The women of yesterday, the power of tomorrow

Women empowerment is one of the oldest fought battles that are still ongoing. It is one that has provided utmost value to the world and its women in the form of the power and freedom that it has imparted to them and that too without harming a single soul.

Today, we are slowly transitioning into a world where the birth of a girl child is not met with the thought of her marriage but of a bright future that she will achieve by herself. In such a situation where every girl will be on a level playing field with all other humans, it is important to prepare them for every upcoming battle of this world.

From being brave and grabbing all available opportunities to letting others guide her, from standing by her opinion without fear to understanding the perspectives and behaviours of her peers, from knowing when to back down at the right time to be ferocious in fighting for themselves, all of these are important lessons for our young girls to unlock and explore their maximum potential and bloom like a watered garden in this beautiful world.

It’s important to understand that the sooner these essential qualities of life are taught to our children, the deeper it sits in their minds and shapes their character more effectivelyThe question stands, how do you imbibe such meaningful and heavy lessons in the distracted minds of our little ones? The answer: Stories, and who better to choose from than the most influential female leaders of our past for each one of their stories has one of these qualities at its core. It definitely is the most effective way to bring children closer to life and its lessons. 

Let us see a few examples of these outstanding female leaders and their special qualities:

• Razia Sultan and her Bravery: To be the first and only female leader from India to rule the Delhi Sultanate requires utmost bravery and strength and that is exactly why Razia sultan is remembered as one of the strongest female rulers of our country. Her Bravery and leadership is a strong example to our young girls that they too can lead at the highest stage and level.
• Savitribai Phule and her willpower: She was the first female teacher of India and was one of the first women activists in India who worked to combat caste and gender discrimination. She was a strong advocate of women’s rights and fought for women’s education in India. Even though she was attacked with stones for her activism, she never backed down and continued to fight until women’s education was accepted in the country and certainly all the young girls today have a lot to thank her for. Her strong sense of conviction and willpower shall always be looked up to by every girl.

• Ahilya Bai Holkar and her intellect: From a very young age, Ahilya Bai Holkar showed an absolute unparalleled sense of understanding of governance which was further displayed when she took over the Holkar dynasty as per her father in law’s confidence in her. While all surrounding regions were infested with violence, she managed to maintain peace and developed her reign to unimaginable levels. Her exceptional intelligence and administrative skills made her shine in the pages of our history books.
• Draupadi and her strong faith:  One of the most popular stories in Indian mythology is of Draupadi and how her indomitable faith supported her in a moment of weakness and prevented her from losing her dignity. Her courage and devotion proves that such a strong sense of faith can really take you ahead of all negativity in life.
• Rani Lakshmibai and her all-round prowess: Rani lakshmibai, better known as Jhansi ki rani is the first and boldest name that comes when remembering powerful female leaders. She was not only the first female ruler but the one of the first Indian leaders whose name was feared by the British. In the most famous uprising against British rule in 1857, her name is remembered as the boldest and fiercest and she fought till her last breath to protect her people and her country. Along with bravery, she also commanded a commendable governance intellect as she had to take over the reigns of Jhansi after her Husband’s untimely death. Rani lakshmi Bai will forever remain one of the boldest, fiercest and impactful names in the history of Indian freedom fighters and imbibing her character is something every female leader wishes to do.