Page 93 - Cosmopolitan India (January 2020)

NEERJA BHANOT
INDIRA GANDHI A flight attendant
The first female ARUNA ASAF ALI for Pan Am, Neerja VIJAYA LAKSHMI
Prime Minister of MIRABAI An independence died while helping PANDIT
India, Indira Gandhi The first Indian activist, Aruna Asaf passengers escape An Indian diplomat
has graced many woman to grace Ali was dubbed as from Flight 73, and politician, Vijaya
a stamp—not just a postal stamp, the Heroine of the which was hijacked was elected as the
in India, but also Mirabai was a royal, Quit India Movement by terrorists during first female President
internationally. who gave up her as she put things in a stop-over in of the United Nations
She was known privileges to become motion by hoisting Karachi, Pakistan. General Assembly
for her iron will, a Krishna devotee. the flag at the Neerja’s act of in 1953. She was
and is among the One of the key Gowalia Tank maidan heroism made her also sent to London
most noteworthy saints of the Bhakti in Bombay in 1942. (posthumously) win as India’s most
politicians in the Movement, Mirabai’s Post independence, the Ashoka Chakra important diplomat
world. In fact, in bhajans, dedicated Aruna remained Award and has also after serving as
1999, she was to the supreme lord, active in politics, and inspired the Sonam Nehru’s envoy to the
named ‘Woman of turned her into also became Delhi’s Kapoor Ahuja-starrer Soviet Union, the
the Millennium’ in a an icon. first Mayor. biopic, Neerja. United States and
BBC poll. the United Nations.

PANDITA RAMABAI
MOTHER TERESA A pioneer in SAROJINI NAIDU
In 1950, she education and the A noted poet (which NARGIS DUTT SAVITRIBAI
founded the emancipation of earned her the title, A truly iconic Indian PHULE
Missionaries of women in India, she Nightingale of India) actress, Nargis Known as the first
Charity—a religious was the first woman and an independence Dutt’s film Mother female teacher of
congregation that to be accorded the activist, Sarojini India was India’s India, Savitribai
manages homes titles of Pandita (a Naidu became the first submission to Phule was a poet
for people suffering Sanskrit scholar) President of the the Academy Award and social reformer.
from tuberculosis, and Saraswati by the Indian National for Best Foreign She played an
leprosy and HIV/ University of Calcutta. Congress in 1925, Language. She was important role in
AIDS. Also known She was one of the and was also the the first patron of improving women’s
as Saint Teresa 10 women delegates first woman to the Spastic Society rights in the country
of Calcutta, she at the Congress be appointed the of India, and Nargis’ during the British
received the 1962 session in 1889, Governor of the work with them rule, and worked
Ramon Magsaysay and the Founder United Provinces earned her a Rajya towards abolishing
Peace Prize and the of Mukti Mission, a (now Uttar Pradesh). Sabha nomination. discrimination
1972 Nobel home for destitute based on caste
Peace Prize. women and children. and gender.

RUKMINI DEVI
RUKMINI NEELAKANDA
LAKSHMIPATHI SASTRI JIJABAI SHAHAJI
RAJKUMARI A woman of many Featured in India BHOSALE
AMRIT KAUR BEGUM HAZRAT firsts, Rukmini Today’s list of ‘100 Referred to as
A royal, Rajkumari MAHAL Lakshmipathi joined women Who Shaped Rajmata Jijabai, she
Styling: PRIYANKA YADAV; Photograph: IRINA USOVA staunch follower of and seized control female prisoner in Bharatanatyam Maharaj, Founder of
the Indian National
India’, Rukmini
Amrit Kaur was a
She took charge of
was the mother of
Congress in 1923.
Devi is responsible
social activist and
the state of Awadh
Chhatrapati Shivaji
for the revival of
She was the first
freedom fighter. A
of Lucknow after
the Maratha Empire.
from its original
the Salt Satyagraha
Mahatma Gandhi,
her husband (Nawab
She’s known as the
Movement (1930),
sadir style. A
she was a member
Wajid Ali Shah) was
guiding force who
Padma Bhushan
later became the
of the Constituent
exiled to Calcutta.
inspired Shivaji to
first woman to
awardee, she was
Assembly, and
Begum Hazrat Mahal
fight against the
be elected to the
the first woman in
went on to become
also organised an
Mughal empire, and
the first Health
be nominated as
and the first to serve
Minister of India
actively took part in
strength behind all
as a minister in the
a member of the
(and served for 10
the revolt of 1857.
his victories.
Rajya Sabha.
Madras Presidency.
years as the same). army of women and Madras Legislature Indian history to the silent source of
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