First Award received In India

First in Awards and Titles

First Miss World Reita Faria in 1966

First Miss Universe Susmita Sen in 1994

First Booker Prize Arundhati Roy for The God of Small Things in 1997

First Bharat Ratna

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishan, C. Rajagopalachari, and Dr. C.V. Raman in 1954 First Foreigner to receive Bharat Ratna Khan Abdul Ghaffar

First Person to receive Stalin Prize Saifuddin Kitchlu

First Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan First Person to receive Jnapith Award Shri Shankar Kurup

First Dadasaheb Phalke Award Devika Rani in 1969

First Ashoka Chakra Award to a civilian (posthumous)

D.K. Jatar, captain of the sabotaged plane Kashmir Princess, for “most conspicuous bravery, daring and self-sacrifice.” First Magsaysay Award Vinoba Bhave

First Winner of a major literary award in the United States

Dhan Gopal Mukerji

First Ford Supermodel of the World(contest)

Bipasha Basu, 1996

First Indian recipient of ‘Oscar Award’ Bhanu Athaiya