100. Which Indian sprinter became the first Indian to run the 100 metres under 10.1 seconds at the 2026 Federation Cup in Ranchi?
[RRB Group D (13 Aug 2026, Shift 2)]
A) Amlan Borgohain
B) Gurindervir Singh
C) Muhammed Anas
D) Manikanta Hoblidhar
Answer: B) Gurindervir Singh
Explanation: Gurindervir Singh broke the 10.10-second threshold for an Indian men’s 100-metre runner in May 2026. His officially reported 10.09-second performance at the Federation Cup in Ranchi became an Indian sprinting milestone. It was not a sub-ten-second run.
99. In May 2026, which Indian athlete became the first Indian sprinter to run the men’s 100m event in less than 10.10 seconds?
[RRB Group D (11 Aug 2026, Shift 1)]
A) Gulveer Singh
B) Gurindervir Singh
C) Vishal T. K.
D) Tejaswin Shankar
Answer: B) Gurindervir Singh
Explanation: Gurindervir Singh broke the 10.10-second threshold for an Indian men’s 100-metre runner in May 2026. His officially reported 10.09-second performance at the Federation Cup in Ranchi became an Indian sprinting milestone. It was not a sub-ten-second run. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
98. In May 2025, Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian javelin thrower to surpass 90 m internationally. What was the distance?
[DSSSB Assistant Superintendent (5 Jul 2026, Shift 2)]
A) 89.94 m
B) 91.06 m
C) 90.23 m
D) 88.44 m
Answer: C) 90.23 m
Explanation: Neeraj Chopra recorded 90.23 metres at the Doha Diamond League in May 2025, becoming the first Indian javelin thrower to clear the 90-metre mark. The performance was distinct from his 2021 Olympic gold-winning throw in Tokyo.
97. Who became the first Indian Governor-General of independent India?
[SSC GD Constable (29 May 2026, Shift 3)]
A) C. Rajagopalachari
B) Vallabhbhai Patel
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer: A) C. Rajagopalachari
Explanation: C. Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten as Governor-General in June 1948 and was the first and only Indian to hold that post. The office ended when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, with Rajendra Prasad as President.
96. Who is the first individual Olympic gold medallist for India?
[SSC GD Constable (26 May 2026, Shift 1)]
A) Milkha Singh
B) Abhinav Bindra
C) Leander Paes
D) Sushil Kumar
Answer: B) Abhinav Bindra
Explanation: Abhinav Bindra won the men’s 10-metre air-rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist. Previous Indian Olympic gold medals had come from team hockey. His achievement marked a breakthrough for Indian individual events.
95. Neeraj Chopra won his first Asian Games gold medal in javelin in which year and city?
[SSC GD Constable (6 May 2026, Shift 1)]
A) 2014, Incheon
B) 2018, Jakarta
C) 2022, Hangzhou
D) 2010, Guangzhou
Answer: B) 2018, Jakarta
Explanation: Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, becoming the first Indian to claim that event’s gold medal. The victory preceded his Olympic triumph at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021.
94. Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?
[Delhi Police Head Constable (9 Jan 2026, Shift 2)]
A) Sukumar Sen
B) Asaf Ali
C) Govind Ballabh Pant
D) Arun Chandra Guha
Answer: A) Sukumar Sen
Explanation: Sukumar Sen became independent India’s first Chief Election Commissioner in 1950. He oversaw the first two general elections, held in 1951–52 and 1957. The Election Commission’s constitutional foundation is Article 324, not the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
93. Who among the following was the first Indian to join the ICS (Indian Civil Service)?
[Delhi Police Constable (3 Jan 2026, Shift 2)]
A) Satyendranath Tagore
B) Subramania Iyer
C) Surendranath Banerjee
D) Romesh Chandra Dutt
Answer: A) Satyendranath Tagore
Explanation: Satyendranath Tagore qualified for the Indian Civil Service in 1863 and became the first Indian to enter the service. A member of the Tagore family, he preceded later Indian entrants such as Surendranath Banerjee and Romesh Chunder Dutt.
92. Which athlete was the first Indian to win an individual Olympic medal after Independence?
[Delhi Police Constable (19 Dec 2025, Shift 2)]
A) Norman Pritchard
B) K. D. Jadhav
C) Abhinav Bindra
D) Leander Paes
Answer: B) K. D. Jadhav
Explanation: Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won bronze in bantamweight freestyle wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. He became independent India’s first individual Olympic medallist, distinct from Norman Pritchard’s two silver medals at the 1900 Paris Games under colonial-era representation.
91. Who among the following was the first Indian to serve as a judge of the International Court of Justice?
[EMRS PGT (14 Dec 2025, Shift 1)]
A) B. N. Rau
B) Mohammad Hidayatullah
C) M. C. Setalvad
D) R. S. Pathak
Answer: A) B. N. Rau
Explanation: Benegal Narsing Rau became the first Indian elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice in 1952. A constitutional adviser to India’s Constituent Assembly, he served at The Hague until his death in 1953.
90. Who became the first Indian recipient of the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award in April 2025?
