Top 10 most inspiring women of India

New Delhi: There are many women in India who have been inspiring people over generations. These include Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Kalpana Chawla, and several others.Women in the 21st century have excelled in every field. They are no more confined to the four walls of house. They are making a mark in every sector.On the occasion of International Women's Day, we bring you a list of ten women (who are commoners), whom you might have never even heard of, but their contribution to the society is so immense it must be appreciated: NirbhayaThe brave heart of the nation, Nirbhaya would be remembered by every Indian for her courage to face the atrocities of those demons who had taken her life.A 23 year old paramedical student was brutally gang raped by six men including the driver in a private bus while she was returning from a movie with her male friend on the night of December 16, 2012.Nirbhaya (name changed) fought her rapists, who inserted an iron road in her inner organs, debilitating her completelhy.The rapists beat up her male friend, and threw both Nirbhaya and friend nude in the shivering December night on a Delhi street. The nation was moved by the incident, mass protests and demonstrations were held. Young students, old men and women took to the streets demanding justice for Nirbhaya. Nirbhaya left the world after thirteen days of battling for her life at a Singapore hospital.The four accused were convicted of rape and death on 10 September, 2013. The outcome of the sordid episode was the pathbreaking law against sexual assaults on women. Laxmi The acid attack survivor, Laxmi's life was destroyed when her friend's 32 year old brother threw acid on her while she got down from a bus in Khan Market.Laxmi's face was disfigured permanently. She was 16 at that time. The attacker threw acid on her after she rejected his proposal.Laxmi had lost everything, her brother suffered from tuberculosis and father died. She took a brave step to earn bread and butter for the family.Unlike other acid attack victims, Laxmi put up a brave fight and rekindled her life.She did not leave the zeal in her life and fought for justice not only for her but for many other acid victims like her.She ran a social media campaign against the acid attacks.Her campaign and PIL was successful in banning the sale of acids, the Supreme Court gave the verdict last year.The attacker who poured acid on Laxmi has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.Recently, she was awarded by US first lady Michelle Obama for her after she won the International Women of Courage Award for successfully leading the campaign against acid attacks on women in India. K S SarojammaThe woman who took on the silk mafia in Magadi, Bangalore. Her efforts led to the rescue of over 3000 children, and 800 silk units who keep child labour were shut down.She now runs a home for girls rescued from child labour called 'Chiguru Balvikas Sanstha' and is lovingly called 'Amma'. Dr. Laxmi Gautam A professor, Dr. Laxmi Gautam has taken the task of supporting Vrindavan widows. Over the years Dr Gautam has helped bury bodies of 100s of widows who no one wants to claim. She has provided them financial and emotional support in every way. Priti PatkarPriti Patkar, runs three centres in Mumbai taking care of the children of sex workers. She has been doing this work since 1986 and provides a night shelter for the children takes care of their meals, conducts weekly health check ups, and medical care whenever needed. Sabbah HajiIn the militant insurgency prone area of Kashmir, Sabbah Haji a braveheart has set up a school in Briswana. Sabbah left her lucrative job in Bagalore to come back to her native place and set up a school from the two rooms of her father in May 2009. Almost 200 children study in the school and no dropout has been observed in five years. Bhabani MundaBhabani Munda is a life coach in West Bengal's Dooar region. In that region, girls are married off early and are not allowed to play sports. Munda convinced parents to let their girls play and not get them married or work at tea estates. Bhanwari DeviHow does a low-class potter from a small village in Rajasthan have the heart of a lion? Bhanwari as part of her job for the Women's Development Project took up the cause of various issues related to land, water, health etc.It was however in 1992 when she took up the case of child marriage, that she found herself alienated.The consequences were dire, Bhanwari was gang-raped and a major court case ensued.It was for the first time in the conservative region that a woman was not ashamed of rape and spoke openly about it.She braved social boycott and risked her life for a cause, shaping the women's movement in Rajasthan.She has also emboldened victims of rape to come forth and demand justice. Sarojini Naidu Sarojini Naidu is one of the remarkable women who stepped up and fought for Indian independence against all odds.A versatile poet, she was known as Nightingale of India.Naidu served as the first governor of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh from 1947 to 1949, the first woman to become the governor of an Indian state.She was the second woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress in 1925 and the first Indian woman to do so. Sunitha KrishnanSunitha Krishnan, born in 1972, is an Indian social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, an institution that assists trafficked women and girls in finding shelter. The organization also helps pay for the education of five thousand children infected with HIV/AIDS in Hyderabad. She began to work in this field as she was a rape survivor herself.