Who was the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in the 400 metre race?

Introduction / Context:
Indian athletics has produced several outstanding women sprinters and middle distance runners who have achieved success at the Asian level. The 400 metre event is a demanding one lap race that requires a mix of speed and endurance. Knowing who became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in this event is a classic sports general knowledge question that highlights a historic milestone in Indian athletics.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The event mentioned is the 400 metre run for women.
• The competition is the Asian Games, a major multi sport event in Asia.
• The question asks for the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in this specific event.
• Several famous Indian women athletes are listed among the options.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this, we rely on knowledge of Indian sports history. Kamaljit Sandhu created history at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok by winning the gold medal in the women 400 metre race. This achievement made her the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in that event. Other athletes in the options are also well known, but they are associated either with different events or with later periods.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the name of the Indian woman who won the 400 metre gold at the 1970 Asian Games. Step 2: Identify that athlete as Kamaljit Sandhu, who set a significant milestone in Indian athletics. Step 3: Match this name with the options given in the question. Step 4: Confirm that Kamaljit Sandhu appears as one of the answer choices. Step 5: Select Kamaljit Sandhu as the correct answer and verify that no earlier Indian woman had achieved this specific gold in 400 metres at the Asian Games.

Verification / Alternative check:
Other famous Indian women athletes like P T Usha and M L Valsamma achieved glory in later Asian Games or in different events. For example, P T Usha is strongly associated with the 400 metre hurdles and narrowly missed an Olympic medal in 1984. M L Valsamma also excelled in hurdles and relay events. K Malleswari is a weightlifter, and Anju Bobby George is a long jumper. None of these careers match the record of being the first to win the 400 metre Asian Games gold. Cross checking with basic sports reference material confirms Kamaljit Sandhu as the pioneer in this regard.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
P T Usha: A legendary Indian sprinter and hurdler but she did not become the first Indian woman to win the 400 metre Asian Games gold.
M L Valsamma: Known for the 400 metre hurdles and relay events, not for this historic 400 metre flat race gold as the first Indian woman.
K Malleswari: An Olympic medal winning weightlifter, not a track athlete in the 400 metre event.
Anju Bobby George: A world class long jumper who earned medals in international meets, but not in the 400 metre race.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students instinctively choose P T Usha because her name is very strongly linked with Indian athletics and the 400 metre distance, but the question is specifically about the first Indian woman to win a 400 metre gold at the Asian Games. Chronology matters here. Remembering that Kamaljit Sandhu achieved this feat in 1970, well before the peak years of P T Usha, helps you avoid this common trap. Carefully reading the exact wording of the question and noting the phrase first Indian woman is crucial.

Final Answer:
The first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in the 400 metre race was Kamaljit Sandhu.