[RRB Group D (10 Dec 2025, Shift 2)]
A) Raghunath Mohapatra
B) Subodh Gupta
C) Sudarsan Pattnaik
D) M. F. Husain
Answer: C) Sudarsan Pattnaik
Explanation: Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian recipient of the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award in 2025. Recognised internationally for elaborate sand sculptures, he is associated with Puri, Odisha, and often uses public art for social messages.
89. In which year did Viswanathan Anand become India’s first chess Grandmaster?
[SSC JE Civil (6 Dec 2025, Shift 1)]
A) 1988
B) 1987
C) 1991
D) 1993
Answer: A) 1988
Explanation: Viswanathan Anand became India’s first chess Grandmaster in 1988. He later won multiple world chess championships and helped popularise competitive chess in India. Grandmaster is a title awarded by FIDE, and it is separate from national sporting awards.
88. Which statement correctly describes C. Rajagopalachari, a Constituent Assembly member?
[IB ACIO Grade II (16 Sept 2025, Shift 2)]
A) He was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha
B) He was the first and last Indian Governor-General
C) He was Governor of Tamil Nadu
D) He chaired the Constitution Drafting Committee
Answer: B) He was the first and last Indian Governor-General
Explanation: C. Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten as Governor-General in June 1948 and was the first and only Indian to hold that post. The office ended when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, with Rajendra Prasad as President. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
87. Which statements are correct?
1. C. Rajagopalachari was among the first recipients of the Bharat Ratna.
2. Deendayal Upadhyaya put forward Integral Humanism.
[CDS II (General Knowledge, 14 Sept 2025)]
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: C) Both 1 and 2
Explanation: The Bharat Ratna was instituted in 1954. C. Rajagopalachari, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman were its inaugural recipients, so Rajagopalachari was among the first, not the sole first awardee. Integral Humanism is associated with Deendayal Upadhyaya.
86. Who was called the Grand Old Man of India and the first Indian to demand Swaraj?
[RRB NTPC UG (12 Aug 2025, Shift 2)]
A) Surendranath Banerjee
B) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
C) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
D) Dadabhai Naoroji
Answer: D) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji, known as the Grand Old Man of India, used the 1906 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress to articulate the goal of self-government or Swaraj. He also pioneered the economic critique of British rule through drain theory.
85. Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?
[RRB NTPC UG (7 Aug 2025, Shift 2)]
A) Sukumar Sen
B) V. Narahari Rao
C) H. K. Kripalani
D) M. C. Setalvad
Answer: A) Sukumar Sen
Explanation: Sukumar Sen became independent India’s first Chief Election Commissioner in 1950. He oversaw the first two general elections, held in 1951–52 and 1957. The Election Commission’s constitutional foundation is Article 324, not the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
84. Who was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha?
[UGC NET Political Science (26 Jun 2025, Shift 2)]
A) K. S. Hegde
B) G. V. Mavalankar
C) M. A. Ayyangar
D) G. S. Dhillon
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.
83. Indian Army Day in January 2025 commemorated which historical first?
[RRB NTPC Graduate (17 Jun 2025, Shift 1)]
A) Launch of Operation Vijay
B) First Republic Day Parade
C) First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army
D) Establishment of Army Headquarters
Answer: C) First Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army
Explanation: K. M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15 January 1949. India marks Army Day on that date. Sam Manekshaw later became the first Indian Army officer elevated to Field Marshal.
82. Who was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India?
[CGPSC Preliminary Exam (9 Feb 2025)]
A) Morarji Desai
B) Jagjivan Ram
C) Chaudhary Charan Singh
D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Answer: D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation: Vallabhbhai Patel became India’s first Deputy Prime Minister on 15 August 1947 and also served as its first Home Minister. His work integrating princely states earned him the reputation of the Iron Man of India. Morarji Desai held the deputy post later.
81. Who was the first President of India?
[PSPCL JE (3 Feb 2025)]
A) S. Radhakrishnan
B) Shankar Dayal Sharma
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Zakir Husain
Answer: C) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr Rajendra Prasad assumed office on 26 January 1950 as India’s first President. He served two terms and remains the country’s longest-serving President. He had previously chaired the Constituent Assembly that adopted the Constitution.
80. Who among the following was the first Home Minister of independent India?
[SSC CGL Tier II (18 Jan 2025)]
A) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
B) Humayun Kabir
C) Abul Kalam Azad
D) Baldev Singh
Answer: A) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as independent India’s first Home Minister from 1947 until 1950, alongside his role as Deputy Prime Minister. Widely called the Iron Man of India, he played a leading role in integrating princely states.
79. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress?
[70th BPSC Re-examination (4 Jan 2025)]
A) Hasrat Mohani
B) Badruddin Tyabji
C) Maulana Azad
D) More than one of the above
Answer: B) Badruddin Tyabji
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji presided over the third Indian National Congress session, held in Madras in 1887. He was the organisation’s first Muslim president. W. C. Bonnerjee had presided over the inaugural Bombay session in 1885.
