Historical Women Role Models

Women have played significant role throughout history. They have featured in almost every field, including science, governance, literature, art and music. Since the beginning of the mankind, women have generally been considered as a weaker sex. But history is replete with numerous examples where women have set their out-of-the-ordinary lives as an inspiration for the others. Here in this article, we remember some of the important women role models in history.

Mother Teresa was God’s gift to humanity. Her selfless service for the humankind is beyond comparison. The Roman Catholic nun dedicated her life to help the poor and destitute. All through her life, she served the poor people suffering from various incurable diseases, who were unwanted by the society. Today, the Noble Peace Prize laureate is an inspiration for every woman.

 

Madame Marie Curie is counted among the super-scientists of the world. She was the mastermind behind the theory of radioactivity. The Polish-born French scientist gave valuable contributions to Physics and Chemistry. She was the only person who won two Noble Prizes in different science fields. Known for the discovery of elements-Radium and Polonium, Madame Marie Curie is definitely a role model for the aspiring women scientists across the globe.

 

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi belonged to the Nehru family of India. The intensely political atmosphere in her family inspired her to grow up with a vision to become the administrator of the country. Eventually, she became the Prime Minister of India and served the country for nearly 15 years as Prime Minister.

 

Rani Lakshmi Bai was the national heroine of India during the pre-independence period. The warrior was the queen of the princely state of Jhansi, situated in North India. Well known as Rani of Jhansi, Lakshmi Bai bravely fought bravely against the East India Company during the 1857 revolt. She is remembered as the epitome of womanhood, for her bravery.

 

Helen Keller, an American author and lecturer, has taught the world that adverse situations can be overcome with determination. Although she was both blind and deaf, she graduated from college and traveled across the world, fighting for improvement in education and life of the differently-abled people. She was a prolific author and an outspoken activist as well.

 

Benazir Bhutto, a prominent politician of Pakistan, chaired the country's centre-left political party - Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). She was the first woman to be elected to lead the Muslim nation and set herself as a pioneer for democracy. It was her strong political stance resulted in her assassination. Today, Benazir Bhutto is remembered as a woman with strong determination.

 

Margaret Thatcher was United Kingdom’s first female Prime Minister, who emerged as a prominent figure in the politics of the country. She served as the Prime Minister of UK from 1979 to 1990 and simultaneously, led the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. Her political and economic policies contributed to the new era of economic liberalism, which led to the transformation of the United Kingdom into a fast-growing economy.

 

Condoleeza Rice became the first African-American woman to hold the prestigious position of National Security Adviser of the United States. She is the second woman to serve as the Secretary of the State. She is known as a well-liked and trusted policy adviser during the tenure of former President of the United States, George Bush.

 

Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai is a well known environmentalist and politician. She was the Assistant Minister for Environment and Natural Resources of Kenya, between January 2003 and November 2005, when Mwai Kibaki was the President of the country. The Noble Peace Prize laureate drew world’s attention by her significant contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace in her country.