We were hard-pressed to narrow down a very diverse list of inspiring women achievers into a concise 50. Ranging from prominent faces in the fields of politics, science, sports, business, entertainment and the arts, we felt each of these women could be best described by the people who know them personally or professionally. So here they are in no particular order. Read on...

Overcoming all odds: Sonia Gandhi

Chairperson, UPA and president, Indian National Congress

Soniaji took over the Congress when the party was at its lowest point and people were deserting it in droves. She braved the taunts and criticisms of opponents and went on to revive the party. In 2004, when she renounced the post of prime minister, she proved that for her the country, its people and our party are most important. The decision forced people to change their views on Soniaji. Soniaji has a strong humanitarian streak. Whenever disaster strikes, you will find her rushing to help. Women have a special place in her heart. She wants to see them become equal partners with men in all spheres. -- Ambika Soni , Union information and broadcasting minister

CHANDA KOCHER

CEO & MD, ICICI Bank

Chanda's leadership qualities have been evident from the time she started her career. From early on, she was selected to drive new businesses which she led admirably to scale and leadership.In each role, she brought to bear her sound commonsense, team-building capability, focus on stakeholders, and an ability to stay calm and balanced in challenging situations. She has built a brilliant career while nurturing a family as a devoted wife and mother, setting an outstanding example for women everywhere. She commands respect and influence because she leads by example, demonstrating that no goal is too difficult to achieve. -- KV Kamath, non-executive chairman of the Board of Directors of ICICI Bank Limited

Sushma Swaraj

Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha

Sushmaji is a well-educated woman and has reached her current position by sheer hard work. She is an understanding and capable leader. She considers everybody's opinions and cares for everyone. She loves everyone, including the poor and people younger to her, and respects elders. No detail is too small for her. One may not have her around to share their happiness with, but she will definitely be with you to share your moment of grief. She takes initiatives, encourages youngsters and never compromises on her principles. -- Shahnawaz Hussain, BJP MP

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Political leader

Priyanka Gandhi is a very modest person despite her family background. Few know that she takes time out of her busy schedule for disabled and mentally ill children every week. For the past few years she has been visiting the Jangpura branch of the Missionaries of Charity in Delhi every week. The children call her Didi. On her birthday and other important occasions she distributes gifts and food among the poor and the disabled. But she never seeks publicity for these actions. That's what makes her so special. -- Sister Annaleen, head of the Missionaries of Charity, Jangpura

Lata Mangeshkar

Singer and Bharat Ratna awardee

The Mangeshkar sisters have always done things our way. Our grit and determination is something that runs in our blood. I have looked up to Latadidi all my life. She sometimes jokes that she is my mother and let me tell you that I really look up to her as one. I am very scared of her too. On Women's Day, the only woman that comes to my mind is my didi who has truly achieved heights of success and greatness. I think she is the ideal example of what a woman can achieve, despite the odds. -- Asha Bhonsle, highly regarded playback singer and sister of Lata Mangeshkar

Sudha Murthy

Social worker and author

Sudha is a brilliant intellectual. She's strong, compassionate and articulate and has always been a high achiever. She is also a very good teacher. She has travelled extensively and imbibed various cultures. She is a global citizen with a very good understanding of political and economic issues of different countries around the world. If she had pursued a career, she would have been an entrepreneur and the most powerful woman in the country today. To sum it up -- she is a role model for all Indian women. -- Subhash Dhar , senior vice president, marketing head and executive council member, Infosys Technologies

Mata Amritanandamayi

Spiritual leader

I was eight when I first met her. To me, Amma is Love Incarnate, the Universal Mother. It's the utter unconditionality of her hug -- lepers, millionaires, film stars, the poor and the unwashed -- all get the exact same warm, motherly embrace. Just imagine, 30 million have felt it across the world in the last 30 years. It's unbelievable and for that split second, all barriers are gone. She doesn't say pray to me, she says I'll pray for you. Who does that today? She doesn't want you to convert, but her quintessential message is, unselfish love alone can change the world, whatever your religious call. -- Vidya Balan, prominent Bollywood actor

