International Women’s Day: Story of 5 women who received Bharat Ratna by creating history amid male dominance

Since its inception, India has honored a total of 53 personalities with Bharat Ratna. Among these, the number of women is only five. According to the numbers one can say that there are only five women against 48 men. But, it is worth keeping in mind that the women awarded Bharat Ratna have achieved this position under very difficult circumstances in a male-dominated society. This is called reaching from zero to the peak.

On the pretext of International Women’s Day, we will know about all the female celebrities honored with Bharat Ratna. How she started from zero and managed to reach the top. His work was recognized by the Government of India and he was awarded its highest civilian honour. These include former PM Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Lata Mangeshkar, Aruna Asaf Ali and M.S. Names of Subbulakshmi are included.

Indira Gandhi: Journey from dumb doll to Iron Lady

Indira Gandhi was born on 19 November 1917 in the prestigious Nehru family of Allahabad. Although her family was active in politics, it was not easy for a woman to reach the pinnacle of politics in that era. He completed his education from Shanti Niketan and Oxford. Initially she was addressed as a dumb doll, but she shocked the world with her tough decisions.

In the year 1966, she became the first woman Prime Minister of the country. The biggest achievements during his tenure were the India-Pakistan war of 1971 and the emergence of Bangladesh. He took bold steps like nationalization of banks and poverty alleviation. Her journey from zero to the top is from an ordinary worker to becoming the most powerful woman in the world. She showed that a woman can lead the entire country even in adverse circumstances. There were many such stages in her life when people considered her finished but she stood up with her head held high again and again.

• Achievement: Indira Gandhi was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1971 for her skillful leadership in India’s development and war.

Mother Teresa: Left home at the age of 18 to become a nun

Mother Teresa was born in Albania, but she made India her place of work. She left home at the age of just 18 to become a nun. She came to India in the year 1929 and started teaching in a school in Kolkata.

He had immense love for the poor and the sick. He saw that people were dying abandoned on the streets. They left their comforts and went to live in slums. He had neither money nor any big support. Nevertheless he founded the Missionaries of Charity. His journey from zero to the top started from a small room to a network of service centers across the world. He dedicated his entire life to the cause of leprosy patients and orphan children.

• Achievement: He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1980 for his selfless service to humanity and peace.

Aruna Asaf Ali: Heroine of 1942 Revolution

Aruna Asaf Ali is called the Grand Old Lady of the Indian freedom struggle. He was born in a middle class family. He broke the social barriers of that time and entered politics. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, when all the big leaders were arrested, Aruna challenged the British by hoisting the tricolor at Gwalia Tank Ground in Mumbai. She kept fighting for freedom by staying underground for many years. After independence, she also became the first Mayor of Delhi.

Her journey ranged from being a rebellious student to becoming one of the main pillars of the country’s independence. She inspired women to come out of the confines of their homes and fight for the country.

• Achievement: He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his incomparable contribution to the freedom struggle.

M.S. Subbulakshmi: Immortal practitioner of music

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi i.e. M.S. Subbulakshmi was born in an ordinary musician family. He started learning classical music at a very young age. At that time, singing on public platforms was considered a big thing for women.

There was such divinity in his voice that even Mahatma Gandhi was a fan of his bhajans. He proved his singing prowess not only in India but also in the United Nations. She was the first Indian artist to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award.His journey from zero to the top started from the streets of Madurai and reached the biggest music stages of the world. He always made his art a medium of devotion to God and social service.

• Achievement: He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1998 for bringing glory to Indian classical music on the world stage.

Lata Mangeshkar: Musicians rejected her saying she had a thin voice

Lata Mangeshkar’s story is the biggest example of struggle. When she was just 13 years old, her father passed away. The responsibility of the family fell on his shoulders. She came to Mumbai from Kolhapur and started looking for small roles and songs. Initially many musicians rejected his voice as too thin. But Lata ji did not accept defeat. He made his mark with his hard work and discipline. He sang thousands of songs in more than 36 languages.

Her journey from zero to peak is from a struggling teenager to becoming the queen of tunes. Today his voice resides in the heart of every Indian.

Achievement: He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 2001 for his historical and unforgettable contribution in the field of music.

Actually, only five women are included in the list of Bharat Ratna. Even though their numbers are small, their impact is very deep. All these women had some things in common. He never gave up. She broke the barriers of society and moved forward. Rising above his selfishness, he worked for the country and society. Even after reaching the peak, all these celebrities remained connected to the ground.

These women who received Bharat Ratna are not just award winners, but they are a ray of hope for crores of daughters of the country. He proved that if your dreams are alive and you are ready to work hard, then no peak in the world is far from you. You have the power to touch everyone.

These stories of starting from zero and reaching the highest honor in India tell us that success does not depend on anyone. Paying tribute to these heroines on International Women’s Day is a true tribute to them.

Also read: From missile woman to becoming the godmother of vaccine, read the story of Indian women scientists