March 8th marks International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to honor the struggles, achievements and resilience of women around the world. The 2025 theme for women’s day is ‘Accelerate Action’, emphasizes on the need for gender equality. The history of women’s day dates back to the early 1900s when women began advocating against gender bias. This lead to complaints and protests against poor pay, better working conditions, and voting rights. International Women’s Day was officially recognized by the United States in 1975 in order to promote women’s empowerment and international peace.
Despite decades of progress, even today countries like Afghanistan, Chad, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan and other regions face gender inequality. Developed countries like India too face gender inequality due to their deep rooted patriarchy and societal expectations which restricts a women’s freedom. Many of the underdeveloped regions still live in fear, are not allowed to work or study, struggle with safety and harassment issues. This raises the question even after years of progress and development are we still fighting for basic rights and freedom of a woman?
The answer is yes, as research state that India’s female population will increase from 48.5% in 2011 to 48.8% in 2036, serving as a reminder that there is a long way for us to progress when it comes to fighting for women’s rights. However, celebrating Women’s Day alone is not enough as true change requires a shift in the mindset of people. Women shouldn’t be seen as individuals who take care of the family, cook, clean and handle other responsibilities. Our society must recognize and support women as individuals with big dreams and ambitions, a good career, a qualifying education and an inspiration in the world.
Today there are many women excelling in the field of education, science, technology, business and sports, that are breaking barriers and paving their path in male-dominated fields. They are setting an example to young girls and women to follow their path and chase their dreams with flying colors. As we celebrate Women’s Day, let’s commit to accelerating action for gender equality not just for one day, but every day. Let’s also take a look at a few inspiring women leaders in India who with their achievements are setting an inspiration to all.
Celebrating 10 Inspiring Indian Women Leaders:
1) Gunjan Saxena – Gunjan Saxena was one of India’s first female combat pilots and played a crucial role in the 1999 Kargil War. She joined the Indian Air Force’s first batch of women pilots in 1996 and was responsible for medical evacuations and reconnaissance missions under enemy fire. Her bravery and contributions broke barriers for women in the Indian defense sector, inspiring many young women to join the armed forces. She has also received the Shaurya Chakra award for self sacrifice and valour.
2) Prachi Shevgaonkar – Prachi Shevgaonkar is the founder of Cool The Globe, a climate action app that helps individuals track and reduce their carbon footprint. She is a young environmental activist and entrepreneur committed to raising awareness about climate change. Through her TEDx talks and digital initiatives, she has mobilized people worldwide to take action against global warming.
3) Arunima Sinha – A former national-level volleyball player, Arunima Sinha lost her leg in a tragic train accident. Instead of letting adversity define her, she became the world’s first female amputee to scale Mount Everest in 2013. She has since climbed several of the highest peaks across continents and works to empower people with disabilities through her foundation.
4) Angellica Aribam – Angellica Aribam is a political activist advocating for gender justice, youth rights, and racial equality. As the first North-Eastern woman to be elected to the National Student Union of India (NSUI), she has worked towards increasing women’s political representation. She is also the founder of Femme First Foundation, an organization dedicated to advancing women’s leadership in politics.
5) Roshni Nadar Malhotra– As the chairperson of HCL Technologies and India’s first woman to lead a listed IT company, she is also a prominent philanthropist. Roshni heads the Shiv Nadar Foundation, which focuses on education and social development. Under her leadership, HCL has continued to grow as a global tech giant.
6) Chandni Khan– A former child laborer, Chandni Khan overcame extreme hardships to become a social activist fighting for the rights of street children. She founded the NGO Voice of Slum, which helps educate and rehabilitate underprivileged children. Her inspiring journey from living on the streets to making a difference in thousands of lives is truly remarkable.
7) Aishwarya Pissay– Aishwarya Pissay made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a world championship in motorsports. She won the FIM Baja World Cup in 2019, breaking barriers in a field largely dominated by men. She has also won multiple national titles in rally racing, proving her excellence in motorsports.
8) Chaitali Das– Chaitali Das is known for reviving India’s jute industry through innovative, sustainable fashion and lifestyle products. She is also a social reformer who works with marginalized communities, promoting women’s empowerment and skill development. Her contributions to sustainability and social change have been widely recognized.
9) Dr. Leena Patel (Founder of India’s first autonomous global entrepreneurial system) Dr. Leena Patel is a visionary entrepreneur and founder of India’s first autonomous global entrepreneurial system, which helps startups and businesses scale internationally. She is an advocate for innovation and business leadership, helping entrepreneurs navigate the global market.
10) Falguni Nayar– Falguni Nayar, founder of Nykaa, transformed India’s beauty industry with her visionary leadership. Leaving a successful banking career at 50, she built Nykaa into a billion-dollar brand, becoming one of India’s richest self-made women entrepreneurs. Her journey inspires women to dream big and break barriers.
These incredible women have broken barriers in their respective fields, inspiring our future generations to dream big and challenge societal norms. We wish every women those who are setting examples for the future, building their own empires, making sacrifices for their families, stay-at-home wives and mothers, and every women paving the way for a brighter future, a Happy Women’s Day filled with love, grace and empowerment.