Saina Nehwal

Badminton champion

When Saina came to me, there was never an iota of doubt about her talent. But the way she has grown from there has surprised me. What always stood out was her grit and determination to make it big. She would run down every shuttle. Imagine, she has done so much at the age of only 20. With more experience she can only become better. The potential she has is also immense, so I do believe she has it to become the biggest women's sporting icon in the country in years to come. -- Pullela Gopichand, badminton champion and Saina Nehwal's coach

Nita Ambani

Educationist and entrepreneur

Nita is a natural born leader. She'll always be on top of her game -- and stay there. I have watched her change and evolve over the years. Today she is very much her own woman -- self-assured and super-confident. She is a symbol of all that is aspirational and achievable. Nita has leveraged her unique position for self-growth and for setting up first-rate institutions. She could so easily have turned into yet another pampered billionairess, but she hasn't. The fact that she hasn't forgotten her middle-class roots is her biggest strength. -- Shobhaa De, author and socialite

Aishwarya Rai

Actor and Padma Shri awardee

Besides being very beautiful and elegant, Aishwarya has an effervescent personality. She's a very strong individual and very hard-working too. But at the same time, she's also very lively and fun to be with. It's also very interesting to indulge in a conversation with her, as she's extremely well-informed. I remember, while travelling on location to Machu-Pichu for Robot, we travelled for two days but she didn't once complain, despite the harsh journey. In fact, she was fun to travel with and she even kept everybody going. I was also amazed by her knowledge of Bollywood film numbers. She can be full of surprises. -- Manish Malhotra, leading fashion designer with many

Bollywood clients

Mamata Banerjee

Railway minister and Trinamool Congress chief

Mamata didi is full of great capabilities. Her ordinary lifestyle touches a chord with every social stratum. Her image is that of a fighter. There are not many leaders like her nowadays. She has all the energy and the ability to swim against the tide. Her life is like an open book. She has always been concerned about the poor. She can go to any extent for them. If she becomes West Bengal's CM, she will certainly cleanse the dirt within political circles. She never compromises on values like honesty and secularism. -- Shahnawaz Hussain , BJP MP

Mayawati

Chief minister of Uttar Pradesh

Ms Mayawati is a born leader. It's difficult for her to work under anybody else. She is a good decision maker. She listens to everyone but takes her own decisions. Her biggest quality is her courage. She is always willing to take risks. Her not being easily accessible accentuates her popularity. She always keeps an eye on her party workers and in case they make mistakes, never hesitates to punish them. She likes living in the present and doesn't worry about what lies in future. -- Chandrabhan Prasad, prominent Dalit writer

Sheila Diksit

Chief minister, Delhi

Sheila Diksit’s image is as clean as the metropolitan city she manages and even matches with people's expectations. This is the reason why she is so popular and close to the people of the capital. She has done a lot for the city and thanks to her, it has developed a lot and looks beautiful too. She is soft-spoken and gels well with people across all generations. In 2010, there was a big hoopla about the unfini shed work before the Commonwealth Games. She went for inspections in the night and made it happen. This episode showed us her leadership qualities and determination. -- Arindam Chaudhari, management guru and honorary dean, IIPM

Nirupama Rao

Foreign secretary of India

Nirupama worked with me for a long time. I respect her not only as a colleague but also a person. She doesn't understand the Chinese language but nobody can surpass her understanding of Indo-China relations. Even Chinese officers respect her for her knowledge. She has put forth the Indian point of view on the border dispute quite strongly. Most women IFS officers are quite aggressive but Nirupama is very calm and sociable. She prefers to be hands-on instead of passing on jobs to her juniors. She is a very devoted worker. -- Salman Haider , former foreign secretary

