70. In which year did Mihir Sen become the only man to complete five iconic intercontinental swims in one calendar year?
[Delhi Police Constable (30 Nov 2023, Shift 1)]
A) 1958
B) 1966
C) 1949
D) 1950
Answer: B) 1966
Explanation: Mihir Sen achieved five major long-distance swims across different continents in 1966, a feat recognised in swimming history. He had earlier become the first Indian man to swim the English Channel in 1958, making him a landmark endurance swimmer.
69. Who was the first Defence Minister of India?
[SSC Stenographer (12 Oct 2023, Shift 3)]
A) Kailash Nath Katju
B) Baldev Singh
C) Y. B. Chavan
D) Swaran Singh
Answer: B) Baldev Singh
Explanation: Baldev Singh served as independent India’s first Defence Minister after 15 August 1947. He was a prominent Sikh political leader during the transfer of power. Later defence ministers included V. K. Krishna Menon, Y. B. Chavan and Swaran Singh.
68. Who was our first Prime Minister?
[SSC MTS (12 Sept 2023, Shift 2)]
A) Rajendra Prasad
B) Indira Gandhi
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Gulzarilal Nanda
Answer: C) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru took office on 15 August 1947 as independent India’s first Prime Minister and remained in office until his death in 1964. Gulzarilal Nanda subsequently served as acting Prime Minister, rather than the first holder.
67. Who was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
[SSC MTS (11 Sept 2023, Shift 2)]
A) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
B) G. V. Mavalankar
C) Ananthasayanam Ayyangar
D) Meira Kumar
Answer: B) G. V. Mavalankar
Explanation: Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar became the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha when the first House was constituted in 1952. He had earlier presided over the Constituent Assembly acting as the provisional Parliament. M. A. Ayyangar succeeded him. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
66. In September 2022 Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win the Diamond League Final at Zurich with a throw of how many metres?
[SSC CHSL Tier I (3 Aug 2023, Shift 2)]
A) 90.08 m
B) 88.44 m
C) 97.02 m
D) 89.08 m
Answer: B) 88.44 m
Explanation: Neeraj Chopra won the 2022 Diamond League Final in Zurich with an 88.44-metre javelin throw, becoming the first Indian to win that final. This was a separate milestone from his Olympic gold at Tokyo and his Asian Games gold.
65. Who was the first Indian to go into space?
[SSC CGL (26 Jul 2023, Shift 1, memory-based)]
A) Rakesh Sharma
B) None of these
C) Sunita Williams
D) Kalpana Chawla
Answer: A) Rakesh Sharma
Explanation: Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian citizen to travel into space aboard the Soviet Soyuz T-11 mission in April 1984. His visit to the Salyut 7 space station preceded later missions involving people of Indian origin.
64. Who was the first Indian musician to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award?
[SSC MTS (9 May 2023, Shift 3)]
A) Nucleya
B) Ravi Shankar
C) Hariprasad Chaurasia
D) Zakir Hussain
Answer: B) Ravi Shankar
Explanation: Sitar maestro Ravi Shankar became the first Indian musician to receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, honoured in 2013. He was already an internationally recognised classical musician and Grammy winner, known for bringing the sitar to global audiences.
63. Who was the first Indian Army officer promoted to the rank of Field Marshal?
[SSC CHSL (9 Mar 2023, Shift 3)]
A) Vikram Batra
B) Karam Singh
C) Sam Manekshaw
D) K. M. Cariappa
Answer: C) Sam Manekshaw
Explanation: Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be made Field Marshal, in 1973. He had been Chief of Army Staff during the 1971 India–Pakistan war. Field Marshal is a rank distinct from Army Chief.
62. Who was the first Indian Prime Minister from a non-Congress party?
[KVS Junior Secretariat Assistant (2 Mar 2023, Shift 1)]
A) Gulzarilal Nanda
B) Morarji Desai
C) Charan Singh
D) V. P. Singh
Answer: B) Morarji Desai
Explanation: Morarji Desai became Prime Minister in March 1977 after the Janata Party defeated the Congress in the general election. He led India’s first non-Congress government at the Centre. His premiership ended in 1979 before a full five-year term.
61. Who is the first Lokpal of India?
[SSC GD (24 Jan 2023, Shift 1, memory-based)]
A) Abhilasha Kumari
B) Indrajeet Prasad Gautam
C) Dileep B. Bhosale
D) Pinaki Chandra Ghose
Answer: D) Pinaki Chandra Ghose
Explanation: Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose was appointed India’s first Lokpal chairperson in March 2019. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act of 2013 established the institutional framework for investigating specified allegations of corruption against public functionaries.
