First Woman in India – Awards, Sports & Entertainment

Mar 2020|🟢Current|5 min read|70 entries

First in India India Indian History Static GK

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The fourth and final part of the series covering First Ladies of India in the field of Awards & Honors, Sports & Entertainment.

Last verified: 12 Feb 2026·Source: www.pscarivukal.com

First Woman in India – Awards, Sports & Entertainment(70)

Item	Detail
A Comprehensive List of First Indian Women in Various Fields - Part IVAwards & HonorsFirst Indian Woman to win Nobel Peace Prize	Mother Teresa(1979)
First Indian Woman who won Ramon Magsaysay award	Mother Teresa(1962)
First Woman to receive Bharat Ratna	Indira Gandhi(1971)
First Indian Woman Musician to receive Bharat Ratna	M.S. Subbulakshmi(1998)
First Sportswoman to be awarded Padma Shri	Arati Saha(1960)
First Indian Actress to win thePadma Shri	Nargis Dutt(1958)
First Woman Sportsperson to be decorated with the Padma Vibhushan	MC Mary Kom(25 January 2020)*
First Indian Woman to win an Oscar award	Bhanu Athaiya(Best Costume Design, Gandhi, 1983)
First Indian Woman to win aGrammy Award	Tanvi Shah(“Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire, 2010)
First Woman to receive Dadasaheb Phalke award	Devika Rani Roerich(1969)
First Woman to receive Ashoka Chakra	Niraja Bhanot(1987)
First Indian Woman to get Arjuna Award	Stephie D'Souza(Hockey, 1963)
First Woman to receive Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna	Karnam Malleswari(1995)
First Indian Woman to become Member of Legion of Honour (France)	Asha Pande(2010, for the pioneering French language in Rajasthan)
First Woman to win Norman Borlaug award	Dr. Amrita Patel(1991)
First Indian Woman to win both Arjuna & Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna	Kunjarani(Grand Old Lady, Arjuna Award - 1990 & Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna - with Leander Paes in 1996-1997)
First Woman Coach to win Dronacharya Award	Sunil Dabas(2012, Kabaddi)
First Woman to appear on Postal Stamp	Mirabai(October 1, 1952 - stamp for 2 annas)
First Indian Woman to win at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year	Aishwarya Sridhar(2020)*
SportsFirst Indian Woman to qualify for Olympic Games	Sini Abraham
First Indian woman to reach the semi-finals of an Olympic event	Shiny Abraham
First Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic event	P.T. Usha(400m hurdles, 1984)
First IndianGymnast to qualify for Olympics	Dipa Karmakar(2016)
First Woman to win a Medal in Olympics	Karnam Malleswari
First Woman to win a medal at the Paralympics	Deepa Malik(Rio, 2016)
First Indian woman to win a medal in Badminton at Olympic Games	Saina Nehwal(2012)
First Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal	P.V Sindhu(2016)
First Indian woman to win two Olympic medals in two consecutive Olympics	P.V Sindhu(2016: Silver &2020: Bronze)*
Second Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in Olympic Games	P.V Sindhu
First Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal	Sakshi Malik(58Kg, 2016)
First Indian woman Boxer to win an Olympic Medal	MC Mary Kom
First Woman who become an individual member of the International Olympic Committee	Nita Ambani(2016)
First Woman to score a double hundred in Test Cricket (in World as well)	Mithali Raj( 214 against New Zealand at Wellington, 2004)
First Woman to win the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) title	Sania Mirza(2005)
First Indian Woman to win Gold in Asian Games	Kamaljeet Sandhu(400 m. Race, 1970)
First Indian Woman Boxer to win a gold medal in Asian Games	Mary Kom(2014)
First & Only Woman Boxer who has won a medal in each of the six World Championships	Mary Kom
India's first-ever gold medalist in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010	Geeta Phogat
First Woman to win Gold Medal on International Track	Hima Das
First Woman to make hat-trick in international football	Yolanda D’Souza
First Woman to win International Grand Master- Chess	Bhagyashree Thipsay
First Indian Woman to to hold The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) titles- International Master and Woman Grandmaster	Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi
Youngest Indian woman to become Chess Grandmaster	Koneru Humpy(2002, at the age of 15)
First Indian Woman to win a medal at an international athletics competition	Anju Bobby George(Paris, 2003)
First Indian Woman to win the Gold medal at Asian Wrestling Championship	Navjot Kaur
First woman to win Gold in World Cup Shooting	Heena Sidhu(2013)
India’s first F1 woman racer and national racing champion	Alisha Abdullah
First Indian Woman to participate in WWE	Kavita Dalal
First Women Boxing Referee in India	Rasiya Shabnam
EntertainmentFirst Miss World from India	Reetha Faria(1966)
First Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title	Sushmita Sen(1994)
First Miss India	Pramila(Esther Victoria Abraham, 1947)
First Indian Woman to win the Miss Asia-Pacific title	Zeenat Aman(1970)
First Indian Woman to win the Miss Earth title	Nicol Faria(2010)
First Actress of Indian Cinema	Durgabai Kamat(Film 'Mohini Bhasmasur', 1913)
First Female child actress of Indian cinema	Kamalabai Gokhale*
First Indian Woman who appeared on Time Magazine cover	Parveen Babi
First Female Actress to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha	Vyjayanthimala
First Female Actress to be a member of Rajya Sabha	Nargis Dutt
First Doordarshan Newsreader	Pratima Puri
First Lady Editor	Kamala Swaminathan(Indian Ladies Magazine)
First Woman Editor of an English Newspaper	Dina Vakil
First Indian Woman producer and director	Fatima Begum
First Female Singer to be honored by House Of Commons, British Parliament, United Kingdom	K.S. Chitra.📝SideNotes:Légion d'honneur/Legion of Honour (France)award established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802
Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize	science award in India given annually by the CSIR for outstanding research in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, and Physics
Tessy Thomas	also known as ‘Missile Woman of India’ and ‘Agniputri’
Test tube baby	Durga is the first test-tube baby and world's second, but media publicity was given to Harsha, being the first test-tube by Dr. Indira Hinduja who was born on 6 August 1986, another claim being Kruti Parekh born 1984
Kamalabai Gokhale	Daughter of Durgabai Kamat, debuted in 1913, film 'Mohini Bhasmasur' directed by Dadasaheb Phalke
Padma Vibhushanrecipients (7) of 25 January 2020	George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, Anerood Jugnauth, Mary Kom, Chhannulal Mishra, Sushma Swaraj & Vishwesha Teertha
First Indian athlete to win two individual medals at the Olympics	Sushil Kumar(Wrestling: 2012: Silver & 2008: Bronze)

