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I hails from a middle class family from Shiggaon in Northern Karnataka. Born into a Deshastha Madhwa Brahmin family on 19 August 1950. My father Dr R.H Kulkarni was a surgeon and professor while my mother Vimla Kulkarni was a school teacher. Hence the environment at home was always studies oriented. My parents never differentiate between my brother, me and my sister, they gave equal opportunities and this was the reason I pursued Engineering when getting an education for a girl in 1960s was like a rare dream turning true.

I was very ambitious from my childhood and believed to achieve a bigger goal, I had to learn to let go the most mind occupying trivial and minor harassment issues which I faced being the only female student in the class of 150 engineering students. The boys played pranks on me everyday, spilled ink on my chair and used to throw paper airplanes at me. I chose to ignore them and never missed a single class, because I knew these boys will never share any notes with me or help me. I stayed non-defeated with complete focused on my studies. This gave me an opportunity to talk to my classmates (boys) on equal terms.

My perseverance and courage lead me win a gold medal in both of my degrees B.E and M.E from Karnataka Chief Minister Deva Raj. I completed my B.E from B. V. B College of Engineering & Technology in 1973 and M.E. in computer science ftom IIT in 1974. I wanted to go abroad and pursue my doctorate.

One night while I was walking back to the hostel, I came across an advertisement on my college notice board from a notable automobile company TELCO (at present TATA motors). The advertisement stated of vacancy for an engineer with a bottom line ‘Lady candidates need not apply’. This gender discrimination made me agitated and distressed, fumingly I headed towards my room and scribbled a postcard to the head of Telco Mr JRD Tata and applied for the same job. I still remember those words crystal clear, “The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India, such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles, and locomotives. They have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating based on gender.”

I had forgotten about the letter and to my surprise in 10 days I received a letter from JRD Tata to turn up for the interview with all paid travel expenses. This incident stopped me from going abroad to study doctorate and I chose to appear for the interview in Pune. The funny side of this interview visit was my friends wanted me to buy saree for them from the shops in Pune and interview was just an excuse. Never did I know, that I will be selected and appointed as a Development Engineer in Pune and later worked in Mumbai and Jamshedpur.

While I was working at Pune, I met my best friend Narayan Murthy, though both of us were different yet there was something common and interesting between us. The ambitions and zealous nature made us a single unit. After three years of courtship, we decided to get married in 1978. There is again an interesting episode which happened during our courtship, Murthy owed Rs 4000 from me which I had maintained in a small diary and tore that paper when I got married to him, the cost ₹800/- of our marriage ceremony was equally shared by us.

Couple of years later, I had to leave my job at Telco and I came back to Pune to help Murthy with his new venture. Murthy was totally focused to achieve his goal and I became a single parent to our two children. I gave him my entire savings of Rs 10000 to fulfill his dreams. This was the money I had saved for the toughest times. It was a time, to save every single penny again till Murthy establishes his dream, Infosys. On seeing me, my children also started saving money. Murthy was not aware in which class his children studied and was never present for parent teachers meeting. I gave him three years leave from household duties and responsibilities so Murthy could freely work upon his ambitions and we shifted to Bangalore.

For a couple of years, Murthy and I worked together but it started affecting my family life especially my children. At this junction, I was again facing the important choices of my life to earn name and fame for the comapny or happily pull back and take care of the house and children. I knew my family needed me the most so I sacrificed my ambitions for a time being and entered a role of a proud homemaker. Just like my own children, I have nurtured and brought up Infosys like a mother.

My family always valued the actions of charity. Donations in form of money was never an idea of charity at our household but to offer beneficence generously. Charity is what could empower and improve the nation by bringing a change in the people’s lives and making them self sufficient. I would teach 100 children rather than donating 100 thousands in charity.

Every life incidents have given birth to my new vision. It was my daughter Akshata’s words when she was 15 years old, “Amma, you are well-read, well-traveled and educated lady. If you do not do any social work, then you do not have any right to talk about social work to anybody”. These words lingered on my mind for many days and gave birth to a Philanthropic.

There are many stories to tell, but this one is close to my heart, once while I was traveling from Bombay to Bengaluru, a poor girl named Chitra was traveling without a ticket. She was a run away child and the TT of the train had caught her. I could see the girl was in trouble and paid for her fare. Later I took her with me and got her admitted in an orphanage. I paid for her entire education and today Chitra is well settled in USA with a high paying job.

