First Indian women - Surekha Yadav Asia's first woman engine driver

On the occasion of International Women's DayInternational Women's Day (IWD) is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration for the economic, political and social achievements of women.
..... Click the link for more information, Surekha Yadav, Asia's first woman train driver, got the opportunity of driving the Deccan Queen, one of India's most prestigious trains.

Surekha Yadav, 46, started her career as an assistant diver in 1989 and worked her way up to become a goods driver in 1996, and then a motorwoman in 2000.

Last year, she graduated to a Ghat driver. Since 10 months now, she has served as mail driver.

Sports - Archer Deepika Kumari wins first World Cup gold medal on saturday

India's Deepika Kumari won her first World Cup individual recurve gold medal on Saturday in Antalya, Turkey, beating South Korea's Lee Sung Jin by six set points to four in the final, according to information received here.

Deepika won the second set (29-27), fourth (27-26) and the fifth set (28-27) after losing the first (27-30) and the third (27-29). Deepika is the current junior World Champion and a gold medallist at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. She had also won the Cadet World Title in 2009.

Deepika Kumari was born on13 June 1994. She was born in the city of Ranchi, in the state of Jharkhand, India. Deepika Kumari father Shivnarayan Mahato, an auto-rickshaw driver and Geeta Mahato, a nurse in Ranchi Medical College. In the early days it was rather difficult for the parents to financially support Deepika's dream, often compromising on the family budget to buy her new equipments for her training. In fact, when her father came to know that she wanted to make a career in archery, he wasn't happy. But the young gutsy archer never gave up and started her practice with bamboo made bows and arrows. Finally it was Deepika's cousin Vidya Kumari, also an archer at Tata Archery Academy, who showed her the way.

రాగతి పండరి

రాగతి పండరి

K. Pratibha Bharati - first woman speaker in Andhra Pradesh's history

K. Pratibha Bharati (born 6 February 1956) is a politician of Andhra Pradesh. She is a former speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly (1999 –2004). She was the first woman speaker in Andhra Pradesh's history. She was Minister of Social Welfare 1983, 1985 and 1994 and 1998 of Higher Education.

First female Teacher of the first Women's School in India

మొదటి భారతీయ ఉపాధ్యాయిని.
Savitribai Jotiba Phule (January 3, 1831- March 10, 1897) was a social reformer who along with her husband, Mahatma Jotiba Phule played an important role in improving women's rights in India during the British Rule.Savitribai was the first female teacher of the first women's school in India and also considered as the pioneer of modern Marathi poetry.In 1852 she opened a school for Untouchable girls.

Mahatma Jyotiba is regarded as one of the most important figures in social reform movement in Maharashtra and India. He is most known for his efforts to educate women and the lower castes. Jyotirao, then called as Jyotiba was Savitribai’s mentor and supporter. Under his influence Savitribai had taken women’s education and their liberation from the cultural patterns of the male-dominated society as mission of her life. She worked towards tackling some of the then major social problems including women’s liberation, widow remarriages and removal of untouchability.

However, apart from all these oppositions, Savitribai yet continued to teach the girls. Whenever Savitribai went out of her house, groups of orthodox men would follow her and abuse her in obscene language. They would throw rotten eggs, cow dung, tomatoes and stones at her. She would walk meekly and arrive at her school. Fed up with the treatment meted out to her, she even decided to give up. But it was because of her husband that she continued with her efforts. He told Savitribai Jyotiba who was working for women's education had started the first girl’s school and required women teachers to assist him. Jyotiba educated and trained Savitribai, his first and ideal candidate for this job of a teacher. Savitribai and Jyotiba faced fierce resistance from the orthodox elements of society for this. Jyotiba sent her to a training school from where she passed out with flying colours along with a Muslim lady Fatima Sheikh.When Savitribai completed her studies, she, along with her husband, started a school for girls in Pune in 1848. Nine girls, belonging to different castes enrolled themselves as students.

