Firsts in Indian Military — GK Quiz

General (later Field Marshal) K.M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15 January 1949, succeeding the last British Commander-in-Chief General Sir Francis Butcher. 15 January is celebrated as Army Day.

Sam Manekshaw (S.H.F.J. Manekshaw) was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in January 1973, in recognition of his leadership during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War which led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Major Somnath Sharma was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), awarded posthumously for his gallantry during the defence of Badgam airfield in Kashmir in November 1947. He was killed in action while leading his company against Pakistani tribal raiders.

General Bipin Rawat became India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on 1 January 2020. The post was created to bring the three services under unified command. General Rawat passed away in a helicopter crash in December 2021.

Lieutenant Shiva Chauhan became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed in the Siachen glacier (the world's highest battlefield) in 2023. Earlier, Captain Tania Shergill became the first woman to lead an all-men contingent in the Republic Day parade (2020).

INS Vikrant (R11), originally HMS Hercules, was the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. It served from 1961 to 1997 and played a crucial role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War by blockading East Pakistani ports.

K.M. Cariappa commanded Indian forces in the western sector during the 1947-48 Kashmir War against Pakistani tribal raiders. He was also a veteran of World War II before becoming India's first Commander-in-Chief.

Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee was the first Indian Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, taking command in 1954. He is considered the father of the Indian Air Force and played a key role in its Indianisation.

Arjan Singh was elevated to Marshal of the Indian Air Force (5-star rank) in 2002. Before him, K.M. Cariappa and Sam Manekshaw were given the Field Marshal rank (5-star) in the Army. Arjan Singh is the only 5-star officer of the Indian Air Force.

General P.S. Gyani was the first Indian to command a UN Emergency Force — he was appointed Force Commander of UNEF I (United Nations Emergency Force) in the Sinai in 1959. India has a long tradition of contributing to UN peacekeeping operations.

The Param Vir Chakra was designed by Savitri Khanolkar (born Eva Yvonne Maday-de-Maros in Switzerland), wife of an Indian Army officer. The medal depicts the Vajra (thunderbolt weapon of Indra) and is cast in bronze.

INS Arihant is India's first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), designed and built in India. It was commissioned in 2016 and is part of India's nuclear triad — the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land, air, and sea.

Inspector General Norina Kuriakose made history as one of the senior-most women officers in India's Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has been progressively inducting women into various roles including vessel command.

Operation Vijay (also known as the Kargil War, 1999) led to India successfully recapturing the Kargil heights in Ladakh that had been occupied by Pakistani soldiers and militants. The war lasted from May to July 1999 and resulted in India retaining its territorial positions.

Colonel Saroj Bhagat was among the first women officers in the Army Medical Corps after independence. Women have served in the Indian military primarily in the Army Medical Corps, Military Nursing Service, and Judge Advocate General Branch.

Operation Meghdoot (April 1984) was a surprise military operation by India to secure the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram Range before Pakistan could. India successfully occupied the key heights, making Siachen the world's highest battlefield.

Subedar Khudadad Khan was the first Indian to win the Victoria Cross, awarded for his bravery at the Battle of Hollebeke in Flanders, Belgium, during World War I in 1914. He helped defend a machine gun position despite being wounded.

INS Vikramaditya was originally a Soviet/Russian aircraft carrier (Admiral Gorshkov). It was purchased by India in 2004 and extensively refitted in Russia before being commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2013 at Severodvinsk, Russia.

The Para Special Forces of the Indian Army have "Balidan" (Sacrifice) as their motto, symbolized by the Balidan badge. They are one of India's elite special operations forces capable of conducting deep penetration raids and counter-terrorism operations.

INS Vikrant (R45, Indigenous Aircraft Carrier-1 or IAC-1) is India's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier, commissioned in September 2022. Built at Cochin Shipyard Limited, it represents a major milestone in India's defence self-reliance.

General K.M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15 January 1949, a day now celebrated as Army Day.

Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee became the first Indian Chief of the Air Staff in 1954.

Sam Manekshaw was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 1973.

Vice Admiral R.D. Katari was the first Indian to take over as the Chief of the Naval Staff in 1958.

Major Somnath Sharma was posthumously awarded the first Param Vir Chakra for his bravery in the Battle of Badgam in 1947.

Priya Jhingan was the first lady cadet to join the Indian Army in 1992, commissioning in 1993.

Arjan Singh was promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Indian Air Force in 2002, making him the first and only officer of the IAF to achieve this rank.

INS Vikrant, commissioned in 1961, was the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy.