I work on the projects more in rural development, healthcare, education, and public hygiene. I saw that the women in villages need to get educated and more empowered. The Infosys foundation has built 2,300 houses in the flood affected areas. I have been working with Gates Foundation for many decades. Together we have opened many orphanages and schools having Computer Centers and libraries. I am also trying to help building 16,000 public toilets and several hundred household toilets in the rural villages of Bengaluru.

The advice I got from JRD Tata when I left my job at TELCO changed my life forever. He told me to remember that no one was owner of money. “You are only trustee of money and it always changes hands. When you are successful, give it back to society that gave you so much goodwill”. That’s how Sudha Murthy Foundation & Infosys Foundation formed and I am the trustee.

Not many know about my little secret. I am a crazy movie buff. I have watched 365 movies in 365 days and I watch them from all angles of direction, editing, story and acting. If not an engineer I would have been a successful film journalist. My interest towards writing developed from these entertainment sources and my educationist parents. I started writing from my early childhood in my native language Kanada. At the age of 50, I wrote my first book in English. All my stories are from my life experience blended with humour, moral and observations.

Numerous awards have been awarded to me and Murthy in our entire lifetime. I received Padma Shri for my contribution to the economy and social welfare. And I have also received the Raj Lakshmi Award and R.K Narayan award for Literature. If I am able to walk this path, every woman with her sheer dedication and will power can achieve any feat. We women are gifted with qualities of revolution, power, bold fierce, humble, obedient, strong and confident. Only to be an INSPIRATION in the whole world.

You have that power to create yourself.

Happy Dasera.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

The eight day Devi Mahagauri is incarnated in the Janani Asha Bhosle, her songs are the integral part of our happiness while she was fighting against the destiny. Thus proving success and fame comes at a price.

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You know me through my voice, the voice that never failed to give you positivity, happiness and aspirations. It also made you fall in love. But while I was singing for you, I had to face many a storms. The life of glamour came with vigorous hardships and personal losses of a failed marriage, seeing the death of my two children and a career of rivalry and working relationships.

My journey began from a small village of Goar in Sangli where I was born into the musical family. My father was a well known classical singer performing in marathi theatre. And my mother a simple gujrati woman called Shevanti. At home, the music flowed through our hearts and we all siblings rehearsed the entire day. I was blessed to have 3 sisters and a brother.

My bond with my sisters was unique, I was very attached to my elder sisiter Lata tai, the legendary singer who went on to became a nightingale of Bollywood. When everything was going well, I faced a great loss, when my father died, I was only 9 years old. This situation placed my family under considerable financial hardship. Family decides to move from Pune to Kolhapur and later settled in Bombay to make a living. From early childhood Lata tai And me started singing in films. My first film song was ’Chala Chala Nav Bala’ for a marathi film Majha Bal. My singing career started when I was a teenager.

At my prime stage of career, I always remained in the shadows of Lata tai, while her career was shaping up well, I hardly had any good films for my credits. The songs not taken up by Lata tai came my way and were mostly for B and C grade films. It made me frustrated and insecure, when I had all the talent and versatility to get good work.

At 16 my personal life got into troubled shores. I fell in love with 31 year old Ganpatrao Bhosle; personal secretary to Lata tai and me. I was resolute in my decision to marry him, it was much against the wishes of my family especially Lata tai. So I went ahead And eloped with him. However my marriage to Mr. Bhosle was short lived and I had no choice but to come back to my mother’s home. I had to constantly deal with a suspicious husband and ill-treated behaviour by my in-laws. The marriage ended painfully in 1960 when I was thrown out by my husband with two young children in hand and pregnant with the third child. Anand, Hemant and Varsha are the names of my children… and then began the second innings of my life as a single parent.

My songs reflected my attitude to life. A fun-filled and a carefree outlook. My songs brought out the yearning for fulfillment in life, an unabashed celebration of love, longing and lust. Above all, my joy for life was more than evident in my singing.