A Comprehensive List of First Indian Women in Various Fields - Part IVAwards & HonorsFirst Indian Woman to win Nobel Peace Prize

Mother Teresa(1979)

First Indian Woman who won Ramon Magsaysay award

Mother Teresa(1962)

First Woman to receive Bharat Ratna

Indira Gandhi(1971)

First Indian Woman Musician to receive Bharat Ratna

M.S. Subbulakshmi(1998)

First Sportswoman to be awarded Padma Shri

Arati Saha(1960)

First Indian Actress to win thePadma Shri

Nargis Dutt(1958)

First Woman Sportsperson to be decorated with the Padma Vibhushan*

MC Mary Kom(25 January 2020)

First Indian Woman to win an Oscar award

Bhanu Athaiya(Best Costume Design, Gandhi, 1983)

First Indian Woman to win aGrammy Award

Tanvi Shah(“Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire, 2010)

First Woman to receive Dadasaheb Phalke award

Devika Rani Roerich(1969)

First Woman to receive Ashoka Chakra

Niraja Bhanot(1987)

First Indian Woman to get Arjuna Award

Stephie D'Souza(Hockey, 1963)

First Woman to receive Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

Karnam Malleswari(1995)

First Indian Woman to become Member of Legion of Honour (France)

Asha Pande(2010, for the pioneering French language in Rajasthan)

First Woman to win Norman Borlaug award

Dr. Amrita Patel(1991)

First Indian Woman to win both Arjuna & Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

Kunjarani(Grand Old Lady, Arjuna Award - 1990 & Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna - with Leander Paes in 1996-1997)

First Woman Coach to win Dronacharya Award

Sunil Dabas(2012, Kabaddi)

First Woman to appear on Postal Stamp

Mirabai(October 1, 1952 - stamp for 2 annas)

First Indian Woman to win at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year*

Aishwarya Sridhar(2020)

SportsFirst Indian Woman to qualify for Olympic Games

Sini Abraham

First Indian woman to reach the semi-finals of an Olympic event

Shiny Abraham

First Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic event

P.T. Usha(400m hurdles, 1984)