78. Who was the first Home Minister of India?
[Jammu and Kashmir Police Constable (1 Dec 2024)]
A) S. Radhakrishnan
B) Lal Bahadur Shastri
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Answer: D) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as independent India’s first Home Minister from 1947 until 1950, alongside his role as Deputy Prime Minister. Widely called the Iron Man of India, he played a leading role in integrating princely states. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
77. At which edition of the Asian Games did Neeraj Chopra become the first Indian to win javelin gold?
[SSC MTS (12 Nov 2024, Shift 3)]
A) Asian Games 2022
B) Asian Games 2014
C) Asian Games 2010
D) Asian Games 2018
Answer: D) Asian Games 2018
Explanation: Neeraj Chopra won the men’s javelin gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, becoming the first Indian to claim that event’s gold medal. The victory preceded his Olympic triumph at Tokyo 2020, held in 2021. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
76. Who was the first President of India who died while in office?
[WBPSC Miscellaneous (15 Sept 2024)]
A) V. V. Giri
B) Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
C) Zakir Husain
D) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Answer: C) Zakir Husain
Explanation: Zakir Husain, India’s third President, died in office on 3 May 1969. He was the first Indian President to die while serving. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed also died in office, but later, in February 1977.
75. Who was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize in Physics?
[UP Police Constable Re-exam (31 Aug 2024, Shift 2)]
A) Homi Bhabha
B) C. V. Raman
C) S. Chandrasekhar
D) Satyendra Nath Bose
Answer: B) C. V. Raman
Explanation: C. V. Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering the Raman effect, the change in wavelength of light scattered by matter. He was the first Indian Nobel Physics laureate, whereas Tagore’s earlier Nobel was in Literature.
74. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress?
[WBCS Mains History (18 Aug 2024)]
A) Badruddin Tyabji
B) M. A. Jinnah
C) Hakim Ajmal Khan
D) Abul Kalam Azad
Answer: A) Badruddin Tyabji
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji presided over the third Indian National Congress session, held in Madras in 1887. He was the organisation’s first Muslim president. W. C. Bonnerjee had presided over the inaugural Bombay session in 1885. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
73. Who was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize?
[Maharashtra Police Constable Jalgaon (7 Jul 2024)]
A) Rabindranath Tagore
B) Amartya Sen
C) Har Gobind Khorana
D) C. V. Raman
Answer: A) Rabindranath Tagore
Explanation: Rabindranath Tagore received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his poetry, principally linked to Gitanjali. He was the first Indian Nobel laureate and the first non-European Literature laureate. The award was not for a discovery in physics.
72. By which sobriquet was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first Home Minister, known?
[SSC CHSL Tier I (5 Jul 2024, Shift 4)]
A) Iron Man of India
B) Father of Indian Unrest
C) Grand Old Man of India
D) Morning Star of Indian Renaissance
Answer: A) Iron Man of India
Explanation: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel served as independent India’s first Home Minister from 1947 until 1950, alongside his role as Deputy Prime Minister. Widely called the Iron Man of India, he played a leading role in integrating princely states. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
71. Who was the first Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh?
[CGPSC Preliminary Exam (11 Feb 2024)]
A) Arun Sao
B) Mohan Markam
C) T. S. Singhdeo
D) Vijay Sharma
Answer: C) T. S. Singhdeo
Explanation: T. S. Singh Deo was appointed Chhattisgarh’s first Deputy Chief Minister in June 2023. The appointment preceded the state’s 2023 assembly election. The post is a political designation, distinct from the constitutionally specified office of Chief Minister.
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.
60. Who was the first Indian to swim the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 1958 and also accomplish five notable intercontinental swims in 1966?
[SSC GD (10 Jan 2023, Shift 1)]
A) Mihir Sen
B) Ramanathan Krishnan
C) Ajit Patel
D) Khashaba Jadhav
Answer: A) Mihir Sen
Explanation: Mihir Sen became the first Indian man to swim across the English Channel in 1958. He subsequently completed several historic long-distance swims in 1966. Arati Saha later became the first Asian woman to swim the Channel, in 1959.
59. Who was appointed the first Raj Pramukh of Rajasthan?
[RPSC RAS Prelims 2023]
A) Maharaja Umed Singh of Jodhpur
B) Maharaja Karni Singh of Bikaner
C) Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur
D) Maharana Bhagwat Singh of Udaipur
Answer: C) Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur
Explanation: Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur became the first Rajpramukh of the enlarged Rajasthan during the integration of princely states in 1949. A Rajpramukh functioned as the constitutional head of certain former princely-state unions before reorganisation.
58. Who was the first Dalit to hold the office of President of India?
[CLAT UG 2023 (held 18 Dec 2022)]
A) Ram Nath Kovind
B) V. V. Giri
C) Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
D) K. R. Narayanan
Answer: D) K. R. Narayanan
Explanation: K. R. Narayanan took office in 1997 as India’s tenth President and its first President from a Dalit background. Before that, he was Vice-President and had served in India’s diplomatic service. His presidency followed that of Shankar Dayal Sharma.