Year 1956 marked a major turning point in my career. My songs from film CID started getting public attention. This was the beginning of O.P. Nayyar and my collaboration. After a number of super hit songs under O.P. Nayyar, I became one of his favourite singers and our team is best remembered for the breezy and sirenish songs. Many assumed that we were in romantic relationship but we maintained a productive relationship for several decades. Finally in August 1972 we ended our musical melody and parted our ways. After years, it was an honour to read in OP Nayar’s interview, “I can say that the most important person in my life was Asha Bhosle. She was the best person I ever met.”

Building upon the success of C.I.D, Director BR Chopra gave me ‘Naya Daur’ in 1957, this collaboration became very successful and did a long successful term together.

This caught attention of a very promising music director R.D. Burman with whom I established an even stronger collaboration. Some important work with R.D. Burman, are Dum Maro Dum, Duniya Mein, Jaane Jaan and Dhoondhta Phir Raha. In the 1970s, our youthful Western songs took Bollywood music by storm. Even tbough when I was the mother of three and Bubs ( I lovingly called RD) was 6 years younger to me, we decided to take our professional collaboration to a beautiful married relationship made for each other. We got married in 1980.and our marriage lasted until his death in 1994. After losing the love of my life from whom I learnt the versatility of music. I started keeping busy by reinventing myself and doing international concerts and music.

From early 1990’s till today in 21st century, I have not allowed my age to stand in the way of embracing new musical styles. ‘Janam Samjha Karo’ was the shining example of non filmy solo which broke the records. In my entire career I waS blessed to work with the finest Music director from OP Nayar to AR Rehman and many more.

But glamorous Bollywood there is a world which is fraught with frictions. It survives on the rumours seeded for publicity. Hence over the years rivalries and enmities arise as easily as long term collaborations. One of the most famous rivalries was within the same house, between Lata tai and me. It was a mixture of personal family misunderstandings but tabloids turned it into professional rivalry.

A distinguished career covering more than 75 years allowed me to acquire many honours but put me at my personal irreparable loss. In 1992 tragedy struck when my daughter, Varsha committed suicide at our Peddar Road home. She shot herself in the head while I was away in Singapore. My daughter was a journalist and a columnist but had a troubled life. She suffered from mood swings, which only I as a mother was able to understand, it is still shocking to digest the fact my daughter Varsha was not able to handle the pressure of being the daughter of Asha Bhosle.

If this was not enough, a second tragedy struck and in September 2015, I lost my elder son, Hemant, who died in Scotland. Hemant was battling cancer for many year.

I was a painting a picture of positivity despite being engulfed in personal tragedies. Many people asked me to write my biography to be made into a film. Although I have already finished writing an autobiography with all the true details, I will not publish it. I feel the real stories should be left for oneself to remember and not be converted into a film. Infact, till I’m alive, I will make people remember me through my music and keep spreading my love to people.

I am also known for my interests and skills outside of music. Many of my film industry friends have always asked me to cook for them. My fondness for cooking has lead me to become an entrepreneur and got me involved in several restaurants in Dubai, Kuwait & United Kingdom, not surprisingly the name of my restaurants is Asha’s.

My contribution to the world of music has given me many awards and honours, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 for her outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. The Freddie Mercury Award for Outstanding Achievement in Arts. I am honoured with the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India. I am in the top 20 music icons of the past 50 years. In 2011 the Guinness Book of World Records officially acknowledged me, at The Asian Awards, as the most recorded artist in the history of music.

Today at 87, I am still very active as a entrepreneur, a writer, a vocalist and enjoy the warmth of care and love amongst my grand children. I love seeing them sing and taking my legacy forwards.

I truly believe, Life is a music make it musical.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

The Seventh day Devi Kalratri is incarnated in the Janani SugathaKumari whose fierce poetry and feminist activism made her an inspiration for saving Indian forests and fighting for the destitute women.

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Born on 3rd January 1934 in Tharavadu, from childhood I was brought up in an atmosphere that had lot to do with the world of books and literature. My father Kesava Pillai also known by Bodheswaran was a famous Gandhian thinker and writer. He was an active participant in the Indian freedom struggle and my mother V. K. Karthiyayini, was a well known teacher and sanskrit scholar. It was a blessing in disguise that I was born as an extraordinary child due to my parents. My father’s thoughts had a deep influence on my childhood…

The environment around me made me fall deeply in love with education and after the completion of my graduation from University College in Thiruvananthapuram. The orthodox communities in India at that time made it difficult to complete my education, so I fearlessly went ahead and achieved my Master’s degree in Philosophy. Later I devoted myself to do research for three years on ‘Comparative Study of the Concept of Moksha in Indian Schools of Philosophy’, but did not complete the thesis due to some unforeseen circumstances.

