amrita Pritam** = She was the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for Punjabi literature. • **1956** — She won the award for her long poem 'Sunehade' in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Krishna Sobti: was a renowned Hindi writer and Jnanpith awardee, not Punjabi literature; Prabhjot Kaur: was a Punjabi poet who won the Padma Shri, but not the first Sahitya Akademi award for Punjabi; Dalip Kaur Tiwana: was a Punjabi novelist and short-story writer who won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971, but not the first woman.

Correct Answer: D. Sushmita Sen

• **Sushmita Sen** = She was the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title. • **1994** — She won the Miss Universe crown in this year when she was 18 years old. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Lara Dutta: won the Miss Universe title in 2000, not the first; Harnaaz Sandhu: won the Miss Universe title in 2021, not the first; Aishwarya Rai: won the Miss World title in 1994, not Miss Universe.

Correct Answer: D. Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya

• **Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya** = She was the first woman to become the Director General of Police (DGP) of an Indian state. • **2004** — She became the DGP of Uttarakhand in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Kiran Bedi: was India's first woman IPS officer, but not the first DGP of a state; Vimla Mehra: was the first woman Director General of Tihar Jail; Letika Saran: was the first woman DGP of Tamil Nadu, but after Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya.

Correct Answer: A. Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu

• **Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu** = She was the first Indian woman to reach the South Pole. • **2009** — She reached the South Pole as part of an all-woman Commonwealth team in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bachendri Pal: was the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest; Premlata Agrawal: was the oldest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest; Arunima Sinha: was the first female amputee to climb Mount Everest.

Correct Answer: D. Deepa Malik

• **Deepa Malik** = She was the first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympic Games. • **2016** — She won a silver medal in shot put at the Rio Paralympics in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Bhavina Patel: won a silver medal in table tennis at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, but after Deepa Malik; Manasi Joshi: is a para-badminton world champion; Avani Lekhara: won gold and bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, but after Deepa Malik.

Correct Answer: D. Vijayalakshmi Pandit

• **Vijayalakshmi Pandit** = She was the first woman ambassador of India to a foreign country. • **1947** — She was appointed as the ambassador to the Soviet Union in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: C. B. Muthamma: was the first woman to pass the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) exam and later an ambassador, but after Vijayalakshmi Pandit; Nirupama Rao: served as Foreign Secretary and ambassador, but much later; Meira Kumar: was the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha, not an ambassador.

Correct Answer: D. Neerja Bhanot

• **Neerja Bhanot** = She was the first woman to be posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra. • **1987** — She was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra in this year for her bravery. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Kiran Bedi: was the first woman IPS officer, known for police reforms; Shanti Tigga: was the first female jawan in the Indian Army; Kamla Devi: is not widely recognized for receiving the Ashoka Chakra.

Correct Answer: A. P. V. Sindhu

• **P. V. Sindhu** = She was the first Indian woman to win a silver medal at the Olympics. • **2016** — She won the silver medal in Badminton at the Rio Olympics in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Saina Nehwal: won a bronze medal in Badminton at the 2012 London Olympics, not silver; Sakshi Malik: won a bronze medal in wrestling at the 2016 Rio Olympics; Mirabai Chanu: won a silver medal in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but after P. V. Sindhu.

Correct Answer: A. Amrit Kaur

• **Rajkumari Amrit Kaur** = She was the first woman to hold a Union Cabinet portfolio in independent India. • **1947 to 1957** — She served as India's first Health Minister during this period. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Sarojini Naidu: was the first Indian woman President of the INC and first woman Governor of a state, but not a Union Cabinet Minister; Indira Gandhi: was the first woman Prime Minister of India, but not the first woman Union Cabinet Minister; Vijayalakshmi Pandit: was a diplomat and ambassador, but not the first woman Union Cabinet Minister.