Kareena Kapoor

Actor

The fact that she's a very strong woman in her own right, confident of who she is and clear in her convictions, together make Kareena the person she is. She's not afraid to speak her mind. In this profession it can sometimes also get you into trouble, but Kareena doesn't believe in faking anything. As an actor, her passion for what she's doing shines through in her performances. Either she does it because she's really serious about it, or she doesn't do it at all. There's lots one can actually learn from her. -- Saif Ali Khan , Bollywood actor and boyfriend of Kareena Kapoor

Shikha Sharma

MD & CEO, Axis Bank

Sharma has an impeccable pedigree which includes an education from IIM, Ahmedabad. She amply demonstrated her managerial skills at ICICI, setting up ICICI Securities, a joint venture between ICICI and JP Morgan, and successfully steering ICICI Prudential into the position of the second-largest life insurer in the country. Now she is building an institution diversified enough to leverage the India growth story. Rivals would be better off keeping an eye on her moves. I myself, find her a sharp intellectual and a transparent person. She has an affinity for people and values relationships.

Priyanka Chopra

National Award-winning actor

Having directed Priyanka in a National Award-winning role, I feel what sets her apart is the fact that she draws her strength from the person she is -- strong-willed and independent. She is very focused as an artist, a natural star on camera, but off it, she's one of the most down-to-earth persons I've ever come across. And she's as comfortable conversing with high-fliers as she is with the unit hands. She believes in hard work and has never shied away from giving shot after shot till she feels it's the best she could have done. -- Madhur Bhandarkar, award-winning Bollywood filmmaker

Kalpana Morparia

CEO, JP Morgan India

At 61, Kalpana Morparia is in the enviable position of possibly being the only head honcho who could walk into a plum position as head of a global organisation after her retirement and that too, after passing over at least one other tempting offer! And not surprisingly so if you consider the fact that this tough-talking, no-nonsense woman has a whopping 36 years of experience in the financial services sector. The one thing she will always do before a business meeting is familiarise herself with the interpersonal equations that the people in the meeting share with each other. -- Sudha Menon , journalist and author of the book Leading Ladies

Meera Shankar

IFS officer and India's ambassador to the US

Meera is an impressive speaker and puts across her points effectively. She is improving India's reputation by putting forth our points of view strongly in international fora. Though there have been other women IFS officers in the past, Meera Shankar has left her mark at every place she worked in. She was the economic minister in the Indian embassy in Washington in 1990. She has worked in Germany, Sri Lanka and the PMO. It's because of Meera's ability and devotion towards her work that she has got an extension. -- Naresh Chandra , former Indian ambassador to the US (1996-2001)

Kiran Bedi

Social activist and retired IPS officer

As the first woman IPS officer, Kiran proved herself through her actions and behaviour and became a source of inspiration to others. Her biggest challenge was to make her place in a force dominated by men and she met it by setting an example for others. Sometimes she was better than her male colleagues. When appointed to the traffic police she left her mark there, too. She is among those very few officers who are completely honest. There were never any charges against her. She never buckled under any political or administrative pressure. Even after her retirement she is busy solving others' problems. -- Prakash Singh, former director general, BSF

Farah Khan

Filmmaker

Farah is a great inspiration to women who are connected and not connected to showbiz. She started working at a young age and has been an independent person ever since. She conducts herself with class and honesty. Farah has played many roles -- that of a sister, daughter, friend, wife and now a mother, and the best part is that she has managed to balance all this extremely well. She is a strong example of what a modern woman should be. People say it is a man's world, but a few more Farahs and it won't be anymore. -- Sajid Khan, filmmaker and brother of Farah Khan

