1. Jacinda Ardern
Under Jacinda’s leadership, New Zealand had one of the world’s most effective responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris, became the first woman, the first Black person, and the first Indian-American to be elected as the vice-president of the US.
3. KK Shailaja
The 62-year-old Kerala Health Minister has been credited and renowned the world over for her effective strategy to deal with COVID-19 in the state. Her exceptional work in handling the pandemic was recognised by the United Nations.
4. Ozlem Tureci
Ozlem Tureci co-founded German biotechnology company BioNTech along with her husband Ugur Sahin in 2008. During the coronavirus pandemic, she shifted her research focus to developing a vaccine, in partnership with Pfizer, that is now approved by the UK and other EU states.
5. Sarah Gilbert
Professor Sarah Gilbert, a veteran Oxford scientist, developed a coronavirus vaccine that is showing promising results. With 25 years of experience in developing vaccines for the flu, Ebola and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Professor Gilbert is truly a real-life hero.
6. Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, made Trump’s impeachment official. In one of her iconic speeches, Pelosi said that Trump must be held accountable and that no one is above the law.
7. Nemonte Nenquimo
The first female president of the Waorani in Equador Nemonte stood up against the Ecuadorian government’s plan to allow oil companies to drill in an area of the Amazon rainforests and succeeded in protecting 5,00,000 acres of rainforest from oil extraction.