While growing up poetry was my first and foremost passion. The words poured like magic and I was blessed with amazing poetic skills. My expertise of philosophy helped me create writings which were packed with highly relevant content of social and environmental issues. Since my words starter impacting the readers and winning hearts, I was regarded as one of the most sensible poets of my time. I started grabbing attention right from my first poem which was published in 1957. My poem Pathirappookal led me win the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1968.

As a poet, most of my poetry had a special place for Mother Nature and some of them dwelved on human relationships and emotional traverse of the mind and reflection of life in appalling and pathetic situation of the society. I always had a firm and clear vision and understanding of developments taking place in the society. Thus I never missed a chance to get my voice heard, which often forced authorities to take note of and pursue an acceptable course of action.

As a social activist, I was playing the key role behind the establishment of Prakrithi Samrakshana Samithi, an organisation that is solely dedicated for the cause of conservation of nature. Among my noted campaigns, the ones against Ganja cultivators in the Attappady tribal belt and my initiatives for eco-restoration programmes in and around that region including the Save Silent Valley have made a huge impact of saving the forests of the country.

I could not settle for any injustice and abuse done towards women. Hence I built Abhaya, a home for the helpless women. I worked hard for the benefits of the sexually abused and harassed women and to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the future, inspite of my involvement in many things, I always found time to indulge with the destitute women and mentally ill. The venture later expanded and took responsibility for taking care of drug addicts, disowned children of socially rejected women and also free accommodation for women who have once again found their feet. Because of my milestone work, I was made the Chairperson of the Kerala State Women’s Commission in 2001.

I have received a huge number of awards and honours for my poetic skills as well as the social activities which have left an indelible stamp. My true moment of recognition came when I was honoured with the prestigious national honour, the Padmashri in 2006. I also received Asan Prize in 1991, Vallathol Award in 2003 and Balamaniamma Award in 2004.

My purpose got fulfilled when the Dalai Lama said while laying the foundation stone for Abhayagramam in Thiruvananthapuram in 1992. “I too am a refugee. Let this land be a refuge for the homeless and unfortunate.” This initiative was the result of sheer determination of my tireless crusade for the weaker sections of the society and being the celebrated poetess of Kerala.

My poetry and social campaigns would serves as an inspiration for the current generation and all the future generations to come. And it is honourable to leave a mark on the Indian history through the works and achievements made in the last 60 decades by the magic of my beautiful malayalam poetry.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

@Thrumyeyes Entertainment

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I was born in a family of Mazumdar and my father Rasendra Mazumdar was a brewmaster for India based United Breweries. I always a had a liking towards brewery and originally planned to follow in my father’s footsteps. I had strong inclination towards studies and achieving master’s degree so I pursued B.Sc in Zoology and earned an undergraduate degree from Bangalore University in 1973. I hoped to go to a medical school, but could not obtain a scholarship. My father suggested that I should study fermentation science, and train to be a brewmaster, a very non-traditional field for a girl in those times.

With the determination to study further, I went to Australia and got a Master degree in brewing from the University of Ballarat, Melbourne, in 1975.

I did have my share of obstacles till I got my first job and started working as a trainee brewer with Carlton and United Beverages. I worked with them for four years, post which my life took a new turn, and the most challenging journey began.

After returning to India, I found no companies willing to offer a brewing job to a woman. So I started doing consulting work, this journey as a consultant lead me to meet Leslie Auchincloss, then owner of an Irish firm, Biocon Biochemicals. He was very much Impressed by my drive and ambition, so within a year, Auchincloss took me on as a partner in a new venture, And I started the Indian arm of the company. Biocon India was launched in 1978 in a rented garage space in Bangalore and with an initial investment of Rs. 10,000. The company produced enzymes for alcoholic beverages, paper, and other products.

