Celebrating The Amazing And Unique 'Firsts' By Indian Women This Women's Day

On International Women's Day, let us come together to applaud the many firsts by Indian women. After all, these trendsetting women chose to challenge and come out victorious.

The many amazing 'Firsts' by Indian women

1. Shila Dawre

First Indian woman auto-rickshaw driver

Shila Dawre is the true embodiment of grit and determination. In 1988, at a time when women auto-rickshaw drivers were unheard of, Shila Dawre created history as India's first woman auto-rickshaw driver. Pune-based Dawre has paved the way for other women drivers and sent out a message that nothing is impossible if you set your heart to it.

2. Kalpana Chawla

The first woman of Indian origin to go to space

When Kalpana Chawla, an American astronaut, and engineer went into space in 1997 as a mission specialist and a primary robotic arm operator, she became the first woman of Indian origin to go to space. Regarded as a national hero in India, Chawla passed away in 2003 in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster where the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.

3. Kiran Bedi

The first woman police officer in India/First Indian woman to be appointed United National Police Advisor

Kiran Bedi became the first police officer in India when she joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972. During her tenure, she introduced many reforms at Delhi's Tihar jail that got her recognition and won her the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1994. She is also an Indian politician and a social activist who served as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from 2016 to 2021. Interestingly, she has another first to her name. In 2003, Bedi became the first Indian and first woman to be appointed United Nations Police Advisor in the United Nations Department of Peace Operations.

4. Arunima Sinha

First female amputee to climb Mount Everest

Arunima Sinha is the first female amputee to climb the mighty peak of Mount Everest in 2013. What made the feat remarkable was the fact that Arunima achieved this just two years after she lost her leg in a tragic train accident where she was pushed out of a running train by thieves. A Padma Shri awardee, Arunima is also the world's first female amputee to conquer Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica.

5. Gita Gopinath

First Indian woman to be appointed chief economist of the IMF

In 2018, Gita Gopinath became the first Indian woman to be appointed chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She succeeded Maurice Obstfeld. She is also the third woman and the second Indian after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to be made a permanent member of the economics department at Harvard. Gopinath has authored many research articles on several topics such as exchange rates, trade and investment, and emerging market crises.

6. Priya Jhingan

First lady cadet of the Indian Army

Her dream was to wear the green uniform and she pursued it with unwavering determination. In the end, she succeeded and came out with flying colors. Meet Priya Jhingan, the first lady cadet of the Indian army. A student of law before she joined the armed forces, Major Priya Jhingan was commissioned to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps in 1993, which was a proud moment for her family.

7. Surekha Yadav

First female train driver in India and Asia

Whenever life has bogged her down with difficulties and hardships, Surekha Yadav has simply 'chugged' ahead. Confused... Well, she is the first female train driver not only in India but in Asia as well. This a great feat considering train driving is often considered a profession only for men. A female loco pilot of the Indian Railways, Surekha became India's first female train driver in 1988.

8. Captain Ruchi Sharma

First Indian woman operational paratrooper in the army

When Ruchi Sharma's face was featured on the cover page of a leading news magazine in April 1998, she made history, for she was the first Indian woman to become an operational paratrooper in the armed forces. Capt. Ruchi has motivated many women to serve their country and after her retirement from the army, she is serving as a Principal in an army school. A recipient of the First Ladies award, she is a role model for women all over India.

9. Pratibha Patil

First woman President of India

Pratibha Patil became the first woman President of India and held office from July 2007 to July 2012. During her tenure as president, she was instrumental in improving women's rights in the country and played a key role in solving issues such as the agrarian crisis. After retirement, she has been involved in charity work.

Apart from the above-mentioned women, there are other Indian women who were firsts in their fields. Take a look at the table below.