1. Ela Bhatt
She is particularly known for her involvement with The Elders’ Initiative which is all about equality for girls and women. Due to her efforts, she was also honored with the Global Fairness Initiative Award in 2010 and awarded the Radcliffe Medal and the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in 2011.
2. Kavita Krishnan
Kavita Krishnan was instrumental in the protests against rape in the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi gang rape of Nirbhaya. She continues to publicize the problems that women face while serving as the Secretary of the All India Progressive Women’s Association.
3. Laxmi Agarwal
An acid-attack victim, Laxmi Agarwal had a traumatic experience at the tender age of 15. After the initial shock, she made a drastic turnaround to fight against the evil of acid attacks. Her plight was widely covered by the media and she also received the prestigious International Women of Courage award from none other than Michelle Obama.
4. Meenakshi Arora
A lawyer by profession, practicing at the Supreme Court of India, Meenakshi was one of the members of the committee which drafted regulations to protect women and create a grievance redressal forum for women lawyers suffering sexual harassment at the Supreme Court. She was one of the advocates who played a major part in the framing of the Vishakha Guidelines.
5. Bani Yadav
Bani holds the distinction of being the only woman in India who has won some of the major Cross Country rally titles in India. She also holds a doctorate in motorsports and when she is not racing, she is busy promoting the causes of gender equality and equal rights. Bani Yadav is a fighter and an icon for those who would like to break all stereotypes as she continues to win in an event that was largely considered a male bastion.
