The year 2013 saw many women scaling new heights of success in their respective fields. As we set into the new year today, which names occur to us that would make headlines, the names that will inspire us? We asked girls from 15-25 age group to name women from fields as diverse as politics, sports, films and social service that they think would shine in 2014. Here are the choices…


RUJUTA KAMAT,
Fergusson College
For me that would be Malala Yousafzai. I think her work for the rights of women and the right to education is incredible. She is one person who has always beaten the odds
and worked towards her goal in life. Even after what happened to her, she never lost hope and focused on what she wanted to achieve . She stood up to injustice like nobody else could. She is an inspiration and as a member of society, I would have an eye out for her in 2014.


NEHA NANDAKUMAR,
Sinhgad Academy of Engineering
At an age when every girl is getting ready to be independent, or to get married, Rakhi Birla is the youngest woman to get a seat in Delhi. The AAP woman who left journalism to help the aam aadmi, is definitely someone to watch out for in 2014! With a platform such as what AAP has provided, woman power is put to full use! So in this case, ‘Behind every successful common man, there is a woman’.


ISHA MANTRI,
Sancheti Institute College of Physiotherapy
Saina Nehwal is India’s premier badminton player. She is the first Indian badminton player to win a medal at Olympics. The only Indian to win Junior Badminton Championship. Unfortunately, Saina had to face unexpected health troubles. From world rank no 3, she has come down to rank no 8. But a career is not just determined by titles and ranks. Probably Saina will not look back at 2013 and recoil back in 2014 and will touch stratospheric levels of success as she had in the past.


RIA JAIL,
Std X, Abhinav School
P V Sindhu is the woman to watch out for as she is ready to take on the badminton world headon in the year to come. She is the new rising star in the badminton arena. Today, she is competing with some of the world’s best players. At a very young age of 18, she has many national and international awards under her belt! Her latest achievement is a bronze medal in the world championships! She is definitely someone to look up to in 2014!


AISHWARYA BAPAT,
Sinhagad College of Pharmacy, Pune
I think Janet Yellen is the woman to watch out for in 2014. From January 2014, she would be the head of US Federal Reserve. She is the first woman to be nominated for the chair of Federal Reserve. Her main objective would be to increase employment. Dr Yellen has written on a wide variety of macroeconomic issues, while specialising in the causes, mechanisms, and implications of unemployment. The highly acclaimed economist will now become the most powerful woman in world finance.


SHRUTI SHANKAR PATIL,
Chhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business and Research, Kolhapur
I would like to know how Usha Ananthasubramanian fares in the new year. She is the chairperson and managing director of the Bhartiya Mahila Bank, which is focused on the banking needs of women and on promoting their economic empowerment. She is a great leader and her cause is dear to us.

NEHA KHANNA,
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Mohali- Punjab
My choice is Priyanka Chopra, the beauty with brains who is also a good singer. I like the fact that she is ready to accept challenging roles like the one she played in Barfi. I look forward to her role in and as Mary Kom.

DISHANKI WADDETIVAR,
ILS Law College, Pune
Sonia Gandhi will be the woman to watch out for in 2014. The year 2014 will ‘make’ or ‘break’ Congress party and much of it will depend on Sonia Gandhi’s strong leadership skills.

SHAMIKA NERKAR,
Fergusson College
I think it would be interesting to watch Priyanka Chopra in the coming years because she has a sweet personality. She inspires me a lot because she is one of the topmost actors in Bollywood and I, too, want to be in the topmost position in whichever career I choose.

NIKITA CHODANKAR,
Indira School of Communication
I would love to see more of Vidya Balan in the coming year. She is happy with whatever she is doing in life and that shows in both her on and off-screen appearances. I think she is really inspiring.

PRADNYA PRADIP JAGTAP,
New Art’s Commerce and Science College, Ahmednagar
I simply adore Sindhutai Sapkal who is a mother to many orphans. In today’s world, she is the real Mother Teresa. She has rightly been honoured with 272 awards for her dedication and work.

KOMAL VINAYAK TAKPERE,
New Art’s Commerce and Science College, Ahmednagar

I like Kiran Bedi. She has a strong personality and has represented India at many international forums on crime prevention, drug abuse, police and prison reforms and women’s issues. I simply love her courage and wish to be like her.

PRATIKSHA PRAKASH VINCHURKAR,
PE Society’s Modern College, Pune
I would like to read about Sudha Murthy who is a writer, social worker and has displayed her great managerial skills as the chairperson of Infosys Foundation. She is also a great philanthropist. Her writing is very simple and touching. I respect her.

