50. Who became the first woman combat aviator in the Indian Army Aviation Corps in 2022?
[SSC CGL Tier-I, 18 Jul 2023, Shift 1]
A) Captain Abhilasha Barak
B) Captain Shiva Chauhan
C) Captain Gursimran Kaur
D) Captain Manju Sharma
Answer: A) Captain Abhilasha Barak
Explanation: Captain Abhilasha Barak completed training in May 2022 and became the first woman combat aviator in the Army Aviation Corps. The role opened a new operational aviation pathway for women serving as officers in the Indian Army.
49. Which freedom fighter became the first woman Governor of Uttar Pradesh?
[SSC MTS 2022 official paper, held 13 Jun 2023, Shift 2]
A) Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
B) Rani Lakshmibai
C) Sarojini Naidu
D) Kasturba Gandhi
Answer: C) Sarojini Naidu
Explanation: Sarojini Naidu became Governor of the United Provinces in August 1947. That province was renamed Uttar Pradesh in 1950. She was the first woman Governor of a state in independent India and a leading figure in national politics.
48. Who was the first woman Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
[UPPSC PCS Prelims, 14 May 2023]
A) Urmila Singh
B) Pratibha Patil
C) Meira Kumar
D) Sushma Swaraj
Answer: C) Meira Kumar
Explanation: Meira Kumar became Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 2009, the first woman to preside over the lower house of Parliament. A former diplomat and parliamentarian, she served as Speaker of the fifteenth Lok Sabha until 2014.
47. Who was the first woman Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly?
[RPSC EO-RO, 14 May 2023, Shift 2]
A) Yashoda Devi
B) Sumitra Singh
C) Vasundhara Raje
D) Kamla Beniwal
Answer: B) Sumitra Singh
Explanation: Sumitra Singh became the first woman Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in 2003. She held the post during the twelfth assembly and was known for an extensive legislative career, winning many terms as an MLA.
46. Which Congress session was the first to be presided over by a woman?
[SSC MTS 2022 official paper, held 2 May 2023, Shift 2]
A) Calcutta, 1917
B) Kanpur, 1925
C) Lahore, 1929
D) Surat, 1907
Answer: A) Calcutta, 1917
Explanation: Annie Besant presided over the Congress session held at Calcutta in 1917, the first time a woman chaired the Indian National Congress. Sarojini Naidu chaired the 1925 Kanpur session and became the first Indian woman president.
45. Which flight lieutenant became the first Indian Air Force woman qualified for combat missions on a fighter aircraft in May 2019?
[SSC CHSL 2022 official paper, held 17 Mar 2023, Shift 2]
A) Priya Jhingan
B) Harita Kaur Deol
C) Bhawana Kanth
D) Shanti Tigga
Answer: C) Bhawana Kanth
Explanation: Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot qualified for combat missions in the Indian Air Force in May 2019. She was part of the pioneering group of women inducted into the fighter pilot stream.
44. The first woman to win the Dronacharya Award was weightlifting coach ______ in 2000.
[SSC CHSL 2022 official paper, held 16 Mar 2023, Shift 3]
A) Sunita Sharma
B) Renu Kohli
C) Purnima Mahato
D) Hansa Sharma
Answer: D) Hansa Sharma
Explanation: Weightlifting coach Hansa Sharma received the Dronacharya Award in 2000, becoming its first woman recipient. The award recognises coaches whose athletes demonstrate distinguished performances and sustained success in national or international competitions.
43. Who was the first woman of Indian origin to travel into space?
[SSC CHSL 2022 official paper, held 15 Mar 2023, Shift 2]
A) Nagin Cox
B) Yogita Shah
C) Kalpana Chawla
D) Sirisha Bandla
Answer: C) Kalpana Chawla
Explanation: Kalpana Chawla flew on the space shuttle Columbia mission STS-87 in 1997, becoming the first woman of Indian origin to go into space. She was born in Karnal and later became an American astronaut.
42. Who was the first woman Chairperson of the Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission?
[Rajasthan CET Senior Secondary, 11 Feb 2023, Shift 2]
A) None of these
B) Kanta Bhatnagar
C) Jayanti Patnaik
D) Lalitha Kumaramangalam
Answer: B) Kanta Bhatnagar
Explanation: Justice Kanta Kumari Bhatnagar became the first woman Chairperson of the Rajasthan State Human Rights Commission in 2000. The commission investigates alleged human-rights violations falling within its legal jurisdiction and promotes public awareness of human dignity and constitutional safeguards.
41. Who became the first woman Director-General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research?
[SSC CGL Tier-I, 6 Dec 2022, Shift 4]
A) Sanjay Verma
B) Vinod Aggarwal
C) N. Kalaiselvi
D) Prakash Chand
Answer: C) N. Kalaiselvi
Explanation: Nallathamby Kalaiselvi became the first woman Director-General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in 2022. An electrochemical scientist, she has researched advanced batteries and had earlier headed a CSIR research laboratory.