Slowly and steadily, she established herself. Jyotiba and Savitribai managed to open 5 more schools in the year 1848 itself. She was ultimately honoured by the British for her educational work. In 1852 Jyotiba and Savitribai were felicitated and presented with a shawl each by the government for their commendable efforts in Vishrambag Wada.The next step was equally revolutionary. During those days marriages were arranged between young girls and old men. Men used to die of old age or some sickness and the girls they had married were left widows. Thus, widows were not expected to use cosmetics or to look beautiful. Their heads were shaved and the widows were compelled by society to lead an ascetic life.

Savitribai and Jyotiba were moved by the plight of such widows and castigated the barbers. They organized a strike of barbers and persuaded them not to shave the heads of widows. This was the first strike of its kind. They also fought against all forms of social prejudices. They were moved to see the untouchables who were refused drinking water meant for the upper caste. Both Jyotiba and Savitribai opened up their reservoir of water to the untouchables in the precincts of their house.

Savitribai was not only involved in educational activities of Jyotirao but also in every social struggle that he launched. Once Jyotiba stopped a pregnant lady from committing suicide, promising her to give her child his name after it was born. Savitribai readily accepted the lady in her house and willingly assured to help her deliver the child. Savitribai and Jyotiba later on adopted this child who then grew up to become a doctor and after Jyotiba's death, lit his pyre and completed his duties as a rightful son. This incident opened new horizons for the couple. They thought of the plight of widows in Hindu society. Many women were driven to commit suicide by men who had exploited them to satisfy their lust and then deserted them. Therefore, Savitribai and Jyotiba put boards on streets about the "Delivery Home" for women on whom pregnancy had been forced. The delivery home was called "Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha".

Jyotiba and Savitribai were also opposed to idolatry and championed the cause of peasants and workers. They faced social isolation and vicious attacks from people whom they questioned. After his demise, Savitribai took over the responsibility of Satya Shodhak Samaj, founded by Jyotiba. She presided over meetings and guided workers.In 1868 she welcomed untouchables to take water from her well.She worked relentlessly for the victims of plague, where she organized camps for poor children. It is said that she used to feed two thousand children every day during the epidemic. By a strange irony, she herself was struck by the disease while nursing a sick child and died on 10 March 1897.

Savitribai's poems and other writings are still an inspiration to others. Two books of her poems were published, Kavya Phule in 1934 and Bavan Kashi Subodh Ratnakar in 1982. Recently the Maharashtra government started an award in her name for Women Who Work Social Causes.Jotiba and Savitribai opposed idolatry and championed the cause of peasants and workers. Both faced social isolation and vicious attacks from the people whom they questioned. Savitribai's letters give us a good idea about the experiences of women during this social movement. On her death anniversary, a postage stamp was released by the Department of Post and Telegraph.

On March 10, 1998 a stamp was released by Indian post to honour Savitribai's contribution.Savitribai was a "Vidya Jyoti" for all those who want to do something in the field of education.

P. T. Usha - "Queen of Indian track and field".

పరుగుల రాణి ఉష

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha(born June 27, 1964), popularly known as P. T. Usha, is an Indian athlete from the state of Kerala. P. T. Usha has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979. She is regarded as one of the greatest athletes India has ever produced and is often called the "queen of Indian track and field".She is nicknamed Payyoli Express. Currently she runs the Usha School of Athletics at Koyilandy in Kerala.

P. T. Usha was born in the village of Payyoli, Kozhikode District, Kerala. In 1976 the Kerala State Government started a Sports School for women, and Usha was chosen to represent her district. In 1979 she participated in the National School Games, where she was noticed by O. M. Nambiar, who coached her throughout her career. Her debut in the 1980 Moscow Olympics proved lacklustre. In the 1982 New Delhi Asiad, she got silver medal in the 100 m and the 200 m, but at the Asian Track and Field Championship in Kuwait a year later, Usha took gold in the 400 m with a new Asian record . Between 1983-89, Usha garnered 13 golds at ATF meets. She finished first in the semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but faltered in the finals. In almost a repeat of Milkha Singh's 1960 feat, there was a nail-biting photo finish for the third place. Usha lost the bronze by 1/100th of a second. She became the first Indian woman (and the fifth Indian) to reach the final of an Olympic event by winning her 400 m hurdles Semi-final.