In 70’s rising India, biotechnology was a new field and women entrepreneurs were very rare. Hence I found it difficult to recruit employees in India to work for my start-up, men were not willing to work under a woman or take orders from her. Some vendors refused to do business with me and insisted to keep a male manager to do business. Investors were equally hard to invest in the woman run company. My first two employees were retired tractor mechanics because college graduates didn’t wanted to work for me initially. My credibility was questioned at all time and that lead to a huge credibility perception issues. Banks didn’t want to lend loan to me as they had trust issues with my business idea. Some would even ask my father to be the guarantor. I had to build that credibility and treat it like my life depended on it. It took me many months to get a loan. In order to stay focus and not lose hope, it was very important for me to stay committed and passionate about my business..

Another major problem faced in a county with poor infrastructure was interrupted power, lower quality water, no sterile labs, no imported research equipment and workers without advanced scientific skills. Still I did not give up and continued to work hard. The most complicated piece of equipment in my lab at that time was a spectrophotometer.

Soon Biocon became India’s first company to started as an industrial enzyme manufacturer and commenced exporting to USA and Europe. Within a first year, my venture started churning profits. I had enough money to buy a 20-acre property. Sadly the progress was slowed as I continued to face skepticism and discrimination. Nevertheless, the company had begun to turn a profit by the time Auchincloss sold his interest in Biocon India to Unilever in 1989. Imperial Chemical Industries bought Unilever’s stake in 1997 but eventually agreed to sell its shares to my husband John Shaw, who subsequently joined Biocon’s management team. Post this, there was no turning back. I was backed by my mentor veteran banker and former ICICI Bank chairman, N Vaghul. I used to talk to him and have frank discussions. When I was struggling to raise money to scale up my enzyme technology, he supported me.

Apart from Biocon, I have been involved with several philanthropic activities. I have created a CSR wing called Biocoin Foundation that focuses on health, education and infrastructure in rural areas. Currently I am working with Dr Siddhartha Mukherjee to bring CAR T-cell therapy to cancer patients in India. The greater purpose of entrepreneurship for me is societal, about making medicines affordable for people.

Due to my vision and philanthropic activities, I am highly respected in the corporate world and has been named among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world. The Economic Times placed me at India Inc.’s top 10 most powerful women CEOs for the year 2012. Meanwhile The World Economic Forum recognised me as a ‘Technology Pioneer’ in 2000. Ernst & Young named me the best entrepreneur in the field of health care and life sciences in 2002. In 2005, I received the Padma Bhushan Award, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for her pioneering work in industrial biotechnology. I am the third Indian to win the EY World Entrepreneur of the year award after NR Narayana Murthy and Uday Kotak. Which I celebrated with my 89 year old mother who runs a business at this age.

Today I am a Covid warrior and successfully recovered from the virus. This made me spread more awareness and gave me a new purpose. I am honoured to say, that Biocon has received Indian regulatory permission to conduct phase 4 trials for its drug Itolizumab as a potential treatment for Covid-19.

This sounds quite a journey for an entrepreneur who began her journey as a trainee and is now the 92nd Most Powerful Woman in the World. And may be I will enter Rajya Sabha someday to make some fierce policies for women entrepreneurs.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

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My story begins in the far east province of Northeast India, just as the east Indian states were neglected for many years, so was the destiny of the women of my state, Mizoram land of the mizo native.

I was nestled along the pristine mountains and caves that run through the state. Today culturally, this region is liberated from cast and gender bars but it was not the same story while I was growing up in my home state.

My father, one of the important leaders of the Mizo National Front, was killed during the peak of the movement. So after a year in 1965, I was sent for higher studies to Shillong on a scholarship. The hostel life was full of personal struggles, while I was coping with my hardships and loss, I became acutely aware of the difficulties being faced by other women around me.

I witnessed various atrocities and injustice meted out to the women of Mizoram. A Mizo woman never had any rights over property whether moveable, immoveable or ‘Bungrua’ also known as gifts that are given to her at the time of marriage. It became a tradition that a mizo woman’s husband can divorce her at any time and throw her out of the house without providing any financial support. I realised that this happened largely due to the very old fashioned laws, regressive customs, low levels of literacy and awareness among women.

Traditionally Mizo women have played a productive role not just within their homes as wives and mothers. But were strong and capable of making a mark for themselves outside their homes as entrepreneurs, teachers and as an administrator in state offices. Unfortunately, like the State’s history was divided by violent conflict or dissent so was the life of my mizo sisters, who faced the worst consequences of the instability and violence in their province.