Naina Lal Kidwai

Director Asia-Pacific and country head of HSBC India

The Harvard-educated Kidwai is a veteran of the financial world, the first woman to head any bank, international or domestic, in India at a time when women were few and far between in Indian business. She brings to the table a rare combination of a deep understanding of the Indian marketplace and an easy familiarity with international cultures that allows her to work seamlessly with people from across the world. Naina is incessantly chasing to increase her knowledge levels. Few know that this striking, softspoken woman has studied to be a pianist, finishing the penultimate grade 7 at the Trinity College of Music. -- Sudha Menon , journalist and author of the book Leading Ladies

Pratibha Patil

President of India

Despite being on the country's highest position, Pratibha Patil is well known for her simplicity, humility and friendly approach. A down-to-earth person, she has heartily reciprocated whenever we have met and we have often interacted in Marathi because of our closeness. She was the governor during my tenure as chief minister and I never felt any political motives in her views and opinions. She always remembered to wish me on my anniversary. She still takes pride in being identified as the daughter-in-law of Rajasthan. -- Vasundhara Raje Scindia, ex-chief minister, Rajasthan

Kiran Majumdar Shaw

Chairman & MD of Biocon

Shaw is one of the finest leaders and offers great support to Karnataka and the Vision Group on Biotechnology. Under her guidance, Karnataka has not only grown but gained the numero uno position in the field of biotechnology in the country. She is an icon and will remain one in the years to come. India was nowhere on the world map in the field of biotechnology. Thanks to her hard work, Biocon is known and respected not only in India but all over the world. She has proved that if you have vision, gender does not really matter. -- Ashok Kumar C Manoli, IAS, principal secretary to govt, department of IT, biotechnology, and science & technology

Katrina Kaif

Actor

Katrina's biggest strength is the amount of hard work she is ready to put in. That willingness is something we all appreciate and greatly admire in her. What I also appreciate is the fact that like me, she is focused and ready to walk that extra mile to give her best shot. Her determination to overcome initial criticism and take it positively has seen her rise above the rest. Today, she deserves to be at the top through sheer hard work and sincerity. She's a strong independent woman and as an actor, her dedication is truly commendable. -- Farah Khan, award-winning choreographer and filmmaker

Dr Tessy Thomas

Missile scientist and project director (Agni V missile)

Dr Thomas has the ability to assess any situation in an instant. We are proud of her as a technocrat who has made an important contribution to the development of the Agni missiles. She is well-versed in the navigation field, and in her awareness of her strengths and weaknesses, she has raced well ahead of many male scientists in her field. Her most important trait is that she works tirelessly and in an intelligent manner. She goes out of her way to guide and train junior scientists, and is an excellent teacher. -- Dr K Shekhar, director of Defense Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)

Elaben Bhatt

Founder, SEWA

This frail, elegant woman draped in her idol, Mahatma Gandhi's weapon, khadi, stands tall as an unlikely leader of the poor and the down trodden. With dozens of co-operatives of rag pickers, embroidery and beedi workers and domestic maids that offer sustainable livelihoods for its women members, SEWA is a leading example of how women can change the world. It is Bhatt's complete commitment to the women's cause and her understanding of the female situation that perhaps led to her being invited to be part of The Elders, a group of global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela. -- Sudha Menon, journalist and author of the book Leading Ladies

Asha Bhonsle

Playback singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee

Ashaji has been a huge source of inspiration for me right from when I started singing. She is so talented; she is like a music school in herself. I have immense respect for her and she still remains my eternal favourite singer. Every time I listen to her songs, I realise that nobody can copy her style of singing. Her energy, enthusiasm and zest for life is infectious. She is a legend and a great source of inspiration for singers like us. I thank God for giving us a gifted singer like Ashaji. -- Sunidhi Chauhan, award-winning playback singer credited with over 2,000 songs

Meira Kumar

Lok Sabha speaker

Meira Kumar is a powerful woman occupying the powerful post of Lok Sabha speaker. She is a friend. Despite being extremely polite by nature, she can, if need be, exercise her authority very well. At he same time, she gives a patient hearing to others. For smooth functioning of the house, she is always willing to talk to all sides. Running the lower house is not an easy task, but she is doing it brilliantly. She also likes being well-dressed and wears beautiful sarees. -Najma Heptulla, BJP vice-president