Punita Arora became the first woman to achieve the rank of Lieutenant General in the Indian Army and the first woman Vice Admiral in the Indian Navy.

General A.S. Vaidya is one of the very few officers to have been awarded the Maha Vir Chakra twice, first in 1965 and then in 1971.

INS Kalvari (S23), a Foxtrot-class submarine, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 8 December 1967.

Padmavathy Bandopadhyay was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.

India established its first foreign military base (Assumption Island) in Seychelles through a long-term agreement.

General K.M. Cariappa was among the first batch of Indian officers to be commissioned from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.

Harita Kaur Deol was the first woman pilot to fly solo in the Indian Air Force in 1994.

INS Tarangini was the first ship of the Indian Navy to circumnavigate the globe in 2003-04.

INS Arihant is India's first indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.

Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas was the first recipient of the Ashok Chakra in 1952, though it was awarded posthumously to others later; the first civilian/military recipients were in 1952.

General Bipin Rawat was appointed as the first Chief of Defence Staff of India in January 2020.

Captain Divya Ajith Kumar became the first woman to lead an all-male contingent during the Republic Day parade in 2015.

General K.M. Cariappa took over as the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on January 15, 1949, which is celebrated as Army Day.

Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst was the first Chief of the Air Staff post-independence. Subroto Mukerjee became the first Indian to hold this post in 1954.

Major Somnath Sharma of the 4th Battalion, Kumaon Regiment, was the first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for his actions during the Battle of Badgam.

INS Delhi (formerly HMS Achilles) was the first major warship commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1948.

Lt. Col. Mitali Madhumita was the first female officer to be awarded the Sena Medal in 2011 for her actions in Afghanistan.

General S.M. Shrinagesh was the first to hold the rank of General (four-star) in the Indian Army, as previously, the post was designated as Commander-in-Chief.

Subroto Mukerjee became the first Indian to command the Air Force Station at Drigh Road (Karachi) in 1939.

General K.S. Thimayya was the first recipient of the PVSM, which was instituted in 1960 to recognize distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

The 11th Destroyer Squadron was the first to be formed, consisting of INS Rajput, Ranjit, and Rana, inducted in 1949.

Surgeon Vice Admiral Punita Arora was the first woman in the Indian Armed Forces to reach the rank of Lieutenant General (Army) and Vice Admiral (Navy).

Admiral R.L. Pereira was the first Chief of Naval Staff who had commanded the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

INS Nilgiri was the first Leander-class frigate built in India, commissioned in 1972 at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.

Subroto Mukerjee was the first Indian to be commissioned into the Royal Air Force and received the Sword of Honour at Cranwell in 1932.

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is the only Indian Air Force officer to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously, for his defense of Srinagar airbase in 1971.

Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee was one of the first six Indians commissioned into the IAF in 1933.

INS Mysore was the first Indian warship to undergo a major refit in the Bombay Dockyard, marking a milestone in self-reliance.

Lt. Gen. Depinder Singh was the first General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the IPKF in Sri Lanka in 1987.

Lieutenant General P.S. Gyani was the first Indian to command a UN peacekeeping force (UNEF) in 1960.

Avani Chaturvedi was the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft (MiG-21 Bison) solo in 2018.

General K.M. Cariappa was the first Indian military officer to be appointed as a Governor; he served as the High Commissioner to Australia and later as Governor of Karnataka.

General K.M. Cariappa became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army on 15th January 1949, a day now celebrated as Army Day.

General K.S. Thimayya was the first recipient of the PVSM, which was instituted in 1960 to recognize distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Padmavathy Bandopadhyay was the first woman to be promoted to the rank of Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force.

Subroto Mukerjee, who later became the first Indian Chief of the Air Staff, was the first Indian to be commissioned into the RAF and won the Sword of Honour.

General S.M. Srinagesh was the first military officer to serve as a Governor; he served as the Governor of Assam in 1959 after retiring from the Army.

INS Nilgiri, commissioned in 1972, was the first indigenously built Leander-class frigate, marking a major milestone in Indian naval shipbuilding.

Lt. Gen. P.S. Gyani was the first Indian officer to be appointed as the Force Commander of a UN peacekeeping mission (UNEF in Gaza) in 1959.

Avani Chaturvedi was the first Indian woman to fly a fighter aircraft solo, followed shortly by Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh.

Lt. Col. Mitali Madhumita was the first female officer to receive the Sena Medal for her acts of bravery during a terror attack in Kabul in 2010.

INS Delhi (1948) underwent its first major refit at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, marking the beginning of indigenous maintenance capabilities.