Indian Firsts & River Cities

Justice Fathima Beevi became the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India in 1989. She served on the Court until 1992 and later became the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Kiran Bedi is a famous police officer, not a judge.

Thumba in Kerala was India's first rocket launching station, established in 1963 where the sounding rocket program began. It became the birthplace of India's space program before Sriharikota was developed.

Annie Besant became the first woman president of the Indian National Congress in 1917. She was a prominent theosophist and freedom fighter who championed Indian self-rule, though her presidency was controversial as some felt she represented British interests.

The Ahmedabad-Baroda (Vadodara) Expressway was India's first express highway, opened in 2001. It connected Gujarat's two major cities and set the template for future expressway development in India.

Patna is located on the southern banks of the Ganga River. The city has been a historical center for over two millennia, and its position on the Ganga made it an important trade and administrative hub in ancient India.

Surat is located on the banks of the Tapti River (also spelled Tapi). The city's position on this river in Gujarat contributed to its historical importance as a trading port, though the Tapti is much smaller than Gujarat's Narmada.

Vijayawada is located on the banks of the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. The city sits at the strategic location where the river exits the Eastern Ghats onto the coastal plains, making it a crucial transportation hub.

Cuttack is located on the banks of the Mahanadi River in Odisha. The city's position at a headland where the Mahanadi branches into several distributaries made it historically significant as a riverine trade center.

Cairo is located on the banks of the Nile River, the lifeblood of Egypt. The city has existed in this location for over a thousand years because the Nile provided water, fertile soil, and transportation in the otherwise arid region.

Lahore is located on the banks of the Ravi River, one of the five rivers of Punjab. The Ravi flows through the city's northern and western sections, though its course has changed over centuries due to floods and human intervention.

Lucknow is located on the banks of the Gomti River, a tributary of the Ganga. The river flows through the heart of the city and has shaped its urban development, with important buildings and gardens situated along its banks.

Paris is located on the banks of the Seine River, which divides the city into the Left Bank and Right Bank. The Seine has been central to Paris's history as a transportation route and source of water, with the city's founding on the Ile de la Cite in the river.

Rome is located on the banks of the Tiber River, which flows through the city's center. The Tiber was crucial to Rome's founding and early development, providing water, transportation, and a natural defensive barrier for the ancient city.

Fort William College was established in 1800 in Calcutta by Lord Wellesley to train East India Company officials in Indian languages and culture. While it was primarily an institution for civil servants, it holds the distinction of being the earliest college-type institution in British India by founding date. Hindu College (later Presidency College, 1817) was the first college for Indian students, but Fort William College predates it.

The Bank of Hindustan was established in 1770 in Calcutta and is considered the first modern bank in India. It operated from 1770 to 1832, serving the banking needs of the British East India Company and local traders. The Bank of Bengal (1809) was one of the three presidency banks that later merged to form Imperial Bank, but Bank of Hindustan predates it by nearly four decades.

Karnam Malleswari won a bronze medal in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. She competed in the 54kg category and achieved this historic breakthrough. P.T. Usha was a legendary sprinter who narrowly missed an Olympic medal in 1984, finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles.

Aryabhata was India's first satellite, launched on April 19, 1975 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the Soviet Union. It was named after the ancient Indian mathematician-astronomer Aryabhata. The satellite weighed 358 kg and was launched using a Soviet Kosmos-3M rocket, marking India's entry into the space age.

Sarojini Naidu became the first woman Governor of an Indian state in 1947 when she was appointed Governor of Uttar Pradesh. A renowned freedom fighter and poet known as the 'Nightingale of India', she served in this position from 1947 until her death in 1949. Vijayalakshmi Pandit was the first woman to lead a delegation to the UN and later became Governor of Maharashtra, but Sarojini Naidu holds the distinction of being the first woman Governor.

The Bengal Gazette (also known as Hicky's Bengal Gazette) was founded by James Augustus Hicky in 1780 in Calcutta, making it the first newspaper printed in India. It was a weekly publication that lasted until 1782. While modern newspapers like The Hindu (1878) and Times of India (1838) came later, Bengal Gazette holds the historical distinction of being the first printed periodical in India.

The first train service in India ran from Mumbai (then Bombay) to Thane on April 16, 1853, covering a distance of 34 kilometers. This marked the beginning of the railway network in India. The service was operated by the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (GIPR) and had 14 railway carriages carrying around 400 passengers. This historic journey inaugurated the railway era in India.