#BharatKiLaxmi: Meet the women who are being the change they wish to see in this world
Meet the Bharat ki Laxmis: women who are making great strides in fields of their choice. This list of incredible women was presented by the Government of India on its website and on all its social media channels.
In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the 57th episode of Mann Ki Baat radio show, announced the #BharatKiLakshmi campaign to honour and felicitate the path-breaking efforts made by women across different fields.
During the address, he said, "Daughters are considered as Laxmi in our culture. Can't we felicitate daughters in our villages and cities by holding public programmes?"
He also asked people to share inspirational stories of achievements and contributions of women around them on social media using the hashtag #BharatKiLaxmi. "Encouraging Bharat ki Laxmi means strengthening the path to success of the country and its people," he added. He also referenced the success of his ‘selfie with daughter’ campaign to remind people to share as many stories as possible.
Following this announcement, the Government of India website (mygov.in) presented a list of #BharatKiLaxmi under the Hall of Fame on its website and other social media channels.
We join the Prime Minister and the government in applauding these women and the incredible work they are doing. Here are a few of the Bharat ki Laxmis. We’ll keep the list going as there are many women out there who need to be acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts.
Karnam Malleswari
She is the first Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal. She was also honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for her outstanding contribution to weightlifting. Affectionately called the ‘Iron Girl of Andhra Pradesh’, weightlifter Karnam Malleswari made the nation proud when she won the bronze medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. During her career spanning a decade, Karnam has won 11 gold and three silver medals. Most importantly, she proved that Indian women can excel in tough sports like weightlifting.
Pattathil Dhanya Menon
As India’s first woman cybercrime investigator, Dhanya Menon has not only broken the male bastion but has also broken many stereotypes. As a cybercrime investigator, Pattathil Dhanya Menon probes all kinds of cases, including cyberstalking and abuse, financial fraud, and data theft, and also raises awareness on cybersecurity. She aims to open a cybersecurity academy in the near future. She also runs an NGO, Cyber Awareness Programme (CAP), which partners with schools in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to raise awareness on cyber safety.
Bachendri Pal
Hailing from a small village in the Himalayas in Uttarkashi, Bachendri Pal became the first Indian woman to scale Mount Everest in 1984. She was conferred with the Padma Shri for her feat – the fourth highest civilian award in 1984, and the Arjuna Award in 1986. She also made it to the ‘Limca Book of Records’ in 1990. In her autobiography, Everest – My Journey to the Top, she writes, “We trudged in the heavy powder snow for some time. Then the gradients started easing off noticeably. A few steps later I saw that after only a couple of metres there was no upward climb. The slops plunged steeply down. My heart stood still. It dawned on me that success was within reach. And at 1.07 pm on 23 May, 1984, I stood on top of Everest, the first Indian woman to have done so”.
Siddhi Karnani
Siddhi Karnani is the Founder of India’s first organic food startup, Paravata Foods. In 2016 she received the FICCI Millennium Alliance Award, the National Agripreneurs Award in 2017, and the Indian AgriBusiness Excellence Award in 2017. Paravarta is the first company in Sikkim to focus on teaching farmers modern agricultural practices that are easily adaptable and suited to the northeast terrain.
Ruveda Salam
In 2015, Ruveda Salam became the first woman IPS officer from Jammu & Kashmir. When Ruveda was growing up, her father often used to say that he wanted his daughter to become an IPS officer. That’s when she first thought of becoming one. It inspired her and she decided to aim for it. She joined the IPS cadre in Tamil Nadu and was posted as an Assistant Commissioner of Police in Chennai. She constantly motivates young girls in her home State to strive hard and achieve their dreams.
Pooja Warrier
Pooja Warrier is the first female founder of an incubator, UnLTD, dedicated to social entrepreneurs. She was nominated as a TED India Fellow in 2009, and also as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013. Since 2007, UnLtd India has supported over 130+ social entrepreneurs who have further impacted 2.5 million lives and created 390,000 jobs.
Dipa Karmakar
In the 2016 Rio Olympics, the then 23-year-old Dipa Karmakar from Tripura scored 14.866 on her first vault and 15.266 for her second vault, called the Produnova. She took on world chamion gymnasts with grace, talent, and poise, and was placed fourth. It was an incredible achievement indeed as she became the first Indian woman gymnast to not only qualify for the Olympics in 52 years but also became the first Indian to qualify for the finals of the World Gymnastics Championships 2015.
Tessy Thomas
Tessy Thomas, also known as the ‘Missile Woman of India’, is the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India. As Project Director for Agni-IV mission at DRDO, she made a mark in a traditionally male sector and led by example to break the glass ceiling. In her work spanning over three decades, she has contributed much to guidance, trajectory simulation, and mission design. She designed the guidance scheme for long-range missile systems, which is used in all Agni missiles, and was conferred with Agni Self-reliance award in 2001. She is a recipient of multiple fellowships and honorary doctorates.
Chhavi Rajawat
Chhavi Rajawat is the first and youngest village sarpanch in India who also holds an MBA degree. Giving up her corporate life, she went back to her village, Soda, in Rajashthan’s Tonk district to become India’s first woman sarpanch with an MBA degree. Since then, she has been working to bring better water, solar power, paved roads, toilets, and a bank to her village. Despite being an elected representative, she is not affiliated to any political party.
Manju Devi
Manju Devi is Rajasthan’s first woman porter in the entire North Western Railway region. She was felicitated by the Minister of Women and Child Development with the ‘First Ladies’ Award in 2018. When her husband, Mahadev, a worker at the station, passed away, she took over his job and acquired his licence No. 15. After undergoing training for six months, Manju Devi became the only woman porter among the 177-strong porter force at Jaipur Railway station.
(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)
