They were and are fierce, determined and unstoppable
It definitely took a lot of hard work, reframing of mindsets and hurdles for women from India to break free of the shackles of stereotypes and believe in themselves. Through the countless failures but determined to achieve her dream, India too has seen many women emerging from the ghettos of the country and proving their mettle across varied fields. The history of Indian women is full of pioneers who revolutionized ideas that were instrumental in shaping the Indian society.
Breaking gender barriers and having worked hard for their rights making progress, more intelligent and determined women from across India are making their mark around the world. Here is a list talking about the first female from India in various fields.
AnandibaiGopalrao Joshi Or commonly known as A G Joshi, she was the first Indian female doctor of western medicine in India in the 1800s. She was the first woman from the erstwhile Bombay presidency of India to study and graduate with a two-year degree in western medicine in the United States.
Indira Gandhi The first female Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi was an icon as much as she still continues to be. Gandhi served the country from 1966 to 1977. Such was her charisma and hold of the leadership of the country that she was named as the "Woman of the Millennium" in a poll organised by BBC in 1999. In 1971, she became the first woman to receive the Bharat Ratna award.
PratibhaPatil The first female and the 12th President of India, Patil served the nation from 2007 to 2012. She is the only woman to hold the office. Patil besides holding various Cabinet portfolios during her period in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly has also held official positions both in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. She had previously also served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007. She started her political career in 1962 at the age of 27.
Kalpana Chawla The first woman of Indian origin in space, Chawla was a role model for an entire generation who dreamed of space and stars. She began her research at NASA Ames Research Center in 1988 which is included in technical journals and conference papers. It was after becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1991 that Chawla applied for the NASA Astronaut Corps and joined in March 1995. She was selected for her first flight in 1996. In 1997 Chawala went on her first space mission, as part of the six-astronaut crew.
The other first females are SainaNehwal, Sania Mirza, first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi, first woman judge of Supreme Court of India Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi.