This situation made me angry and agitated, I decided to make things right in my state thus making it my life mission. It’s been my dream ever since to ensure new reforms related to marriage and inheritance are passed. I have seen generations of Mizo women suffering because of the legal biases in the system. The practice of quoting a ‘Bride Price’ upsets me, the custom of bride price started more than half a century ago and was meant to be a phuahchop, a practice introduced temporarily. But over the years, it become a tradition and is faithfully being followed by the people of Mizoram. I wanted to put an end to this regressive practice by legal means.

The women in my state were also victims of domestic violence, rape and other gender biased abused, I was witness of the a Mizoram horror at a very young age of 12, when two young girls were brutally gang raped by 2 army jawans in 1966 in the east Mirozam. These two rape survivors are in a pitiable condition today. One of them just sits quietly all day with a blank expression on her face and needs assistance to even move around. The other survivor suffers from extreme paranoia and nightmares. She refuses to sleep alone and is suspicious of everyone around her. This story is very well known to many rape victims who have endured such traumas during the years of the revolt in Mizoram. After 47 years, a compensation of merely Rs 5 lakh each has been awarded by the Central government to these victims, such is the sorry state of justice for the Mizo woman.

It was these crimes that prompted me and various women to come together and fight for our collective rights. The MHIP was created in 1974 when Mizoram was still a Union Territory and it literally means binding women together. I became the president of MHIP and one of the main challenges has been to convince people to change traditional systems and customs that suppress women for so long.

It’s been 45 years now, I have been regularly working in the field of women empowerment, education and entrepreneurship, domestic violence and rape. In this journey I have saved many lives with my dedicated work.

Few years ago in 2013, there was a historic victory for the women’s movement in Mizoram. I saw my dream come true when the State Law Commission agreed to review The Mizo Marriage Bill, 2013, The Mizo Inheritance Bill, 2013, and The Mizo Divorce Bill, 2013. This is the result of a struggle that has gone on for over a decade. After years of advocacy and repeated attempts at sending memorandums and draft bills to the Assembly and other executive bodies, the MHIP finally managed to push the system into considering judicial and legislative changes in the marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession laws in order to safeguard the interests of ordinary Mizo women.

At 67, I am a former president of MHIP and finally content and happy woman seeing the justice done to the women of my state. Many call me an unsung hero of the country. Today, I am working on another demand for a 33 per cent reservation in the political system. Also a first step towards realising their dream, MHIP is advocating for an increased induction of women candidates into local political parties. Woman of Mizoram are not well versed with the English language hence I am working on another another mission these days to get important laws related to domestic violence, rape and human rights translated into the Mizo language.

I strongly feels ‘it is important that every hardworking Mizo woman understands her rights’. I have created a movement which is joined by many women’s group to bring about the necessary reforms in the lives of thousands of women.

If I can achieve my dream in the far east corner of the world, what is stopping you? Walk a path less chosen if you want your rights to be earned.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

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My journey began more than a hundred years ago, in a village Gubbi taluk in Tumakuru District of Karnataka. I was born to a labour class parents Chikkarangayya and Vijayamma and was lovingly named Thimmakka.

Since we lived in grovelling poverty and survived on daily wages my parents had no means to send me to school and give proper education. With lack of facilities from an early childhood, I accompanied my parents to the quarry, while they got busy with quarrying activities, I took up grazing of sheep and cattle and would help to carry stones as a coolie.

Even before I could realise, my parents got me married off to Bikkalu Chikkayya who was a son of another labourer.

My married life was peaceful, my husband Chikkayya was very understanding. We both wanted to become parents and complete our happy family. Even after many years of marriage, I was unable to bear a child, I believe, destiny had some different plans. I did everything in my capacity to bear a child, I prayed to the almighty, performed various rituals and visited temples. I was trying to conceive for more than 20 years, yet my prayers went unanswered. It started disturbing my mental health and at the age of 40, I wanted to end my life by committing suicide. My husband at that point gave me a new purpose and together we decided to plant trees and take care of them like our own children. Thus, after our hard day’s work as a daily labourers, the evening was spent planting saplings on the sides of the long stretch road.