57. Who among the following was the first Indian to win a Grammy Award?
[SSC CGL Tier I (3 Dec 2022, Shift 3)]
A) Ravi Shankar
B) Shivkumar Sharma
C) Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
D) Zakir Hussain
Answer: A) Ravi Shankar
Explanation: Sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar is generally credited as the first Indian to win a Grammy Award, for the album West Meets East with violinist Yehudi Menuhin. The honour helped bring Indian classical music to an international recording audience.
56. Who was the first Indian recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 1958?
[OSSC CGL (17 Oct 2022, Shift 2)]
A) Arvind Kejriwal
B) Kiran Bedi
C) Bindeshwar Pathak
D) Vinoba Bhave
Answer: D) Vinoba Bhave
Explanation: Vinoba Bhave received a Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958 in the Community Leadership category, becoming one of the earliest Indian recipients and the first Indian recipient in that category. He was known for the Bhoodan land-gift movement.
55. Who became permanent President of the Constituent Assembly after the first meeting presided over by Sachchidananda Sinha?
[Punjab Police SI (16 Oct 2022)]
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) B. R. Ambedkar
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: C) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr Rajendra Prasad became the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly in December 1946. Sachchidananda Sinha had chaired its opening meeting temporarily. The Assembly framed the Constitution and later functioned as the provisional Parliament.
54. Who was free India’s first Indian Governor-General?
[UPSSSC PET (15 Oct 2022, Shift 2)]
A) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
B) Maulana Azad
C) C. Rajagopalachari
D) Sardar Patel
Answer: C) C. Rajagopalachari
Explanation: C. Rajagopalachari succeeded Lord Mountbatten as Governor-General in June 1948 and was the first and only Indian to hold that post. The office ended when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, with Rajendra Prasad as President. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
53. Who was the first Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces?
[CUET General Test (6 Oct 2022)]
A) K. M. Cariappa
B) Manoj Mukund Naravane
C) Bipin Rawat
D) Manoj Pande
Answer: C) Bipin Rawat
Explanation: General Bipin Rawat took office as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on 1 January 2020. The position was established to improve coordination between the Army, Navy and Air Force and to advise on joint military matters.
52. Who became the first Indian to win a medal at the IBSA Judo Grand Prix in 2022?
[RRB Group D (27 Sept 2022, Shift 2)]
A) Akram Shah
B) Kapil Parmar
C) Avtar Singh
D) Navjot Chana
Answer: B) Kapil Parmar
Explanation: Judoka Kapil Parmar won India’s first medal at an IBSA Judo Grand Prix in 2022, a significant breakthrough for Indian visually impaired judo. The event belongs to the international blind-sports competition structure rather than the standard Olympic judo programme.
51. Who was awarded the first Param Vir Chakra?
[Telangana High Court Junior Assistant (11 Sept 2022)]
A) Dhan Singh Thapa
B) Jadunath Singh
C) Karam Singh
D) Somnath Sharma
Answer: D) Somnath Sharma
Explanation: Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of India’s Param Vir Chakra, awarded posthumously for gallantry in the 1947 battle of Badgam in Kashmir. The Param Vir Chakra recognises exceptional bravery in the presence of the enemy.
50. Who gave the presidential address at the first Congress session calling for interregional friendship and the removal of prejudice?
[Odisha Police SI (7 Jul 2022, Paper II)]
A) C. P. Ramaswami Iyer
B) Raja Rammohun Roy
C) W. C. Bonnerjee
D) K. Kamaraj
Answer: C) W. C. Bonnerjee
Explanation: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, commonly written W. C. Bonnerjee, was the first President of the Indian National Congress at its Bombay session in December 1885. The first gathering had 72 delegates and marked a new phase of organised political discussion.
49. Who was the first Indian musician to win the Academy Award for Best Original Score?
[SSC CHSL (24 May 2022, Shift 2)]
A) Bhanu Athaiya
B) Resul Pookutty
C) Mehboob Khan
D) A. R. Rahman
Answer: D) A. R. Rahman
Explanation: Composer A. R. Rahman won the Academy Award for Best Original Score for Slumdog Millionaire at the 2009 Oscars. He also won Best Original Song with Gulzar. His achievement is separate from Bhanu Athaiya’s earlier Oscar for costume design.
48. Which cricketer was the first to be given out by the third umpire?
[AFCAT (12 Feb 2022, Shift 1, memory-based)]
A) Ricky Ponting
B) Sachin Tendulkar
C) M. S. Dhoni
D) Rahul Dravid
Answer: B) Sachin Tendulkar
Explanation: Sachin Tendulkar was the first international cricketer given out following a decision referred to the television or third umpire, during India’s 1992 tour of South Africa. The referral was for a run-out, making it a notable moment in officiating technology.
47. Viswanathan Anand was the first recipient of which award in 1991–92?
[SSC GD (9 Dec 2021, Shift 1)]
A) Arjuna Award
B) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
C) Ekalavya Award
D) Dronacharya Award
Answer: B) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
Explanation: Viswanathan Anand was the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, awarded for 1991–92. A trailblazer in Indian chess, he had already become the country’s first Grandmaster in 1988. The award is now named the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.