First IndianGymnast to qualify for Olympics

Dipa Karmakar(2016)

First Woman to win a Medal in Olympics

Karnam Malleswari

First Woman to win a medal at the Paralympics

Deepa Malik(Rio, 2016)

First Indian woman to win a medal in Badminton at Olympic Games

Saina Nehwal(2012)

First Indian woman to win an Olympic silver medal

P.V Sindhu(2016)

First Indian woman to win two Olympic medals in two consecutive Olympics*

P.V Sindhu(2016: Silver &2020: Bronze)

Second Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in Olympic Games

P.V Sindhu

First Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal

Sakshi Malik(58Kg, 2016)

First Indian woman Boxer to win an Olympic Medal

MC Mary Kom

First Woman who become an individual member of the International Olympic Committee

Nita Ambani(2016)

First Woman to score a double hundred in Test Cricket (in World as well)

Mithali Raj( 214 against New Zealand at Wellington, 2004)

First Woman to win the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) title

Sania Mirza(2005)

First Indian Woman to win Gold in Asian Games

Kamaljeet Sandhu(400 m. Race, 1970)

First Indian Woman Boxer to win a gold medal in Asian Games

Mary Kom(2014)

First & Only Woman Boxer who has won a medal in each of the six World Championships

Mary Kom

India's first-ever gold medalist in wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in 2010

Geeta Phogat

First Woman to win Gold Medal on International Track

Hima Das

First Woman to make hat-trick in international football

Yolanda D’Souza

First Woman to win International Grand Master- Chess

Bhagyashree Thipsay

First Indian Woman to to hold The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) titles- International Master and Woman Grandmaster

Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi

Youngest Indian woman to become Chess Grandmaster

Koneru Humpy(2002, at the age of 15)

First Indian Woman to win a medal at an international athletics competition

Anju Bobby George(Paris, 2003)

First Indian Woman to win the Gold medal at Asian Wrestling Championship

Navjot Kaur

First woman to win Gold in World Cup Shooting

Heena Sidhu(2013)

India’s first F1 woman racer and national racing champion

Alisha Abdullah

First Indian Woman to participate in WWE

Kavita Dalal

First Women Boxing Referee in India

Rasiya Shabnam

EntertainmentFirst Miss World from India

Reetha Faria(1966)

First Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title

Sushmita Sen(1994)

First Miss India

Pramila(Esther Victoria Abraham, 1947)

First Indian Woman to win the Miss Asia-Pacific title

Zeenat Aman(1970)

First Indian Woman to win the Miss Earth title

Nicol Faria(2010)

First Actress of Indian Cinema

Durgabai Kamat(Film 'Mohini Bhasmasur', 1913)

First Female child actress of Indian cinema

Kamalabai Gokhale*

First Indian Woman who appeared on Time Magazine cover

Parveen Babi

First Female Actress to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha

Vyjayanthimala

First Female Actress to be a member of Rajya Sabha

Nargis Dutt

First Doordarshan Newsreader

Pratima Puri

First Lady Editor

Kamala Swaminathan(Indian Ladies Magazine)

First Woman Editor of an English Newspaper

Dina Vakil

First Indian Woman producer and director

Fatima Begum

First Female Singer to be honored by House Of Commons, British Parliament, United Kingdom

K.S. Chitra.📝SideNotes:Légion d'honneur/Legion of Honour (France)award established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize

science award in India given annually by the CSIR for outstanding research in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine, and Physics

Tessy Thomas

also known as ‘Missile Woman of India’ and ‘Agniputri’

Test tube baby

Durga is the first test-tube baby and world's second, but media publicity was given to Harsha, being the first test-tube by Dr. Indira Hinduja who was born on 6 August 1986, another claim being Kruti Parekh born 1984

Kamalabai Gokhale

Daughter of Durgabai Kamat, debuted in 1913, film 'Mohini Bhasmasur' directed by Dadasaheb Phalke

Padma Vibhushanrecipients (7) of 25 January 2020

George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley, Anerood Jugnauth, Mary Kom, Chhannulal Mishra, Sushma Swaraj & Vishwesha Teertha

First Indian athlete to win two individual medals at the Olympics

Sushil Kumar(Wrestling: 2012: Silver & 2008: Bronze)

* Time-sensitive data — verify for latest information

First Woman in India – Awards, Sports & Entertainment

Key Takeaway

First Woman in India – Awards, Sports & Entertainment(70)

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