My husband Chikkayya and I started by planting 10 banyan saplings in a row for several kilometres on either sides, in the first year we completed a stretch of 4 kms. These samplings were just like my children so we protected them from cattle and other animals from grazing, I created fencing around them with thorny shrubs. Without fail, every evening, me and my husband carried water for a long distance to nurture all the saplings, over a period of time, we planted over 384 banyan trees that are standing tall.

These children of mine provide shelter and shade to many travellers. They produce fruits which is eaten by many birds and alternatively has became a home for all species. We are emotionally connected to each and every tree planted by us. It gives me sense of satisfaction that every part of the tree can be an excellent fertilisers and have a great medicinal value. Hence my every child is known as National tree of India.

Few years later my husband Chikkyya died leaving me with my 8000 grown up green children. I did not receive a formal education but recognition came my way long after my husband’s death in the year 1995.

I was honoured with the National Citizen’s Award of India. The Government of India conferred me with the Padma Shri award in year 2019, which is the highest civilian award in the Republic of India.

Due to my work of planting thousands of Banyan trees, I am now fondly called ‘Saalumarada Thimmakka’, it means the row of trees fame Thimmakka.

People around the world say that I have brought worldwide recognition to the state of Karnataka through my incredible and massive environmental services. There is also an environmental organisation named after me in the U.S. called Thimmakka’s Resources for Environmental Education.

My work caught attention of the international media, and at a age of 105, I was named by the BBC as the 100 most influential women in 2016.

Today, the trees I have planted are worth several crores of rupees yet my life has no respite from poverty. It is a very sorry state that at age 105, I am dependent on a pension of Rs. 500/- given by the government, which is the sole source of my income. Most of my savings are today spent on the illness and hence my next mission is to bring hospital close to my village, Kadur. A trust has been set up to secure a land and construct a hospital in the place where no medical aid is easily available.

Today at my age, I still want to continue my fight against afforestation and will attend every tree planting initiative in the state. My journey of becoming an environmentalist was only possible due to the unconditional support of my husband and the purpose he showed me.

Today my green children have made me a role model to the entire world. And I wish, everyone should plant one sapling to make world a better for our own children.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

On the third day of Navratri, it is a journey of a Janani who became a Goddess of Health to the lakhs of women and children by revolutionising the health care from 1973 in the economical backward country.

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I was born to the Chari family strongly committed to medical and public service. Seeing my grandparents dedicatedly working for the society, social work was rooted deep into our family culture. I completed my MBBS from Government Medical College Nagpur in 1972.

I was the only gold medal gynaecologist in Gadchiroli District and did the first ever cesarean surgery in the village. In these moments of highs, there were so many lows that changed my outlook towards the medical issues faced by women around me.

It was very unfortunate that I had to understand the troublesome health education and care in rural India when a two year old daughter of widowed labourer died in front of my eyes.

I was furious when I found out that the widow had gone to the fields to work to earn money so that she could feed her other two children rather than taking the daughter suffering from pneumonia to the hospital, the widow did not want her other two children die of hunger and poverty. And if she was able feed these children, on growing up, they will help her earn money for survival. So the widow let her two year old die, this incident had a great impact on my life. I learnt my lesson that healthcare was not merely about medicine and healing but also about being sensitive to our patients.

When I started working with the communities, I noticed, women’s reproductive health was the most neglected thing in our society. I spoke to several women from different villages in the district. To my surprise, all of them put obstructed labour and infertility in the most serious category.

I also realised, the mental health of the women in this country was also severely effected due to the criticism faced from the society for not bearing a child. A woman can die of obstructed labour only once, but if she has infertility, she dies every day. I realised how deep this problem ran in every home in our country. This reality pained me to such a extent that I started a whole new research.

A deeper investigation helped me identify the missing links as far as healthcare services for women were concerned.

I took the results of the study to global platforms, including the UN, and argued that we should not be limiting our view of women’s health to just maternal and child health (MCH) but we should be concerned with women and child health (WCH) rather than MCH. This study was published by Lancet, it was taken up by many women’s groups around the world. This lead to invitations form various conferences and meetings to present my findings. In 1992, I was invited to the World Health Assembly, which was attended by ministers from various countries and governmental health staff. I was the only non-government worker who presented the study and received the appreciation of representatives from all over the world. Thus, a study conducted in two small villages in a remote district of India changed the level of discussion internationally and that gave me a great sense of satisfaction.