46. Who was appointed temporary Chairman of the Constituent Assembly?
[SSC Stenographer (15 Nov 2021, Shift 1)]
A) Sarat Chandra Bose
B) J. B. Kripalani
C) Sachchidananda Sinha
D) C. Rajagopalachari
Answer: C) Sachchidananda Sinha
Explanation: Sachchidananda Sinha presided over the Constituent Assembly’s first meeting on 9 December 1946 as its temporary Chairman. Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President soon afterward. These two roles should not be confused in constitutional-history questions.
45. Who was the first Indian to win a seat in the British House of Commons?
[SSC CGL Tier I (20 Aug 2021, Shift 2)]
A) M. N. Roy
B) Dadabhai Naoroji
C) W. C. Bonnerjee
D) Hasrat Mohani
Answer: B) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji became the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons in 1892 as a Liberal Party member for Finsbury Central. He used his position to draw attention to Indian political and economic grievances under colonial administration.
44. Who among the following was the first Vice-President of India?
[SSC CGL Tier I (16 Aug 2021, Shift 2)]
A) Zakir Husain
B) Gopal Swarup Pathak
C) V. V. Giri
D) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Answer: D) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Explanation: Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as the first Vice-President of India from 1952 to 1962. He later became the country’s second President. As Vice-President he was ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha under the Constitution.
43. Who among the following became the first Lokpal of India?
[SSC CHSL (4 Aug 2021, Shift 1)]
A) Dilip B. Bhosale
B) Pradip Kumar Mohanty
C) Pinaki Chandra Ghose
D) Ajay Kumar Tripathi
Answer: C) 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. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
42. Who was the first permanent President of the Constituent Assembly of independent India?
[RRB NTPC (4 Mar 2021, Shift 1)]
A) B. R. Ambedkar
B) Jawaharlal Nehru
C) Rajendra Prasad
D) Sachchidananda Sinha
Answer: C) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr Rajendra Prasad became the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly in December 1946. Sachchidananda Sinha had chaired its opening meeting temporarily. The Assembly framed the Constitution and later functioned as the provisional Parliament. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
41. Who was India’s first Chief of Defence Staff?
[CG Vyapam Mandi Inspector (2021)]
A) Bikram Singh
B) Bipin Rawat
C) Manoj Mukund Naravane
D) V. K. Singh
Answer: B) Bipin Rawat
Explanation: General Bipin Rawat took office as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on 1 January 2020. The position was established to improve coordination between the Army, Navy and Air Force and to advise on joint military matters. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
40. Who presided over the inaugural session of the All India Trade Union Congress held in 1920?
[CGPSC Civil Services 2020 Official Paper 1]
A) Lala Lajpat Rai
B) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
C) Bipin Chandra Pal
D) Surendranath Banerjee
Answer: A) Lala Lajpat Rai
Explanation: Lala Lajpat Rai was the first President of the All India Trade Union Congress, established in Bombay in October 1920. AITUC became an important early federation of organised labour in India, linking nationalist politics with emerging worker movements.
39. Who made the first attempt to estimate the national income of India?
[RRB NTPC (28 Dec 2020, Shift 2)]
A) Dadabhai Naoroji
B) V. K. R. V. Rao
C) P. C. Mahalanobis
D) S. D. Tendulkar
Answer: A) Dadabhai Naoroji
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji made an early estimate of India’s national income in the nineteenth century, presenting it in his economic critique of colonial rule. Later economists such as V. K. R. V. Rao developed more systematic national-income estimation methods.
38. Who was the first Indian to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics?
[SSC CPO (24 Nov 2020, Shift 2)]
A) Har Gobind Khorana
B) C. V. Raman
C) Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
D) Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
Answer: B) C. V. Raman
Explanation: C. V. Raman received the 1930 Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering the Raman effect, the change in wavelength of light scattered by matter. He was the first Indian Nobel Physics laureate, whereas Tagore’s earlier Nobel was in Literature. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
37. Who was the first Indian to win the Pulitzer Prize?
[SSC CPO (23 Nov 2020, Shift 1)]
A) Gobind Behari Lal
B) Geeta Anand
C) Sanghamitra Kalita
D) Jhumpa Lahiri
Answer: A) Gobind Behari Lal
Explanation: Gobind Behari Lal became the first Indian-born recipient of a Pulitzer Prize as part of a journalism team honoured in 1937. This predates the achievements of later Indian-origin Pulitzer winners in literature and other categories.
36. Which statement about Jaipal Singh is NOT correct?
[UPSC NDA GAT (6 Sept 2020)]
A) He was a member of the Constituent Assembly
B) He founded the Adivasi Maha Sabha
C) He captained the first Indian national hockey team
D) He campaigned for a separate Chhattisgarh state
Answer: D) He campaigned for a separate Chhattisgarh state
Explanation: Jaipal Singh Munda captained India’s hockey team at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, where India won its first Olympic hockey gold. He later championed Adivasi political representation and the demand for Jharkhand, not a separate state of Chhattisgarh.
