Women Empowerment  

Shantabai was married off at the age of 12. In 1984, when Shantabai's elder daughter was 8 years old, her husband succumbed to a heart attack. Shantabai resorted to working in others' fields, earning a mere Rs 50 for 8 hours of labour. To sustain a living, she took up her husband’s occupation, and became the country's first female barber.

Raimati Ghiuria, a young tribal woman hailing from Odisha, is being recognized as the ‘Queen of Millets’ due to her contributions to preserving 30 varieties of rare millets. She also educates people on various aspects of millet cultivation, including techniques for growth, enhancing quality, and preservations.

When her husband suffered a paralysis attack, Poonam found herself assuming the role of the breadwinner of the family. She is a skilled mechanic from Lucknow, her work is appreciated by some people, while the others struggle to believe that a woman can efficiently repair bike and car parts.

Preeti Hinge is a resident of Wathoda village of Nagpur. She runs a carpentry workshop in the village with the name Jai Shri Ganesh Furniture Mart. She is breaking stereotypes with her dedication to carpentry.

Purnima Padmasana is a mother of two daughters. In 2022, she won the title of Mrs India One in a Million. She is from Patna and works as a corporate banker. She is also involved in initiatives related to old age homes and women empowerment.

Noida’s Rohit Goswami experienced failure in class 12. His father encouraged him to learn a lesson from the setbacks. Motivated by this, he founded ‘Yuva Soch Army,’ dedicated to assisting people in overcoming challenging situations and contributing to society.

Maahi Sandhu suffered from sexual abuse at a very young age. She was raped twice and her own family members subjected her to physical violence. After suffering from an abusive marriage, Maahi took a divorce for the sake of her children. Today. she is an independent single mother and serves as a powerful inspiration for all the women out there.

Shraddha Saxena is revered as the leading beauty and makeup expert from UP. After her marriage, she went through a difficult and distressing experience as she suffered from domestic abuse. She took a divorce and founded an NGO to support single mothers. Today, Shraddha makes a monthly income of Rs 3 lakh.

In his village, Rajesh Ojha observed tribal women selling fruits by covering a daily distance of 10 to 15 kilometres. In 2017, he founded Jovaki Agrofood India to help them. He bought fruits daily at market rates, offering them a reliable source of income.

Kashipur’s Jitendra organized a party for his daughter’s first period and shared the posts on his Facebook account. The celebration was an attempt to send a message that myths and superstitions attached to the discussions of menstruation must be destroyed.

The Green Army of women is liberating hundreds of women from domestic violence. They solve cases of drug addiction and gambling and educate men about the repercussions of their actions. At present, the Green Army is operating in 6 districts.

Savita Pradhan was born in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. She was the first girl from her village to complete class 10 studies. Savita was married off at the young age of 16. At 21, she moved out of her husband’s house with her sons and started a new life. She cleared the MPPSC exams in her first attempt and became a PCS officer.

Dr Sharvari Inamdar won 5 gold medals in the Asian Classic and Bench Press Powerlifting Championship 2017. 37-year-old Sharvari Inamdar holds an MD degree in Ayurveda. She has been practicing as a nutritionist for 16 years.

Sania’s father, Shahid Ali works as a TV mechanic. After clearing the NDA exams, Mirzapur’s Sania Mirza became the country’s first Muslim female fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. Among 400 seats, 19 were allocated for women and notably, only two were reserved for fighter pilots. Sania secured one of the two seats, marking an outstanding achievement in her career.

Raji Ashok, a 51-year-old woman, has been driving an auto rickshaw on the streets of Chennai for the last 25 years. She provides free rides for small children, elderly women, and those in need who may not have the means to pay. Raji’s auto is equipped with a first aid kit containing essentials like paracetamol, cotton buds, bandages, and surgical pads. Additionally, she provides water bottles and biscuits to her customers, ensuring that they have refreshments during the journey.