First in India Related to Agriculture

First Agricultural Research & Institutions

• First Agricultural University in India: Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar (1960)
• First Director General of ICAR: Dr. B. P. Pal
• First President of ICAR: Mohammad Habibullah
• First Agriculture Chemist of ICAR: J. W. Leather
• First Chairman of the Royal Commission of Agriculture: Lord Linlithgow
• First Agricultural Census in India: 1970
• First State to Implement Agricultural Census: Punjab
• First Agriculture College in India: Saidapet Agricultural School (Tamil Nadu, 1868)
• First Veterinary College in India: Bombay Veterinary College (1886)

First in Crop Improvement & Hybrid Varieties

• First Hybrid Crop in India: Pusa Meghdoot (Bottle Gourd)
• First Hybrid Variety of Maize (1961): Ganga-1 & Ganga-101
• First Single Cross Variety of Maize: Paras
• First Hybrid Variety of Sorghum (1964): CSH-1
• First Hybrid Variety of Pearl Millet (1965): HB-1
• First Hybrid Variety of Cotton (Intraspecific, 1970): H-4 (developed by C. T. Patel, Surat, Gujarat)
• First Hybrid Variety of Cotton (Interspecific, 1971): Varalaxmi (developed by S. A. Patil, Dharwad)
• First Hybrid Variety of Rice (1994): APRH-1 / MGR-1 (developed by TNAU)
• First Hybrid Variety of Sugarcane: CO-205
• First Hybrid Variety of Pigeon Pea (1991): ICPH-8 (developed by ICRISAT)
• First Hybrid Variety of Sunflower: BSH-1
• First Hybrid Variety of Mustard: NRCHB-506
• First Hybrid Variety of Safflower: DSH-1
• First Hybrid Variety of Tomato: Karnataka
• First Hybrid Variety of Bt Cotton: Bollgard (Cry 1 Ac gene)
• First Rice Variety Introduced in India: IR-8
• First Aromatic Hybrid Rice Variety: PRH-10
• First Semi-Dwarf Variety of Basmati Rice: Pusa Basmati-1
• First Indigenous Dwarf Rice Variety: Jaya
• First Super Rice Variety for Saline/Alkaline Conditions: Lunishree
• First Hybrid Fodder Grass (Napier x Bajra): Pusa Giant
• First Egyptian Cotton Variety: Sujata
• First Mango Hybrid Used Commercially: Mallika

First in Soil Science & Fertilizers

• First Chemical Fertilizer Used in India: Calcium Nitrate
• First Commercial Fertilizer in India: Single Super Phosphate (SSP)
• First Country to Introduce Zero Tillage: USA
• First Scientist to Report Zn Deficiency in India: Dr. Y. L. Nene (Pantnagar, 1966)
• First Use of Blue-Green Algae (BGA) for Nitrogen Fixation: Dr. P. K. De

First in Agricultural Protection (Pesticides & Disease Management)

• First Person to Record Plant Disease: Theophrastus
• First Plant Pathologist in India: J. F. Dastur
• First Plant Parasitic Nematode: Anguina tritici
• First Plant Parasitic Bacteria: Fire blight of Apple (Erwinia amylovora)
• First Viral Disease Identified: Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
• First Fungicide Used: Sulphur (for Powdery Mildew of Vine)
• First Herbicide Used: 2,4-D
• First Fungicide Developed (1882): Bordeaux Mixture (by P. M. A. Millardet)
• First Organic Fungicide: Di-thio-carbamate
• First Insecticide Used: Paris Green

First in Agricultural Mechanization & Irrigation

• First Agricultural Mechanization Institute in India: Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal
• First State to Implement Micro-Irrigation: Gujarat
• First State to Adopt Drip Irrigation: Maharashtra
• First River Valley Project in India: Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC)
• First Wind Energy Farm in India: Mandvi, Gujarat

First in Agricultural Awards & Recognitions

• First Indian to Receive the World Food Prize: Dr. M. S. Swaminathan
• First Plant Protection Advisor to the Government of India: H. S. Pruthi

