Femina's Fab 40 For 2023

What’s better than reading a motivational quote? Reflecting on the journeys of inspiring women and drawing positivity, strength and resolve from them! These 40 women have demonstrated that they can achieve all they put their minds to and, through sheer willpower, break barriers in their way. Their journeys this year are sure to ignite your soul. From our ardent President to unrelenting scientists, from the country’s top actors to trailblazing influencers, from entrepreneurial geniuses to spirited athletes and more, let’s celebrate them all...

- Shraddha Kamdar, Shilpa Dubey, Primrose Monteiro-D’Souza, Ashwini Arun Kumar

DROUPADI MURMU

PRESIDENT OF INDIA

A tenacious student who went to great lengths to get herself a higher education, a diligent teacher who did it without remuneration for the love of the job, and a trailblazing politician, President Droupadi Murmu has had a fruitful first year in office.

The first tribal person to hold the top office in the country, President Murmu has met thousands of individuals from different fields on her visits to various states as well as at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a large percentage of them belonging to tribal groups. With her focus on resolving issues and finding solutions to problems, she has been working towards the use of technology and innovation to strengthen the connection between the people and Rashtrapati Bhavan. This led to over 90,000 people visiting the premises between 2022 and 2023.

“We will have to speed up our efforts to meet the expectations that our freedom fighters had with the citizens of independent India,” the 15th President of India had said in her first address to the nation. And that is what she has been doing, one step at a time! Data released by Rashtrapati Bhavan shows that she has given her assent to 20 bills of the Union Government and 23 bills of various state governments. Marking the completion of her first year, President Murmu launched several projects, in areas ranging from sports to culture and more. Who can forget the historic sortie that she took flying the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jet, at the Eastern front from the Tezpur Air Force Station? A fitting flight for the Commander of the country’s armed forces!