By Rashmi Raj

Who do we think of when we think of incredible women? Do we think of famous women? Or strong women? Do we picture women who grace magazine covers? Or inspiring women we read about in history books? 

I’d say we could think of any of them – or all of them, even. Because when we think of an incredible woman, we think of someone who inspires us. Someone who makes us want to be a better version of ourselves. A marvellous, spectacular woman who stands out for something she has achieved. A remarkable woman who has dazzled us by doing something that has never been done before! 

Yes. For me, that would be an incredible woman. A woman who ‘wows‘ me. Who makes me take a good hard look at the way things are done, by doing them better, and differently herself. Who moves me to do things differently. To think differently. To be, differently. 

And who are these women? Do I have anyone in mind? 

Yes! 

Our country has seen some of the most inspiring women from Savitribai Phule who worked tirelessly for women’s education, to Kadambini Ganguly, the first Indian woman doctor, to Cornelia Sorabji, the first Indian woman to study law at Oxford and become the first lawyer and confidante of the purdanashins in India. Not to forget Lakshmi Sehgal, the first to answer Netaji’s call for having a women’s regiment in the INA, the fearless fighter Rani Lakshmi Bai, the nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu; or even much later, P T Usha, Mary Kom, Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who made all Indians proud on the world stage in their chosen fields; and more recently Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh who were inducted as fighter pilots by the Indian Air Force in 2016. These are only a few remarkable names from an illustrious list of inspiring and extraordinary women who have had a very big hand in shaping the mindset of our country’s young minds and encouraging young girls to follow in their footsteps. 

But these famous women are not the only ones I think of, when I think of incredible women. No. Because I also find spectacular, fabulous women much closer to home, who inspire me just as much as these remarkable women who are famous and well-known. 

Who are they?

They are all around us – our own mothers. And grandmothers. Our Aunts. Our sisters – by blood or otherwise! 

We Indians come from a culture where women are given the responsibility – not necessarily the credit, mind you – of keeping the family together. And it’s not for nothing. The woman does keep the family together. She does make a difference in the lives of everyone in the family. 

In our country, it is said that if you teach a boy to read and write, well, you teach a boy to read and write. But if you educate a girl, then you can rest assured that the future generations are educated too! And I find this absolutely true and inspirational. 

From the era of our grandmothers (not all of whom were highly educated) to the present day where women are working both inside and outside homes, it is always the woman we look at when we need a voice of reason. A voice of justice. Progress. Empowerment. Of independence, honesty, love. 

And yes, the voice of kindness. And humility. Because let’s face it, rarely will you see a woman shy away from showing you the mirror, while at the same time not hesitating to lend you a hand when in need. 

Historically, these are the sort of women who have been silenced, while really, they are the ones who need to be celebrated! The grandmothers who have generously left us a legacy of health & values. The mothers who’ve keenly watched over us to make sure we don’t go astray. The sisters who, with their love and empathy, have made homes the welcoming, warm spaces we consider them to be. 

These, if you ask me, are the true, incredible women! Remarkable in their abilities and spectacular in their courage. 

So if you ask me who an incredible woman is according to me, I’ll say, it is every woman who takes it as her right, and her responsibility to make the most of each new day. It’s every woman who knows that the road to making a change is riddled with difficulties, and is ready to face them so that she can bring about the change she wishes to see!