In the 10th Asian Games held at Seoul in 1986, P. T. Usha won 4 gold and 1 silver medal in the track and field events. Here she created new Asian Games records in all the events she participated.She won five golds at the 6th Asian Track and Field Championship at Jakarta in 1985. Her six medals at the same meet is a record for a single athlete in a single international meet.Usha has won 101 international medals so far. She is employed as an officer in the Southern Railways. In 1985, she was conferred the Padma Shri and the Arjuna award.

Usha retired from Athletics and married V.Srinivasan in the year 1991, but to the surprise of everybody she made a sudden comeback in the year 1998 and won Bronze Medals in 200m and 400m races at the Asian Track Federation Meet held at Fukkowakka in Japan. At the age of 34 years, P.T. Usha improved her own timing in 200m race and set a new National Record, which was enough to prove the level of Athletic talent still lying inside her.

World Record:

During the 1985 Asian Track & Field Meet at Jakarta, Indonesia, Usha secured 5 gold medals in the 100, 200, and 400 meter sprints, the 400 meter hurdles, and the 4 x 400 meter relay. She also earned a bronze medal in the 4 x 100 meter relay. This is the current record for most gold medals earned by a female in a single track meet.

First Indian woman

అంతర్జాతీయంగా ఖ్యాతి గాంచిన మన మొదటి భారతీయ మహిళల లిస్టు.

1. The first lady to become Miss World - Rita Faria

1. 2. The first woman judge in Supreme Court – Mrs. Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi

3. The first woman Ambassador – Miss C.B. Muthamma
4. The first woman Governor of a state in free India – Mrs. Sarojini Naidu
5. The first woman Speaker of a State Assembly – Shanno Devi
6. The first woman Prime Minister – Mrs. Indira Gandhi
7. The first woman Minister in a Government – Rajkumaru Amrit Kaur
8. The first woman to climb Mount Everest - Bachhendri Pal on May 23, 1984. She was the 5th woman in the world to scale the peak.
9. The first woman to climb Mount Everest twice - Santosh Yadav
10. The first woman President of Indian National Congress - Mrs Annie Besant
11. The first woman pilot in Indian Air Force - Harita Kaur Dayal
12. The first woman Graduates - Kadambini Ganguly and Chandramukhi Basu, 1883
13. The first woman Airline Pilot - Durga Banerjee
14. The first woman Honours Graduate - Kamini Roy, 1886
15. The first woman Olympic medal Winner - Karnam Malleswari, 2000
16. The first woman Asian Games Gold Medal Winner - Kamlijit Sandhu
17. The first woman Lawyer - Cornelia Sorabjee
18. The first woman President of United Nations General Assembly - Mrs Vijaya Laxmi Pandit
19. The first woman Chief Minister of an Indian State - Mrs Sucheta Kripalani
20. The first woman Chairman of Union Public Service Commission - Roze Millian Bethew
21. The first woman Director General of Police - Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya
22. The first woman Judge - Anna Chandy (She became judge in a district court in 1937)
23. The first woman Cheif Justice of High Court - Mrs Leela Seth (Himachal Pradesh High Court)
24. The first woman Judge in Supreme Court of India - Kumari Justice M. Fathima Beevi
25. The first woman Lieutenant General - Puneeta Arora
26. The first woman Air Vice Marshal - P. Bandopadhyaya
27. The first woman chairperson of Indian Airlines - Sushma Chawla
28. The first woman IPS officer - Mrs. Kiran Bedi
29. The first and last Muslim woman ruler of India - Razia Sultan
30. The first woman to receive Ashoka Chakra - Nirja Bhanot
31. The first woman to receive Jnanpith Award - Ashapurna Devi
32. The first woman to cross English Channel - Aarti Saha
33. The first woman to receive Nobel Prize - Mother Teresa
34. The first woman to receive Bharat Ratna - Mrs Indira Gandhi
35. The first woman to win Miss Universe - Sushmita Sen in 1994
36. The first woman to bag Miss Earth - Nicole Faria in 2010
37. The first woman who won the Booker prize - Arundathi Roy won Booker Prize for her novel "The God of Small Things" in the year 1997 making her the first Indian woman to receive the prestigious award.
38. The First Woman to reach South Pole - Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu
39. The First Women President - Pratibha Patil
40. The First Female Home Minister - Sabitha Indra Reddy in Andhra Pradesh Govt.
41. The First Woman Finance Minister of State Government in India - Dr. Upinderjit Kaur in Punjab Govt.
42. The first Indian woman in space - Kalpana Chawla
43. First woman to score a double hundred in test cricket - Mithali Raj (214* against Newzealand at Wellington 2004)(she was first in the world to achieve this feat)
44. First Indian woman producer and director - Fatima Begum, who produced and directed Bulbul-e-Parastan in 1926.
45. First Indian woman to reach the final of an Olympic event - P.T.Usha
46. First Indian woman boxer to win an international event - M.C.Merykom
47. First Miss Universe of the new millennium - Lara Dutta
48. First woman film star to be a member of Rajya Sabha - Nargis Dutt
49. First woman Governor of Tamil Nadu - Justice M. Fatima Beevi (1997)
50. First woman Speaker of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly - Kavali Prathibha Bharati
51. India's first woman railway driver - Surekha Yadao
52. India's first woman tabla maestro - Dr Aban Mistry
53. First indian woman to win grand slam title - Sania Mirza
54. First indian woman photojournalist - Homai Vyarawalla
55. First woman who achieved Doctorate of Science - Asima Chatterjee
56. First Test-tube baby – Durga Agarwal, born 1978
57. The first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival - Aishwarya Rai Bachhan.
58. Saina Nehwal - Saina is the first Indian woman to reach the singles quarterfinals at the Olympics and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships.