Vinita Bali

CEO & MD, Britannia Industries

Vinita Bali is an inspiration to other women, with her successful career and passion for everything she does. She leads a large team at Britannia and also contributes considerably to industry initiatives. With her rich and varied global marketing experience, she is a role model for youngsters. Being a great team player, always acknowledging and appreciating good work, Vinita is supportive of the people she works with, managing to get the best out of them. As a person, she is extremely creative in her thought process. On a personal level, Vinita is a true friend to those close to her. -- Veena Gidwani, CEO, Madison Public Relations

Deepika Padukone

Actor

I have known Deepika from the time she was a novice to the world of modelling and the pace at which she has grown is unbelievable. I swell up with pride each time I see her taking giant strides to reach her goal. The best thing about her is that she is unbelievably focused -- she is extremely hard working and knows what she wants to do. She is not a hypocrite; she will call a spade a spade. With her, what you see is what you get. We have our share of arguments and we disagree but she is willing to learn. -- Atul Kasbekar, one of the country's best-known photographers

Shreya Ghosal

National award winning singer

Shreya is a very sweet child, immensely talented and full of enthusiasm to keep getting better. I have been part of this industry, making music for the past 40 years, and I feel Shreya has a very sweet voice that has a childlike innocence to it. Also she is one of the most hardworking singers around, making sure she gets all her notes right. She is one of the best singers we have in Bollywood today and I would love to see her become the top singer in the country. She has the potential and my blessings are always with her. -- Bappi Lahiri, music director who pioneered the use of disco music in Hindi cinema

Mary Kom

World boxing champion

She's the Tendulkar of women's boxing. In men's boxing, you will find new heroes emerging every 12-18 months. But MC Mary Kom has been a flag-bearer of women's boxing in the country for a long time now. Winning the world title for five times is not a joke. However, she hasn't got the recognition she deserves. Her next target surely is an Olympic gold and I'm sure she will achieve that too. Even after becoming a mom, she became a world champion. Other girls taking up boxing don't have to look far as Mary is the best example of how to start or even come back to boxing. -- Vijender Singh, world No 2 in the 75kg category

J Jayalalithaa

Leader of the opposition, Tamil Nadu government

Jayalalithaa has bravely faced all adverse conditions with great self-confidence, emerged victorious, and is now making her own path. Once she makes up her mind, she doesn't hesitate to take tough decisions. When she was Tamil Nadu chief minister, she took some very courageous measures to discipline government employees. During that time, she didn't care about losing her popularity. She is a nationalist and has strong views against terrorism. Jayalalithaa is also a book lover, and knows Hindi and English well along with Tamil. She keeps reading all the time. -- Cho Ramaswamy, lawyer and editor of popular Tamil magazine Thuglak

Dr Geeta Varadan

Director, Advanced Data Processing Research Institute

Dr Geeta Varadan is a leading scientist in the area of remote sensing satellite technology. She was awarded an ISRO Merit Award in 2008. Her contributions towards IRS-IA (the country's first operational remote sensing satellite) are matchless. She has demonstrated great leadership qualities as a female scientist. In the past, she's been special project director at ISRO and became the first female scientist in the Aeronautical Society of India in 2006. One is always confident that a project under her supervision will be accomplished. -- Dr Prahlada, former chief controller -- R&D, Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)

Savitri Jindal

Industrialist

I am thrilled that my mother is counted among the 50 most influential women in India. She is very down-to-earth. She treats everyone like her own child, which is why people become very fond of her. The values we have acquired are because of what she instilled in us. I have learnt many things from my mother but the most important lesson is that as you go further in life, you must work harder, not less. Also, one must always remain sincere regardless of the difficulties one may face. What differentiates Savitriji from other rich women is her simple and straightforward nature. I am proud of my mother. -- Naveen Jindal, Congress MP and son of Savitri Jindal

