List of Firsts in India - Awards and Titles

Awards and Titles

• Miss World : Reita Faria in 1966
• Miss Asia Pacific : Zeenat Aman in 1970
• Miss Universe : Sushmita Sen in 1994
• Miss Earth : Nicole Faria in 2010
• Miss Asia Pacific World : Himangini Singh Yadu in 2012
• World Miss University : Priyadarshini Pradhan in 1989
• Manhunt International : Rajeev Singh in 2001
• Dhan Gopal Mukerji, first Indian to win any literary award (the Newbery Medal) in the United States, in 1927 for Gay Neck, the Story of a Pigeon
• Nirad C. Chaudhuri, first Indian to win a major non-fiction award, the Duff Cooper Prize in the United Kingdom, in 1966 for The Continent of Circe
• Man Booker Prize : Arundhati Roy for her novel "The God of Small Things" in the year 1997.
• Bhaswati Bhattacharya was the first Indian to speak as Orator at the Harvard University, in the Commencement Exercises in 1993.
• Bharat Ratna : Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, C. Rajagopalachari, and C. V. Raman in 1954
• Padma Vibhushan : Satyendra Nath Bose, Nand Lal Bose, Zakir Hussain, Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, V. K. Krishna Menon in 1954
• Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters: Mrinal Sen
• Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters: Sivaji Ganesan
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award: Devika Rani in 1969
• Ashoka Chakra Award to a civilian : D.K. Jatar (posthumous) and M.C Dixit, captain and co-captain respectively, of the sabotaged plane Kashmir Princess, for "most conspicuous bravery, daring and self-sacrifice"
• Magsaysay Award : Vinoba Bhave, 1958
• Stalin Peace Prize (now known as Lenin Peace Prize) in 1952-Saifuddin Kitchlew
• Oscar for Lifetime Achievement - Satyajit Ray
• Nishan-e-Pakistan : Morarji Desai, 1990