First in Agricultural Institutions & Education

• First Agricultural University Established in India: Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (1960)
• First Agricultural College in India: Saidapet Agricultural School, Tamil Nadu (1868)
• First Agricultural Extension Institute in India: Extension Education Institute (EEI), Anand, Gujarat (1963)
• First Veterinary College in India: Bombay Veterinary College (1886)
• First Agricultural Research Station in India: Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi (1905)

First in Crop Science & Genetics

• First Indigenous Developed Dwarf Variety of Rice: Jaya (by IARI)
• First Hybrids of Cotton Released: H-4 (G-67 x American Nectarless) developed by C.T. Patel in 1970
• First Hybrid Variety of Pearl Millet: HB-1 (1965)
• First Hybrid Variety of Maize Developed in India: Ganga-1 and Ganga-101 (1961)
• First Hybrid Variety of Sorghum Developed in India: CSH-1 (1964)
• First Hybrid Variety of Sunflower: BSH-1

First in Animal Science & Veterinary Practices

• First Crossbred Cow Developed in India: Kankrej X Jersey (Kankrej is a native breed of Gujarat)
• First Indigenous Cow Milk Yield Record: Gir Cow (Surat)
• First Artificial Insemination Station in India: U.P. Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Mathura (1985)
• First State to Promote Artificial Insemination: Kerala

First in Pesticides & Fungicides

• First Fungicide Used in India: Sulphur (for controlling powdery mildew of grapevine)
• First Commercial Insecticide Used in India: Paris Green (Copper Acetoarsenite) for controlling pests in cotton
• First Bio-pesticide in India: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) for controlling insect pests in cotton

First in Horticulture & Fruits

• First Indian Mango Hybrid Commercially Used: Mallika (cross between Neelum and Langra)
• First Hybrid Banana: Dwarf Cavendish developed in Kerala
• First Hybrid of Mango Released for Commercial Cultivation: Amrapali (1982)
• First Export of Indian Mango to the USA: 2004 (Alphonso Mango)
• First Horticultural Plant Pathologist in India: Dr. B.R. Sivaraman

First in Agriculture Mechanization & Irrigation

• First Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing Company: Mahindra Tractors (1947)
• First Tractor Introduced in India: Fordson (by Hindustan Tractors, 1955)
• First Use of Drip Irrigation in India: Kothapalli, Andhra Pradesh (1976)
• First Use of Sprinkler Irrigation in India: Rajasthan (1980s)
• First Rice-based Power Tiller Introduced in India: In 1990 by Mahindra Tractors

First in Organic Agriculture

• First Organic Farming Institute in India: Indian Organic Farming Association (IOFA), Kerala (1999)
• First Organic Fertilizer Manufacturer in India: Organic India Ltd. (1997)
• First Organic Certification Body in India: APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) established 1985

First in Agricultural Policy & Infrastructure

• First Agricultural Policy of India: National Agricultural Policy 2000
• First Agro-processing Park in India: Mahindra Agro Processing Centre, Punjab (1999)
• First Cold Storage for Fruits and Vegetables: 1940s in West Bengal

First in Post-Harvest Technology

• First Cold Chain Logistics in India: National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCCD), 2011
• First Freeze Drying Technology for Fruits in India: (2003) developed in collaboration with a French company

First in Agricultural Economics & Market Research

• First Agricultural Price Policy Introduced in India: 1948, under the Ministry of Agriculture
• First National Commission on Farmers: 2004, led by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan
• First Comprehensive Agricultural Price Support Scheme: 1960s (Minimum Support Price – MSP)

First in Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

• First Genetically Modified (GM) Crop Approved in India: Bt Cotton (2002)
• First Indigenous Genetically Modified Rice: IR-36 (developed by IRRI and ICRISAT)

First in Water Management & Conservation

• First State to Implement Watershed Management: Madhya Pradesh
• First State to Implement Rainwater Harvesting: Rajasthan (1990s)
• First Irrigation Management in India: Andhra Pradesh (1990s)