My journey was supported and backed by my husband Abhay Bang, who is also a gold medalist. In this journey of healthcare revolutionary, he is equally credited for the change. Abhay and I got married in 1977 and its been 43 years since we both have dedicated our lives to the social and educational upliftment of the lowest of the low, in Maharashtra’s tribal district of Gadchiroli. In 1986 after returning from the United States, together we set up a grass root health organisation, SEARCH (Society for Education, Action & Research in Community Health).

In a bid to work out solutions in collaboration with the villagers, I set up Shodh Gram on a 13-acre plot in 1993 along with my husband Abhay Bang.

Today, Shodh Gram not only houses the Ma Danteshwati Hospital, it is my home, research campus, and the quarters for the voluntary organisation SEARCH. It also has a de-addiction centre, a farming patch to train tribal youth and a programme that imparts sex-education to school kids.

The selfless work towards changing the healthcare of India, Abhay and I were showered with some of the most prestigious awards.

In 2018, the fourth highest civilian award of India Padma Shri. In 2003, the Maharashtra Government awarded Maharashtra Bhushan Award. In 2005, Times Mazagine awarded Global Health Heroes. In 2013, Society of Scholars, Johns Hopkins University, USA, In 2016 World Health Organisation – Public Health Champions Award for Outstanding Contribution to Public Health in India. J.R.D. Tata Award for Excellence in Public Service.

Today when I see the change in the healthcare system of India and the medical transformation from being the only gynaecologist to the country having the finest doctors makes me feel satisfied of our dedication and vision.

Written by Anjusha Chaughule

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My story began in pre independence era, when I was born in the golden city of Maharashtra, Jalgaon, to the government prosecutor Nanasaheb Patil and my mother Gangabai. Just as the gold from Jalgaon is famous, so are the values of my family. I was the only daughter amongst the 6 siblings but I was never treated differently from my brothers. In those days, girls had many restrictions but my mother was a strong women, she took a promise from my father Nanasaheb, that I should complete my education at any cost.

Unfortunately, I lost my mother when I was 12. Nanasaheb shifted me to my aunt’s home. My aunt was a very religious and strict woman, she made me follow all the community rituals and customs… I must admit, this laid to the foundation of a strong willed, caring, disciplined and a thinking child.

I was a fierce orator. Seeing my father presenting his cases as a government prosecutor had completely influenced me. That’s why my maiden speech at Rajput convention in Chalisgaon left an indelible impression on the community seniors which also impacted then Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Yashwantrao Chavan. He was so inspired that he put forth a policy to induct educated young girls into politics.

After getting elected as Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Maharashtra. I decided to continue my education and acquired the degree of Bachelor of Law. I wanted to work for the underprivileged and abused women so I started taking interest in social issues and improving the conditions faced by many Indian women.

Seeing my strong abilities as a lawyer and activist, Congress Party chose me their candidate and I was given the party ticket for Edlabad constituency. In my first attempt, I defeated three veteran leaders to win my first election in 1962 and continued to represent the constituency for five more terms till 1991. Later I decided to shift my focus on National politics.

Education and freedom of speech being the integral part of my journey, it empowered me intellectually in my work as a lawyer and minister of various state departments and later at various cabinet portfolios at the Centre. I can proudly say I was the first woman who officially held both positions in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

In 2007, I became the first woman president of India. It was not a easy decision, I was ridiculed by both the house for being the female candidate who does not look and have any qualities of representing India at international level as a President. I held my strengths together and ignored people who were opposing my presidentship. The elections took place and I won the election held on 19 July 2007 by garnering nearly 2/3rd of the votes and took office as India’s first woman President on 25 July 2007.

I must mention about one man who stood rock solid besides me. My husband Dr Devi Singh Shekhawat. I got married to him in 1965 and has been a pillar of strength for me and my two children, Rajendra who has followed in his parent’s footsteps to become an MLA and Jyoti who is an engineer.

I believe women are the unsaid force of the nature and if she decides she can change the world effectively. I did, so can you.

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*Thrumyeyes Entertainment* in collaboration with *Humans of Thane*…

Written by Anjusha Chaughule
Creative : Sam D