Siddhant Behl, actor
My mom is the most important person in my life. She is my inspiration and motivation to show the world that I can still learn from my past mistakes, no matter how bad they were. Even today, whenever I am confused or nervous, I call her and take her advice.
I am also lucky to have been blessed with another strong woman in my life — my wife, who stands by me on my every good decision and confronts me on my every bad one. I hope that I will be able to give the same kind of support and inspiration to my kids as these two women have given me.
Sophie Choudry, actress, singer and former VJ I think everyone should be inspired by Malala and what she has achieved at such a young age. Her courage, her vision for young girls is inspirational and proves how much difference just one young girl with belief can make.
On a personal note, my hero is my mother. She inspires me everyday to work harder and become a better human being because in her 50s, having lived in England for virtually her entire life, she packed her bags and moved to India just so I could follow my dream. From a pharmaceutical background she learnt the world of showbiz and is undoubtedly the most popular mom-ager in the business! It just proves that life is about learning and never being afraid to try something new!
Tanishaa Mukerji, actress and producer The woman who has inspired me consisitently and the most throughout my life so far, is my mother. My mum hasn’t travelled an easy road through her life, but from bringing us up to showing us the right path, she has done it all very well! She is a woman of strength and substance, and someone who I truly look up to.
Also, when I first read about the first woman who went to space, Valentina Tereshkova, it made me really proud to be a woman, seeing where women have reached and how much they have conquered so far.
Dhruv Dhalla, composer My mother and my one-year-old daughter inspire me to dream big and be a better person everyday. I lost my mother 12 years ago but still feel her presence in my life. I try to hold on to everything that she was as a person and as a parent, along with everything she taught me through the years, so that I can pass on the same qualities to my little girl. My daughter’s birth was the best thing that could have happened to me. She brings so much joy and love into my life that I feel motivated to work harder and harder as a musician, as a parent and as a human being.
Sarthak Sardana, musician Malala Yousafzai is one person I admire for who she is and what she has done to fight oppression in a male dominated society. I salute the strength and tenacity of will of women like Malala. This young Nobel laureate has been instrumental in inspiring an entire generation — she has actually proved that one child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world into a better place. The Malala Fund has raised millions to aid in educating girls in Africa and Asia too.
Debina Bonnerjee, actress Sushmita Sen truly inspires me. She was the first Bengali to win the Miss Universe title at the age of 18. Watching her and following her career graph was what inspired me to finally move out of my shell in Kolkata and take a leap of faith into the sky. So many Miss Indias followed her, but she is one person who always stands as a bright example for me, at a personal level. And needless to say, I really admire her for having chosen to be a single mother to two daughters, and such a great one at that. Through the years I have come to understand how many people simply preach, but very few actually practice. She is among the latter.
Akshay Johar, musician One woman whom I feel inspired by is Priyanka Chopra. She is simply everywhere these days! Having both her feet firmly planted in two of the largest film industries in the world is by no means a small feat. She represents a new generation of Indian women, who are ambitious, fearless, driven and secure, women who are not bound by traditional ideas of Indian women in cinema or in our society.
Aashka Goradia, actress and anchor Kalpana Chawla inspires me tremendously as she was the first Indian woman to travel into space. She knew that she might not make it back home and, unfortunately, she did not. And yet she chose to take that risk and reach for the stars — literally.
Asha Negi, actress Mother Teresa is the first name that comes to my mind when I think of women who have inspired me over the years. She was known for her good deeds and is such an inspiration to many. Women today are carving their own paths towards success across all platforms but Mother Teresa did so without having any motive in mind except to help others. I really admire and look up to that.
Vishakha Singh, actress and producer My grandmother was one of the strongest women I have ever come across. She was widowed at a very early age and yet, even in those times, she managed to raise her children and do farming and other strenuous activities on her own. My mother is also my inspiration. She has always encouraged me to travel solo and explore the world. My sister too is so good at multi-tasking and her decision-making abilities can put any man to shame.
