WOMEN OF FAME

Kalpana Chawla
She was a Tomboy, growing up in Karnal in Haryana. She learned Karate in her early years and she dared to dream. She had a special likening for flying. She qualified from over 2962 applicants to earn herself a place in the Space Shuttle Columbia for a 16 day out of the world experience. The NASA chief called her a "Terrific astronaut".

The U.S. space shuttle Columbia with a seven-member crew that included Chawla, 41, disintegrated in flames over central Texas shortly before it was scheduled to land at Cape Canaversal in Florida. On February 1, 2003, at an altitude of 63 kilometers and a velocity of 20,000 km/hr, Columbia disintegrated killing Kalpana and her six colleagues.The satellite serves to perpetuate the memory of Kalpana who sacrificed her life to the cause of peaceful uses of outer space.

Lata Mangeshkar
She is India's most recognizable voice. Some of her songs are pure and full of pathos that would move us with tears. Even at this age Lata, enthralls everyone despite a number of new generation singers coming up. Nobody can replace this singing Queen.

Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle - All her life she had to play a supporting role for her "Didi". She has a sensuous voice that even Lata can't match. Nobody young or old can match her allure. She is a great songstress who can beat the new generation singers as well.

Indira Hinduja
She was the first Indian doctor to produce a test tube baby. On August 6th, 1986, India's first test tube baby, Harsha was born thanks to the three years of painstaking research in invitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Now thanks to her, many Indian women yearning for motherhood are getting hope

Kiran Bedi
"It is always possible" is the philosophy of her life. She is a Magsaysay Award winner for her writings. She is the most controversial IPS woman officer who was known for hauling off illegally parked cars in the city of Delhi, cleaning the Augean Stables of Tihar Jail. In between she ruffled a few feathers

Medha Patkar
She is a frail, prematurely graying figure who is fighting for the largest displacement of people on the banks of the Narmada. She is against the combined forces of the World Bank, The Government of India and an army of vested interests. She carries the struggle onwards through her other social crusades via the National Alliance of People's Movement.

Najma Heptullah
She has been the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for three terms, an achievement nobody has equaled so far. During the tenure she maintained a fair play and at the same time maintained her dignity and control amidst the intemperate proceedings that often prevailed. One of her other successful projects outside the Parliament has been the setting of two all-woman post offices in Mumbai.

Maneka Gandhi
She is the young "Bahu" of the Gandhi family. She is a dedicated and vocal environmentalist who crusades for the cause of animal rights which often land up her in controversies. She also fights for human rights and has freed many children working in the carpet industry.

Shoba De
She was prefixed as the rebel but now her writings sound matronly. Now and then she splutters with rage over the misdoings of the younger generations. She can be held responsible for the speeding up of the pace of sexual revolution in India with her sensuous novels.

Bachendri Pal
She went on to prove that if a man can do it, then a woman can do by climbing the highest mountain peak in the world. She is the first Indian woman to do so. An impoverished childhood did not obstruct her path to hard work and fame. Now she is busy at the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation training the next generation of climbers.

Pilavullakandi Thekaparambil Usha She is a woman of great determination. At the 1984 Olympics she heart-stoppingly came near to winning India its first bronze medal in athletics but missed it by the skin of her teeth. At the Asian Athletic events at Jakarta in 1985 she won many medals and got a huge haul of medals at the 8th Asian Games in Seoul.

Reita Faria
She was the first Indian woman to win the Miss world title in 1966. She made the whole world sit up and look at India. By winning the crown, she showed the way for later competitors and gave them a confidence that they can take the world by storm. After her one year tenure she refused modeling and films and concentrated on medical studies which is a sure act to make the present day Miss Worlds to look up on their promised professions.

M.S. Subbulakshmi
She had the voice of an angel and a face to match. She brought Bhakthi to her music like none other. It was purely spiritual quality that set her apart from many other voices. Incomparable, unsurpassable, she was one of India's two nightingales. One of the most influential singers of the last century she died on 11 December 2004 in Chennai in India. Her death is a great loss not only to Carnatic music but also to the entire music world.

Shahnaz Hussain
She is the mother of all herbal cosmetics in India. Behind the veils lies a woman with sheer determination and hard work. Her creams and lotions have found their way into salons in different parts of the globe. She has 650 salons at 104 countries.

Usha Uthup Her rich and resonant voice can be described as honey flowing on gravel! Her identifications are that plump figure, Kancheevaram saris, clinging glass bangles and a big Bindi. She sings in 14 languages and is incredibly staying still in this field

Arundhati Roy
She is a great writer and won the Booker Prize for her debut novel, "the God of small things". She is a vociferous supporter of the rights of Phoolan Devi.

Deepa Mehta
Director. Her first film "Fire" ran into big controversies but eventually the sensor board released it with little cuts. We are eagerly awaiting more controversial films from her.

Madhuri Mathur
Almost 40 years ago this woman dreamed of a kitchen machine that would blend, chop, mince and totally make her life easier and then discussed it with her Engineer husband Mathur. And then the sumeet mixer was born and is a household name still.

Malleswari
Weightlifter. She is known as the "iron woman" and she can be rightly called golden woman for all the gold medals she had got for India. To her latest credit is the Bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympic games.

Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
God woman. As a child she wanted to serve the poor. Now called as "Amma" she is offering hopes and solace to many needy people in India. She has set up many charitable institutions, educational centers and hospitals.

Suhasini Mani Ratnam
She is an award-winning film actress and a film director with a special concern for issues regarding woman. Her marriage with Mani Ratnam, the famous film Director in the South is a plus point for her. We are looking forward from her, many good films.

Anita Sood
She is the first woman who stroked her way powerfully across the English Channel and became the fastest Asian swimmer to have crossed

Jayalalithaa
Film star turned politician. For her all the world's a stage and she is moving from spotlight to spotlight. She is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Anju George
Anju Bobby George, made history when she won the bronze medal in Long Jump at the World Athletics Championships 2003 in Paris. With this achievement, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in a World Athletics Championship clearing 6.70 m. Anju now ranks 6th in the world. She also participated in the 2004 Olympics finishing 4th in her event.

Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza became the first Indian to have won a Grand Slam title when she triumphed in the girls' doubles event at Wimbledon , partnering Alisa Kleybanova of Russia. She won the Wimbledon junior girls' doubles title and became their "brand ambassador" for 2004 - the year of the girl child.

Kiran Majumudar
Shaw- Biotech entrepreneur.She is the CEO of Biocon India Corp. She was born in Bangalore and educated in Bishop Cotton Girls School and then Mount Carmel College. She started Biocon in 1978 collaborating with an Irish firm, floated 2 joint ventures, Biochemizyme and Biocon-Quest India Ltd.