First in India (Women) — Set 8

Correct Answer: A. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur

• **Rajkumari Amrit Kaur** = She was the first Indian woman to be appointed as a Union Cabinet Minister in independent India. • **1947** — She took oath as the Minister of Health in the first cabinet of independent India in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Indira Gandhi]: She became a Union Cabinet Minister later and then the first female Prime Minister; [Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]: She served as a diplomat and the first woman President of the UN General Assembly, not a Union Cabinet Minister in independent India's first cabinet; [Sarojini Naidu]: She was the first Indian woman President of the Indian National Congress and Governor of Uttar Pradesh.

Correct Answer: A. Hansa Mehta

• **Hansa Mehta** = She was the first Indian woman to be elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. • **1946** — She was elected to this prestigious UN body and was instrumental in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit]: She was the first woman President of the UN General Assembly; [Lakshmi Menon]: She served as Minister of State for External Affairs, not specifically known for this UN commission; [Begum Qudsia Aizaz Rasul]: She was the only Muslim woman in the Constituent Assembly of India and a sportsperson.

Correct Answer: A. Arundhati Bhattacharya

• **Arundhati Bhattacharya** = She was the first woman to serve as the Chairperson of the State Bank of India (SBI). • **2013** — She was appointed to lead India's largest bank in this year, serving until 2017. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Chanda Kochhar]: She was the former CEO of ICICI Bank; [Shikha Sharma]: She was the former CEO of Axis Bank; [Naina Lal Kidwai]: She was the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School and headed HSBC India.

Correct Answer: C. Kunjarani Devi

• **Kunjarani Devi** = She was the first Indian woman to win a medal in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games. • **1990 Commonwealth Games** — She won a bronze medal in the 44 kg category at these Games. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Karnam Malleswari]: She won an Olympic medal in weightlifting, but Kunjarani Devi won a CWG medal earlier; [Saikhom Mirabai Chanu]: She is an Olympic silver medalist in weightlifting and has won CWG medals later; [P.V. Sindhu]: She is an Olympic medalist in badminton, not weightlifting.

Correct Answer: A. Mahadevi Varma

• **Mahadevi Varma** = She was the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for Hindi literature. • **1956** — She received this prestigious literary award for her work in Hindi literature in this year. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Amrita Pritam]: She won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 for Punjabi literature; [Subhadra Kumari Chauhan]: She was a celebrated Hindi poetess but was not the first woman to win this award; [Maha Devi Verma]: This name refers to a different individual or is a variant spelling; this person was not the first recipient.

Correct Answer: A. Mary D'Souza Sequeira

• **Mary D'Souza Sequeira** = She was the first Indian woman athlete to represent India at the Olympic Games. • **1952 Helsinki Olympics** — She competed in sprinting events at these games, marking her historic participation. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [P.T. Usha]: A celebrated athlete, but she participated in later Olympics; [Nilima Ghosh]: She was also an Olympian but not the first Indian woman; [Shirin Bulsara]: Not known for being the first Indian woman Olympian.

Correct Answer: B. Mrinal Pande

• **Mrinal Pande** = She was the first woman appointed as the Director General of Doordarshan, India's national public broadcaster. • **Journalist and Author** — She is a celebrated figure known for her extensive contributions to media and literature. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Barkha Dutt]: A prominent journalist but not the DG of Doordarshan; [Aruna Raje]: An acclaimed filmmaker, not associated with the Doordarshan DG position; [Sharada Prasad]: A renowned civil servant and media advisor, but not the first woman DG of Doordarshan.

Correct Answer: A. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

• **Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit** = She was the first woman to lead a delegation representing India at the UN Security Council. • **1953** — In this year, she also became the first woman President of the UN General Assembly. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Indira Gandhi]: Former Prime Minister of India, but not the first woman to lead a UN delegation; [C.B. Muthamma]: India's first woman diplomat, but not specifically known for this 'first' at UNSC; [Chokila Iyer]: India's first woman Foreign Secretary, but not the first to lead a UN delegation.

Correct Answer: C. Shashibala

• **Shashibala** = She was the first woman officer to join the Indian Forest Service (IFS). • **1980** — She joined the IFS in this year and served in Madhya Pradesh, paving the way for future female officers. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya]: India's first woman Director General of Police, not from IFS; [Madhuri Pawar]: Not known as the first woman IFS officer; [Nandita Singh]: Not known as the first woman IFS officer.

Correct Answer: A. N. Lamjingbe Devi

• **N. Lamjingbe Devi** = She was the first Indian woman to win the Arjuna Award. • **1961** — She received this award in this year for her excellence in weightlifting, establishing a significant milestone. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [P.T. Usha]: A legendary athlete who won the Arjuna Award later, not the first woman; [Mary D'Souza]: A pioneering Olympian but not the first woman Arjuna Awardee; [Nilima Ghosh]: An Olympian but not the first woman Arjuna Awardee.