DEBASHREE MITRA,
Fergusson College
The one woman I find very inspiring is social worker Suprabha Alak. She works for Vatsalya Dhaam, a part of the NGO Maher, that takes care of destitute women, mostly the mentally unstable ones. She is just 28 and has decided to dedicate her entire life to social work. Although a lot of us want to do something for society, not many of us have the courage to shun high-paying jobs and take up social work.The year 2013 saw many women scaling new heights of success in their respective fields. As we set into the new year today, which names occur to us that would make headlines, the names that will inspire us? We asked girls from 15-25 age group to name women from fields as diverse as politics, sports, films and social service that they think would shine in 2014. Here are the choices…


RUJUTA KAMAT,
Fergusson College
For me that would be Malala Yousafzai. I think her work for the rights of women and the right to education is incredible. She is one person who has always beaten the odds
and worked towards her goal in life. Even after what happened to her, she never lost hope and focused on what she wanted to achieve . She stood up to injustice like nobody else could. She is an inspiration and as a member of society, I would have an eye out for her in 2014.


NEHA NANDAKUMAR,
Sinhgad Academy of Engineering
At an age when every girl is getting ready to be independent, or to get married, Rakhi Birla is the youngest woman to get a seat in Delhi. The AAP woman who left journalism to help the aam aadmi, is definitely someone to watch out for in 2014! With a platform such as what AAP has provided, woman power is put to full use! So in this case, ‘Behind every successful common man, there is a woman’.


ISHA MANTRI,
Sancheti Institute College of Physiotherapy
Saina Nehwal is India’s premier badminton player. She is the first Indian badminton player to win a medal at Olympics. The only Indian to win Junior Badminton Championship. Unfortunately, Saina had to face unexpected health troubles. From world rank no 3, she has come down to rank no 8. But a career is not just determined by titles and ranks. Probably Saina will not look back at 2013 and recoil back in 2014 and will touch stratospheric levels of success as she had in the past.


RIA JAIL,
Std X, Abhinav School
P V Sindhu is the woman to watch out for as she is ready to take on the badminton world headon in the year to come. She is the new rising star in the badminton arena. Today, she is competing with some of the world’s best players. At a very young age of 18, she has many national and international awards under her belt! Her latest achievement is a bronze medal in the world championships! She is definitely someone to look up to in 2014!


AISHWARYA BAPAT,
Sinhagad College of Pharmacy, Pune
I think Janet Yellen is the woman to watch out for in 2014. From January 2014, she would be the head of US Federal Reserve. She is the first woman to be nominated for the chair of Federal Reserve. Her main objective would be to increase employment. Dr Yellen has written on a wide variety of macroeconomic issues, while specialising in the causes, mechanisms, and implications of unemployment. The highly acclaimed economist will now become the most powerful woman in world finance.


SHRUTI SHANKAR PATIL,
Chhatrapati Shahu Institute of Business and Research, Kolhapur
I would like to know how Usha Ananthasubramanian fares in the new year. She is the chairperson and managing director of the Bhartiya Mahila Bank, which is focused on the banking needs of women and on promoting their economic empowerment. She is a great leader and her cause is dear to us.

NEHA KHANNA,
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Mohali- Punjab
My choice is Priyanka Chopra, the beauty with brains who is also a good singer. I like the fact that she is ready to accept challenging roles like the one she played in Barfi. I look forward to her role in and as Mary Kom.

DISHANKI WADDETIVAR,
ILS Law College, Pune
Sonia Gandhi will be the woman to watch out for in 2014. The year 2014 will ‘make’ or ‘break’ Congress party and much of it will depend on Sonia Gandhi’s strong leadership skills.

SHAMIKA NERKAR,
Fergusson College
I think it would be interesting to watch Priyanka Chopra in the coming years because she has a sweet personality. She inspires me a lot because she is one of the topmost actors in Bollywood and I, too, want to be in the topmost position in whichever career I choose.

NIKITA CHODANKAR,
Indira School of Communication
I would love to see more of Vidya Balan in the coming year. She is happy with whatever she is doing in life and that shows in both her on and off-screen appearances. I think she is really inspiring.

PRADNYA PRADIP JAGTAP,
New Art’s Commerce and Science College, Ahmednagar
I simply adore Sindhutai Sapkal who is a mother to many orphans. In today’s world, she is the real Mother Teresa. She has rightly been honoured with 272 awards for her dedication and work.

KOMAL VINAYAK TAKPERE,
New Art’s Commerce and Science College, Ahmednagar

I like Kiran Bedi. She has a strong personality and has represented India at many international forums on crime prevention, drug abuse, police and prison reforms and women’s issues. I simply love her courage and wish to be like her.

PRATIKSHA PRAKASH VINCHURKAR,
PE Society’s Modern College, Pune
I would like to read about Sudha Murthy who is a writer, social worker and has displayed her great managerial skills as the chairperson of Infosys Foundation. She is also a great philanthropist. Her writing is very simple and touching. I respect her.

DEBASHREE MITRA,
Fergusson College
The one woman I find very inspiring is social worker Suprabha Alak. She works for Vatsalya Dhaam, a part of the NGO Maher, that takes care of destitute women, mostly the mentally unstable ones. She is just 28 and has decided to dedicate her entire life to social work. Although a lot of us want to do something for society, not many of us have the courage to shun high-paying jobs and take up social work.