Sunidhi Chauhan

Playback singer

Sunidhi is a natural singer who always leaves an impression on her audience. She works hard on her songs, filling them with raw energy. Sunidhi has been singing professionally since childhood and she still has the heart of a child. She used to think she was not very expressive with words and so didn't agree to judge a reality show for a long time. Now her self-confidence is growing. Besides being a good singer she is an excellent dancer. In fact, she is a complete performer. Sunidhi has seen many ups and downs in life. Despite being strong, she is also very emotional. -- Shaan, popular playback singer and TV host

Mahasweta Devi

Social activist and writer

She is a fantastic writer and stands up for what she believes in, regardless of opposition. She has, however, paid a personal cost for her political commitment. She lives alone, and not many visit her. What I admire most about her is her openness and honesty. She's someone who has a lot of time for younger people. Given the kind of success and importance she has, she still maintains her modesty. She is a family person. I remember when I used to visit her at her brother's home in Saket in Delhi, she always served me the most delicious Bengali food. -- Urvashi Butalia, writer and co-founder of Kali for Women

Kiran Desai

Novelist

Amongst the A-list English writers in India, Kiran Desai is right up there. She is, in fact, the only woman on that list, apart from Arundhati Roy. But while Roy has been working on nonfiction and is involved with a lot of other things, Desai has committed herself to fiction. What I have heard is that her Inheritance of Loss was much lengthier and had a strong. But she was open to editor's point of view and revised her work. Also, not only has Kiran Desai come out of her mother Anita Desai's shadow and now more people know of Kiran than her mother. -- Nandita Aggarwal, editorial director, adult and business books, Hachette India

Shobhaa De

Author and columnist

Shobhaa has been a much-read writer for over 30 years now. She has her ear to the ground and has absolutely got her finger on the pulse of the city. Her strength lies in constantly re-inventing herself as a writer. She is fearless and dynamic in her writing and she's someone who's never afraid to speak her mind, ever. Also she's not someone you can pass off lightly and she has worked towards attaining that distinction. She has certainly earned herself the mantle of being one of the most influential women of our times. -- Queenie Singh, celebrity jewellery designer

Arundhati Roy

Activist and novelist

Arundhati Roy is a sharp and sensitive analyst. In these 'black or white' times, her contribution is critical. It tells us that the truth cannot be defined in absolute terms and taking a stand for or against an issue will not necessarily help resolve it. Her analyses often lead us to the difficult boundaries of reason, and force us to at least think of positions that may not be comfortable. It is this capacity to transcend the bounds of convenience that attracts criticism and flak. However, I do think that her perceptiveness is connected with her being a woman. -- Ilina Sen, activist and wife of Dr Binayak Sen

Krishna Poonia

Discus throw champion

I vividly remember that evening when Krishna, Harwant Kaur and I took the flag together after winning medals at the CWG. Before our event started, Krishna was extremely confident. I admire how Krishna always believed in her abilities and that is what has helped her meet her expectations. Both myself and Harwant would admit we couldn't do our best. But Krishna out-performed us all by a distance and deserved the gold. Her effort raised the spirits of the entire Indian contingent and also the profile of the sport in our country. I hope she does well in the Olympics next year -- Seema Antil, CWG bronze medallist

Deepika Kumari

Archer and CWG gold medalist

Deepika proved her worth through her performances in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games last year. Even before that, she did well in the World Cup in Shanghai. Deepika is very confident and focused. I have seen her perform and I can say that she handles the pressure well. She doesn't get nervous even when she competes with world-class archers. If she continues to perform the way she has done, so far, I feel she can even win a medal in the 2012 Olympics. Age is also her advantage, as she is still a junior. We can all expect her to make the country proud on the world stage -- Jayant Talukdar, archer who won gold at the FITA Meteksan World Cup in 2006