35. Who was the first Education Minister of independent India?
[SSC CHSL (18 Mar 2020, Shift 3)]
A) Abul Kalam Azad
B) Triguna Sen
C) Pranab Mukherjee
D) Indira Gandhi
Answer: A) Abul Kalam Azad
Explanation: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was independent India’s first Education Minister, holding the portfolio from 1947 to 1958. He promoted university education, scientific learning and major cultural institutions. National Education Day on 11 November commemorates his birth.
34. Who became India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on 1 January 2020?
[SSC CHSL (18 Mar 2020, Shift 1)]
A) Bipin Rawat
B) Karambir Singh
C) Manoj Mukund Naravane
D) R. K. S. Bhadauria
Answer: A) Bipin Rawat
Explanation: General Bipin Rawat took office as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff on 1 January 2020. The position was established to improve coordination between the Army, Navy and Air Force and to advise on joint military matters. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
33. Who was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize in Economics?
[WBCS Prelims 2020]
A) Abhijit Banerjee
B) Amartya Sen
C) V. K. R. V. Rao
D) T. N. Srinivasan
Answer: B) Amartya Sen
Explanation: Amartya Sen won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1998 for contributions to welfare economics and social-choice theory. He was the first Indian citizen to receive that economics honour. Abhijit Banerjee received the prize later, in 2019.
32. Who led the first non-Congress government at the Centre?
[WBCS Prelims 2020]
A) Jayaprakash Narayan
B) Morarji Desai
C) Charan Singh
D) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
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. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
31. Who was the first Indian to qualify for the Indian Civil Service?
[UPSC NDA GAT (17 Nov 2019)]
A) Satyendranath Tagore
B) Surendranath Banerjee
C) R. C. Dutt
D) Subhas Chandra Bose
Answer: A) Satyendranath Tagore
Explanation: Satyendranath Tagore qualified for the Indian Civil Service in 1863 and became the first Indian to enter the service. A member of the Tagore family, he preceded later Indian entrants such as Surendranath Banerjee and Romesh Chunder Dutt. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
30. Who was the first Vice-President of India?
[SSC JE Mechanical (27 Sept 2019, Evening)]
A) Zakir Husain
B) Venkaiah Naidu
C) Vallabhbhai Patel
D) S. Radhakrishnan
Answer: D) S. Radhakrishnan
Explanation: Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as the first Vice-President of India from 1952 to 1962. He later became the country’s second President. As Vice-President he was ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha under the Constitution. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
29. Who was the first President of India to die in office?
[West Bengal Police Warder (15 Sept 2019)]
A) V. V. Giri
B) Rajendra Prasad
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Zakir Husain
Answer: D) Zakir Husain
Explanation: Zakir Husain, India’s third President, died in office on 3 May 1969. He was the first Indian President to die while serving. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed also died in office, but later, in February 1977. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
28. Who was the first Indian to cross the English Channel?
[SSC CHSL (9 Jul 2019, Shift 2)]
A) Mihir Sen
B) Sachin Nag
C) Virdhawal Khade
D) Sufyun Shaikh
Answer: A) Mihir Sen
Explanation: Mihir Sen became the first Indian man to swim across the English Channel in 1958. He subsequently completed several historic long-distance swims in 1966. Arati Saha later became the first Asian woman to swim the Channel, in 1959. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
27. Who was the first Indian-origin Pulitzer Prize recipient?
[SSC CGL (10 Jun 2019, Shift 2)]
A) Geeta Anand
B) Siddhartha Mukherjee
C) Gobind Behari Lal
D) Jhumpa Lahiri
Answer: C) Gobind Behari Lal
Explanation: Gobind Behari Lal became the first Indian-born recipient of a Pulitzer Prize as part of a journalism team honoured in 1937. This predates the achievements of later Indian-origin Pulitzer winners in literature and other categories. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
26. Who replaced temporary Constituent Assembly chair Sachchidananda Sinha as presiding President?
[SSC GD (18 Feb 2019, Shift 3)]
A) Jawaharlal Nehru
B) Rajendra Prasad
C) Vallabhbhai Patel
D) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: B) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr Rajendra Prasad became the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly in December 1946. Sachchidananda Sinha had chaired its opening meeting temporarily. The Assembly framed the Constitution and later functioned as the provisional Parliament. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
25. Who was the first sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna?
[MP HSTET (7 Feb 2019, Shift 2)]
A) Sachin Tendulkar
B) Dhyan Chand
C) Milkha Singh
D) Kapil Dev
Answer: A) Sachin Tendulkar
Explanation: Sachin Tendulkar, one of international cricket’s leading batters, became the first sportsperson to receive India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 2014. He was among the youngest recipients and remains associated with a record 100 international centuries.
