First and Famous Women in Kerala

Justice Anna Chandy: First Female Judge of India

The woman all over the world marching with their male counterparts in each and every field of profession. Some are leading in their respective fields, but it was never easy. Even today, some barriers need to be broken, we can see that in the Sabarimala Temple Case. However, there are women who started this tends, and some of them are listed below.

Awards/Honors
First Malayali woman to receive Padma Puraskar:    Lakshmi Nanda Menon (Padma Bhushan, 1957)
First Malayali woman who was honoured by Postal stamp:    Saint Alphonsa
First female to speak in Malayalam in UN General Assembly: Mata Amritanandamayi

Art
First Actress in Malayalam cinema: Kamalam
First female winner of JC Daniel Award:    Aranmula Ponnamma (2005)
First Malayali actress to win National Award for Best Actress: Sharada
First female artist to win Swathi Sangeetha Puraskaram: DK Pattamal

Education
First female Vice-Chancellor of any university in Kerala: Dr Jancy James (Mahatma Gandhi University, 2009)

Literature
First Kerala female writer who received Kendra Sahitya Academy fellowship:    Balamani Amma
First Malayali female awardee of Saraswati Samman:    Balamani Amma
First female Malayali writer to win Ezhuthachan Puraskaram: Balamani Amma

Polity and Administration
First female minister of Kerala: KR Gouri Amma
First female Governor of Malayali Origin: Fathima Beevi (Tamil Nadu)
First female Pro-term speaker in Kerala Legislative Assembly: Rosamma Punnoose
First person to be sworn in as a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly: Rosamma Punnoose
First person to be elected in the first-ever by-election: Rosamma Punnoose (1958)
First female Deputy Speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly: KO Ayesha Bai
First female Loksabha member from Kerala: Annie Mascarene
First female Rajyasabha member from Kerala:    K Udayabhanu Bharathi (1954, then Travancore Cochin)
First female Central Minister from Kerala: Lakshmi N Menon
First female judge of India: Anna Chandy
First female judge of Kerala High Court: Anna Chandy
First female Chief Justice of Kerala High court: Sujata Manohar
First Malayali woman who became Chief Justice of Kerala High Court:    KK Usha
First Chairperson of Kerala Women Commission: Sugathakumari
First female IAS officer from Kerala:    Anna Rajam Malhotra
First female IPS officer from Kerala:    R Sreelekha
First female DGP of Kerala Police:    R Sreelekha
First woman Home Secretary of Kerala:    Niveditha P Haran

Religion
First female saint of Kerala: Saint Alphonsa (also known as Alphonsamma)

Sports
First female Arjuna Award Winner from Kerala:    KC Elamma (1975)
First female Rajiv Khela Ratna Award Winner from Kerala:    KM Beenamol (2002-03)
First woman to led Indian Olympics team from Kerala:    Shiny Abraham (1992 Barcelona Olympic Games)
First Indian woman to participate in Olympics final:    PT Usha
First female Asian Games Gold medal winner from Kerala: MD Valsamma