We have celebrated the festival of Durga Puja recently. Maa Durga is an emblem of Shakti or Power that was radical in eradicating the evil. When all the male gods failed to manage the overwhelming torments of Mahisasura, Maa Duga emerged to save the world from the destruction of demon. She is the real incarnation of power and devotion. However, if we keep a close eye into the lives of some Indian women,we can really find the struggle, the perseverance, the hard-earned life that may reflect the enlightenment of Maa Durga. Today, I am going to discuss about such Indian women.

1.Mary Kom-Hailing from one of the most backward villages of Manipur,Mante Chungneijang Mary Kom has become a female icon for women all over the world. She was born in a poverty-stricken family. But she has challenged the orthodoxy of the society sharply and has built her own identity in a field, a few would dare to choose. She made Indian flag fly high by winning six World Championships and an Olympic bronze. Her positive energy, never-say-die spirit,dedication crowned her a Rajya Sabha nomination in 2016. She is a member of the Indian Parliament now. Recalling her struggles to rise in a male-dominated sport in rural northeastern India, a biopic was made.  She portrays a pivotal character who knows how to maintain a balance between personal life and professional career single-handedly. She broke the stereotype that married women,especially the mothers can not become successful athlete,through her grit and determination.  

2.Sudha Murty-Indian women are a blend of charm and firm,who protect the Indian culture and still establish their own identity. Sudha Murty is all women in one. The life of Sudha Murty is like a bag full of motivational books that must be opened and utilised. An eminent writer in English and Kannada, born 19 August, 1950,Sudha Murty is a social worker. She worked with many organisations for the welfare of the common men. She was popular for her benevolent work through Infosys Foundation. She has dedicated her life to serving the underprivileged by empowering them through education, poverty alleviation, health care,public hygiene education, art and culture. One of Sudha Murty’s defining moments in her life was when three thousand rehabilitated sex workers arranged thanksgiving ceremony for her after eighteen years of tireless working with them to empower them to lead a normal life. She was the only girl in her engineering college.  But she was not afraid. She is known for her feisty letter to JRD Tata in reaction to a TELCO job notice inviting applications for trainee engineers, where women were asked not to apply. She was subsequently hired as their first female engineer.  

3.Sushmita Sen-Sushmita Sen made her ways to films after bringing home the prestigious Miss Universe Crown in 1994.She is the embodiment of elegance and intelligence. From being Miss Universe in her teens to adopting two girls while being single, her decisions in her life only prove one point, that everything you do,must make sense to you alone. At the age of eighteen, she was crowned Miss India and then Miss Universe. She was the first Indian woman to win the Miss Universe title to India. She somewhere proves a point to all women that “life is a one-time offer and thus you should enjoy every bit of it.” In all her interviews and Instagram posts, she is always challenging those norms of society that is detrimental to the “growth of women.”

4.Laxmi Agarwal-Laxmi was only fifteen when she was attacked with an acid in 2005. Her only fault was that she rejected an alliance. After that horrible incident, she isolated herself for years. However, soon she refused to accept her fate and embarked on a journey of emancipation. And over the years, Laxmi has reclaimed not only her life, but also made a difference in how our society sees and treats acid attack survivors. She also became an active campaigner in the “Stop Acid Attack" movement. In 2014,she was awarded the “International Women of Courage “by former US first lady Michelle Obama. She is the director of “Channv Foundation “which helps hundreds of acid-attack survivors in India. She is happily settled with the founder member of the foundation Alok Dixit and has a lovely daughter, Pihu. With undying strength and fervour, Laxmi Agarwal quoted the following words:”The face you burned, is the face I love....I am alive and flourishing. “

         The stories of these women are truly inspiring. Society needs to understand that a woman is the key to the survival of human species. She is the backbone of the development of civilizations. When the status of women improves,the quality of life improves for everyone.