24. Who was the first Defence Minister of independent India?
[UP Police Constable (28 Jan 2019, Shift 2)]
A) Kailash Nath Katju
B) V. K. Krishna Menon
C) Baldev Singh
D) Y. B. Chavan
Answer: C) 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. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
23. Who was the first Muslim President of India?
[RPF Constable (19 Jan 2019, Shift 1)]
A) Muhammad Iqbal
B) A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
C) Zakir Husain
D) Manmohan Singh
Answer: C) Zakir Husain
Explanation: Zakir Husain became India’s first Muslim President when he took office in 1967. Before that, he served as Vice-President and contributed to education, notably through Jamia Millia Islamia. He died in office in 1969.
22. Who was the first Sikh President of India?
[RPF Constable (18 Jan 2019, Shift 1)]
A) Dulbeer Singh
B) V. P. Singh
C) Manmohan Singh
D) Giani Zail Singh
Answer: D) Giani Zail Singh
Explanation: Giani Zail Singh became India’s first Sikh President in 1982 and served until 1987. Earlier he had been Chief Minister of Punjab and Union Home Minister. Manmohan Singh was India’s first Sikh Prime Minister, a different office.
21. Who presided over the first session of the Indian National Congress?
[WBCS Prelims 2019]
A) Surendranath Banerjee
B) W. C. Bonnerjee
C) Aurobindo Ghosh
D) Bipin Chandra Pal
Answer: B) W. C. Bonnerjee
Explanation: Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, commonly written W. C. Bonnerjee, was the first President of the Indian National Congress at its Bombay session in December 1885. The first gathering had 72 delegates and marked a new phase of organised political discussion. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
20. Who was appointed India’s first Lokpal?
[West Bengal Police Constable (2019)]
A) M. N. Venkatachaliah
B) Anna Hazare
C) Pinaki Chandra Ghose
D) Veerappa Moily
Answer: C) 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. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
19. India’s first non-Congress central ministry was formed under whose leadership?
[TNUSRB Fingerprint SI (23 Dec 2018)]
A) V. P. Singh
B) Narasimha Rao
C) Morarji Desai
D) A. B. Vajpayee
Answer: C) 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. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
18. Who was the first Speaker of Lok Sabha?
[UPSSSC Lower PCS (15 Jul 2018)]
A) G. V. Mavalankar
B) S. Radhakrishnan
C) M. A. Ayyangar
D) P. V. Cherian
Answer: A) 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 important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
17. Who was the first non-Congress Prime Minister to complete a full five-year term?
[SJVNL JE Mechanical (2018)]
A) Morarji Desai
B) Chandra Shekhar
C) P. V. Narasimha Rao
D) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Answer: D) Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Explanation: Atal Bihari Vajpayee headed a non-Congress-led central government that completed its full term from 1999 to 2004. Earlier non-Congress Prime Minister Morarji Desai took office in 1977, but his Janata government did not complete five years.
16. M. C. Setalvad was the first Attorney General of India and had right of audience in all courts. Which statement is incorrect: he may also vote in both Houses of Parliament?
[MPSC Group C (2018)]
A) Only the first statement
B) First and voting statements
C) Only the voting statement
D) All statements
Answer: C) Only the voting statement
Explanation: M. C. Setalvad was India’s first Attorney General, holding office from 1950 to 1963. Article 76 governs the position. The Attorney General can speak and take part in parliamentary proceedings but cannot vote solely by virtue of holding that office.
15. Who was the first Indian to receive an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in cinema?
[SSC Stenographer (11 Sept 2017, Shift 1)]
A) Anil Kapoor
B) Bhanu Athaiya
C) Satyajit Ray
D) Bimal Roy
Answer: C) Satyajit Ray
Explanation: Filmmaker Satyajit Ray received an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement in 1992, becoming the first Indian filmmaker so honoured. The recognition celebrated his influential body of work, including the Apu Trilogy, rather than a competitive acting prize.
14. Who was the first Governor-General of India?
[SSC CGL (12 Aug 2017, Shift 2)]
A) William Bentinck
B) Dalhousie
C) Cornwallis
D) None of these
Answer: A) William Bentinck
Explanation: Lord William Bentinck was the first Governor-General of India under the Charter Act of 1833, serving in that expanded role from 1833. Before this, the highest East India Company administrative office had been styled Governor-General of Bengal.
13. Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal?
[West Bengal Group D (2017)]
A) Robert Clive
B) Warren Hastings
C) William Bentinck
D) Lord Canning
Answer: B) Warren Hastings
Explanation: Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773. His title and jurisdiction differed from the later Governor-General of India office created in 1833, first held by Lord William Bentinck.
12. Who was the first Indian to win a Ramon Magsaysay Award?
[AP Police Constable (6 Nov 2016)]
A) Jayaprakash Narayan
B) Vinoba Bhave
C) Arvind Kejriwal
D) T. N. Seshan
Answer: B) Vinoba Bhave
Explanation: Vinoba Bhave received a Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958 in the Community Leadership category, becoming one of the earliest Indian recipients and the first Indian recipient in that category. He was known for the Bhoodan land-gift movement. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
11. Who was the first Comptroller and Auditor General of independent India?
[MP Police SI (8 Sept 2016, Shift 2)]
A) Shashi Kant Sharma
B) Vinod Rai
C) A. K. Roy
D) V. Narahari Rao
Answer: D) V. Narahari Rao
Explanation: V. Narahari Rao became independent India’s first Comptroller and Auditor General in 1948. The CAG audits public spending and government accounts; Article 148 of the Constitution provides for the office. The first Chief Election Commissioner held a separate constitutional responsibility.
