My Favorite List of Most Inspiring Indian Women

There are many women in India who have been inspiring people over generations such as Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Kalpana Chawla, Indira Gandhi and several others.

Women in the 21st century have excelled in every field. They are not confined by limits and boundaries. There are many women who are most inspiring in their fields. My Favorite List of Most Inspiring Indian Women are ( not of any particular order and criteria ) :

1. Indra Nooyi

Indra Nooyi, is the current chairman and CFO of the second largest food and beverage business, PepsiCo. She has been conferred with prestigious Padma Bhushan for her business achievements and being an inspiration to India’s corporate leadership.

2. Mallika Srinivasan

Mallika Srinivasan is Director, TAFE (Tractor and Farm Equipment). Her innovative business ideas and excellent leadership qualities have won her laurels from every quarter. She was awarded ‘Businesswoman of the year 2006’ award by ET.

3. Mary Kom 

Mary Kom  is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships. Nicknamed “Magnificent Mary”, she is the only Indian woman boxer to have qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics, She never let motherhood hinder her passion for boxing. 

4. Saina Nehwal

Saina Nehwal is an Indian badminton player who is currently ranked No.1 in the world by Badminton World Federation Women’s Singles 2015. She is the first Indian to win a medal in Badminton at the Olympics. She achieved this feat by winning the Bronze medal at the London Olympics 2012. She has been a role model to young women over the last few years.

5. Nithyasree Mahadevan 

Nithyasree is an eminent Carnatic Musician and playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. Nithyasree is a “Top Rank” graded artist of Akashvani, and All India Radio, Chennai.  She received the “Best Concert Award” for 6 years from the Madras Music Academy, and won the Kalaimamani award from the Government of Tamil Nadu.

6. Shobana

Shobana is an Indian film actress and Bharata Natyam dancer from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. In 2006, the Indian Government honoured Shobana with the Padma Shri for her contributions towards the classical dance. In 2014, The Kerala Government honoured her with the Kala Ratna Award.

7. Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy is an Indian author who is best known for her novel The God of Small Things (1997), which won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997. This novel became the biggest-selling book by a non expatriate Indian author. She is also a political activist involved in human rights and environmental causes.

8. Chitra Ramkrishna 

Chitra Ramakrishna, MD and CEO, National Stock Exchange has taken the National Stock Exchange far ahead of its rivals in the past couple of years. She is now focused on bringing in more and more retail investors into the stock markets by offering them suitable products.

9. Aruna Jayanthi

Image Courtesy : eXhibit

Aruna Jayanthi, CEO, Capgemini India is responsible for the company’s consulting, outsourcing and professional service target. Jayanthi is responsible for leading the consulting, technology services and outsourcing services for Capgemini India that has about 40,000 employees.

10. Bharathi Baskar

Image Courtesy ; YouTube

Bharathi Baskar is a renowned Tamil orator, popular for her humorous debate talk shows called Pattimandram telecasted on Sun TV.^[ She also anchors a daily talk show called Vaanga Peasalaam in Sun TV. She is a Senior Vice President at Citi Bank, Chennai.

Do you have your favorite list of most inspiring women? Do share with us …. 

Thanks To :

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_businesswomen
• http://www.businesstoday.in/powerful-businesswomen/2015/
• http://www.sify.com/news/10-most-powerful-indian-women-imagegallery-jdqo5Jcgfhesi.html
• http://her.yourstory.com/highest-paid-indian-women-in-business-0530
• http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/indias-25-most-influential-women/1/8871.html#photo19