It’s that time of the year again when we all collectively forget to wish our mothers and sisters for Women’s day. Let this be a reminder in case you’ve forgotten too. But moving on; For this Women’s day, we wanted to try and list out some of the wonderful ladies of our country that have inspired change and acceptance in our relatively conservative and patriarchal society. Through all the hardships that women face in their daily lives, the women on this list show us that overcoming them and prevailing is always an option. Here is a list of the great women of India.
In the Entertainment Industry
1. Priyanka Chopra: I’m sure no one knows anything about Priyanka Chopra yet obviously so I’ll attempt to sum it up in one sentence. Miss Universe in the year 2000, starred in several movies, won awards, made music, married a Jonas Brother, owns a significant part of Bumble and that’s pretty much it. The social ideologies of our country that she has challenged as well as her mission to empower women in India makes her one of the best role models for young girls in our current age.
2. Shilpa Shetty: Though she originally gained her fame through her acting roles in movies and advertisements, Shilpa Shetty has gone on to be a very important social influencer with a focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle to the public. Furthermore, she was the owner of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and has campaigned against animal cruelty in her career. She’s also a businesswoman.
3. Shreya Ghoshal: many people know that Shreya Ghoshal actually started her career through the singing show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa”. An even weirder fact about Shreya Ghoshal is that she actually has a special day designated to celebrate her in the United States (26 June every year from 2010). in India though. One of the finest playback singers of our generation, Shreya Ghoshal has achieved more than most Indian Artists internationally, perhaps only being bested by A.R Rahman.
4. Asha Bhosle: One of the most beloved playback singers of our country, Asha Bhosle made a name for herself through her unparalleled skill and technique when it came to singing. It also helped that she could sing in several languages. She still remains a significant role model for young women trying to enter the music industry. She even decided to take up acting in 2013, starring in her first movie at the young age of 79. It really is never too late to follow your passion and do what you love.
Now speaking about women in the Business Industry:
1. Indra Nooyi: Perhaps the biggest influence on women in India who are budding entrepreneurs, Indira Nooyi has quite the catalog of achievements to mention. From being appointed to the CEO’s position in PepsiCo to being named the 2nd most powerful woman in the world in 2015 by Forbes, Indra Nooyi has done it all. She currently works on the board of directors in Amazon.
2. Nita Ambani: Okay sure maybe she wouldn’t have been as famous if she did have Ambani as her last name, but the achievements of Nita Ambani are nothing to be scoffed at. She has set up several trusts and charity organizations that cater to a variety of causes. She has constantly been named as one of the most influential businesswomen in India and even holds a position in the International Olympic Committee, being the first Indian woman to do so. Nita Ambani has also opened a school named the “Dhirubhai Ambani International School” which operates in Mumbai and is also the co-owner of the Mumbai Indians, the worst IPL team ;).
And finally, we take a look at the Indian women in sports:
1. Saina Nehwal: At the risk of being criticized for picking the obvious choice, I do think that Saina Nehwal is someone that we should constantly be talking about. Saina Nehwal singlehandedly rejuvenated the interest for badminton in our country with her famous 2016 Olympic run where she managed to place third and earn the bronze medal. Furthermore, she’s been given several awards by the government such as the Padma Bhushan and sporting awards as well such as the Arjuna Award. However, the extent of her inspiration also extends to topics outside the game, as she is known as one of the most charitable athletes in the entire world. Truly a National Treasure.
2. Mary Kom: I find it fitting that we’re talking about Priyanka Chopra and Mary Kom in the same article. But regardless, Mary Kom is a great figure in women’s boxing. Though the interest in women’s boxing is very lackluster in our country, it’s through Mary Kom that we as a country started to take interest in the sport. She was the first Indian to qualify for the Women’s Boxing event in the 2012 Olympics as well as being the first Indian Woman to win a gold medal at both the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. But I’m sure all of this is pretty common knowledge considering how popular her titular movie is. Want to know something less commonly known though? Priyanka Chopra earned more for playing Mary Kom for 2 and a half hours than Mary Kom earned in her entire career. Sports.
And finally, I want to talk about the greatest women that exist. Our mothers. We do owe a great deal of gratitude towards our mothers and I’m sure that your mother would’ve told you the same at some point. So, on this women’s day, I’d just like to give a warm thanks to all the mothers out there. Thank you for everything you do for us and for bringing us up to be the people that we are today. Now don’t forget to wish them on Mother’s day and you should be alright for the year.
And finally, a Happy International Women’s day to each and every one of you 🙂
Tags- The great women of India, The great women in India, Greatest women of India, Woman achiever in India, Indian women achievers list