Ekta Kapoor

TV and film producer

Ekta is the perfect embodiment of today's woman, being the right blend of attitude and emotion. She is a very emotional person and is very close to friends and family. She is also fiercely loyal and protective of her loved ones. Ekta has single-handedly managed to change the face of Indian television and if today she is a name to reckon with then it is only due to her hardwork and sustained efforts. She is very focused and immensely talented and God-fearing. Her fun loving personality along with her never-say-die attitude has helped her reach the pinnacle of success. -- Tusshar Kapoor, Bollywood actor and brother of Ekta Kapoor

Anuja Chauhan

Author and former ad person

Anuja is a mother of two kids but she herself is a kid at heart. She has grown up in a Western culture but is a true Indian at heart. During the six years I worked with her, I found that she is a great observer, very intelligent and extremely creative. It was she with her 13 years of creative experience, who was instrumental in converting Lehar Pepsi into Brand Pepsi by writing an ad like 'Nothing Official About It'. She recently brought out a book based on her observations of cricket stars and their chitchats during the Pepsi ad shoots. -- Prahlad Kakkar, leading Indian ad film director

Mallika Srinivasan

Chairperson and CEO, Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE)

Mallika Srinivasan seems to have struck the perfect balance between a demanding career steering a US $1 billion company and her role as homemaker. At the core of this very determined woman is her Wharton-ingrained respect for systems and processes and her ability to clearly communicate her vision to her team at TAFE, the world's third largest tractor manufacturing company. A strong believer in giving women their due, she also believes: "Success at work is too limited a parameter of a woman's real value. She has the power to change the destiny of an entire family". -- Sudha Menon, journalist and author of the book Leading Ladies

Lynn D'souza

CEO, Lintas Media

Lynn is a true-blue pedigreed media person. Having worked in an era where media was handled along with creative under one agency, she has a better understanding of the entire advertising process. Of late, she has started spending time on industry matters which is good because senior people from industry should voluntarily spend time on industry matters to make the industry stronger and work in unison to take it to greater heights. More young people must follow Lynn's footsteps. It's also great that Lynn spends a fair amount of time towards the cause of animal welfare. -- Sam Balsara, chairman & managing director, Madison World

Namita Gokhale

Writer and publisher

Namita has been one of the brains behind the Jaipur Literary Festival. She has done a phenomenal job in promoting bhasha writers. As a student, she dropped out of college over the bias against Indian literatures in the curriculum. Once, I remember, we were brainstorming on what to name what is now called 'Translating Bharat' (a series of conferences and literary events organised by Siyahi). Undecided, we called it a day. Later I got a call and Namita was shouting, "I've got it. We will call it Translating Bharat." Such is her commitment. -- Mita Kapur, author and CEO of Siyahi, a literary agency

Shabana Azmi

Actor and member of Rajya Sabha

Just like in her films, Shabana has played different roles in her life. For example, she runs a girls' school in her father Kaifi Azmi's hometown. She is active in various social arenas. She participated in a long movement for the betterment of slum dwellers in Mumbai and also fasted for them. She is a modern woman who respects all religions. Recently the Maharashtra government honoured her for her contribution in Indian cinema. Shabana's biggest contribution is that she always encouraged meaningful cinema and worked for good scripts rather than money. Shabana has now become an institution. -- Govind Nihalani, prominent filmmaker and Padma Shri awardee

Richa Mishra

Gold medalist swimmer

I have never trained with Richa nor have I seen her swim. But what she has achieved at the National Games is really amazing and inspiring as well. The fact that she managed to win 11 medals is a magnificent feat. I can't remember when we last saw such outright domination in women's swimming. In all honesty, I feel women's swimming is not as competitive in India. A lot of work needs to be done and I am hopeful that Richa herself will lead from the front. She'll need to raise her standard to qualify for the Olympics, but I am sure she will. -- Virdhawal Khade, Asian Games bronze medallist