10. Who was the first Governor-General of Bengal?
[MP Police Constable (2016)]
A) Warren Hastings
B) Lord Curzon
C) August Hickey
D) Sir Eyre Coote
Answer: A) Warren Hastings
Explanation: Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General of Bengal under the Regulating Act of 1773. His title and jurisdiction differed from the later Governor-General of India office created in 1833, first held by Lord William Bentinck. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
9. First Indian elected to the British House of Commons, Dadabhai Naoroji won on which party ticket?
[BPSC Combined Competitive Examination (2016)]
A) Liberal Party
B) Labour Party
C) Conservative Party
D) Communist Party
Answer: A) Liberal Party
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji became the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons in 1892 as a Liberal Party member for Finsbury Central. He used his position to draw attention to Indian political and economic grievances under colonial administration. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
8. Who was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Army?
[Punjab Police SI (2016)]
A) K. S. Thimayya
B) K. M. Cariappa
C) Sam Manekshaw
D) None of these
Answer: B) K. M. Cariappa
Explanation: K. M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15 January 1949. India marks Army Day on that date. Sam Manekshaw later became the first Indian Army officer elevated to Field Marshal. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
7. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress?
[Kerala Police SI (2015)]
A) Muhammad Ali Jinnah
B) Abul Kalam Azad
C) Badruddin Tyabji
D) Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Answer: C) Badruddin Tyabji
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji presided over the third Indian National Congress session, held in Madras in 1887. He was the organisation’s first Muslim president. W. C. Bonnerjee had presided over the inaugural Bombay session in 1885. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
6. Which statement about Dadabhai Naoroji is NOT correct?
[UPPSC Civil Services (2014, Paper 1)]
A) He was first Indian mathematics and physics professor at Elphinstone College
B) He joined the British Parliament in 1892
C) He started the Gujarati journal Rast Goftar
D) He was Congress president four times
Answer: D) He was Congress president four times
Explanation: Dadabhai Naoroji became the first Indian elected to the British House of Commons in 1892 as a Liberal Party member for Finsbury Central. He used his position to draw attention to Indian political and economic grievances under colonial administration. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
5. Who was the first Indian to swim the English Channel?
[UPRVUNL Assistant Engineer EC (2014)]
A) Vijay Merchant
B) P. K. Banerjee
C) Mihir Sen
D) Arati Saha
Answer: C) Mihir Sen
Explanation: Mihir Sen became the first Indian man to swim across the English Channel in 1958. He subsequently completed several historic long-distance swims in 1966. Arati Saha later became the first Asian woman to swim the Channel, in 1959. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
4. Who was the first Education Minister of independent India?
[WB TET (2014)]
A) B. R. Ambedkar
B) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
C) Jawaharlal Nehru
D) Mahatma Gandhi
Answer: B) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Explanation: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was independent India’s first Education Minister, holding the portfolio from 1947 to 1958. He promoted university education, scientific learning and major cultural institutions. National Education Day on 11 November commemorates his birth. The alternatives in this paper refer to different people, records or offices and do not displace this historical first.
3. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress?
[IB ACIO Grade II (23 Sept 2012)]
A) Mohammad Ali Jinnah
B) Badruddin Tyabji
C) Abul Kalam Azad
D) Syed Ahmed Khan
Answer: B) Badruddin Tyabji
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji presided over the third Indian National Congress session, held in Madras in 1887. He was the organisation’s first Muslim president. W. C. Bonnerjee had presided over the inaugural Bombay session in 1885. For chronology-based Static GK, the date and precise category of the distinction must both match the question.
2. Who was the first Chief Election Commissioner of India?
[APPSC Group IV General Studies (2012)]
A) T. Swaminathan
B) K. V. K. Sundaram
C) S. P. Sen Verma
D) Sukumar Sen
Answer: D) Sukumar Sen
Explanation: Sukumar Sen became independent India’s first Chief Election Commissioner in 1950. He oversaw the first two general elections, held in 1951–52 and 1957. The Election Commission’s constitutional foundation is Article 324, not the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. The important distinction is the inaugural achievement, not later national fame or service in a related position.
1. Who was the first Muslim President of the Indian National Congress?
[AWES PGT History (2012)]
A) Badruddin Tyabji
B) M. A. Jinnah
C) Abul Kalam Azad
D) Rahimtulla Sayani
Answer: A) Badruddin Tyabji
Explanation: Badruddin Tyabji presided over the third Indian National Congress session, held in Madras in 1887. He was the organisation’s first Muslim president. W. C. Bonnerjee had presided over the inaugural Bombay session in 1885. This is why the particular institution, event or award mentioned in the stem matters when choosing the correct option.