The first lady to become Miss World - Rita Faria

The first lady to become Miss World - Rita Faria

Rita Faria was the first Indian woman to win the Miss World crown in 1966. However, after the end of their world as Miss one year of occupation, has refused all offers of modeling and films and instead opted to study medicine.

Jayaprada Ramamurthy is the first ‘GIRL FLAUTIST’

Jayaprada Ramamurthy is one of the leading artists of India and a sought after musician worldwide, playing Indian classical Carnatic music on the bamboo flute. She is the first female flautist to have represented the state of Andhra Pradesh at renowned National & International music festivals, as a solo artist. Daughter of the renowned carnatic vocalist Prema Ramamurthy.

India’s first lady pilot – Sarla Thakral

The year 1936 when the flying was like dream, flying in air was like miracle. There were only male in the cockpit of the airplane. At that time one lady entered the cockpit of a Gypsy Moth and flew into the blue skies, and made a history as India’s first lady pilot. The dashing, courageous, Sarla Thakral. She was only 21 year old when she achieved that sky.

First inning

Inspiration: Her husband P D Sharma was the initiator behind that and father-in-law was the supportive of all the things. P D Sharm’s family after all had nine pilots already and they were all supportive of the decision. “In fact it wasn’t so much my husband. My father-in-law was even more enthusiastic and got me enrolled in the flying club,” says Sarla and adds,” I knew I was breaching a strictly male bastion but I must say the men, they never made me feel out of place.”

She obtained her ‘A’ license when she accumulated over 1000 hours of flying. She was looking for the group B license that would authorize her to fly as a commercial pilot. But when she was undergoing training in Jodhpur, unfaith happened. Her husband died in a crash in 1939. She widowed at 24. She abandoned her plans to become a commercial pilot.

Second inning:
She joined the Mayo School of Arts in Lahore. But her parents re-married her and she settled in Delhi after partition. She succeeded in establishing herself as a renown painter. Most of her water colors have followed the Bengali School of Art.

Along with paintings she also began designing clothes and costume jewellery. She supplied her jewellery designs to several cottage industries for over 20 years. She had also started textile printing and her sari prints were a rage with the fashionable crowd.

One of the clients was Vijaylaxmi Pandit. Now she is 91 years old young lady still flying high in his life. “Every morning I wake up and chart out my plans. If there is plenty of work I feel very happy otherwise I feel a precious day has been wasted,” she says.