I’ll admit it, I’m a little late in putting this list together. But I believe these stories deserve to be told, no matter the timing.
So, following the philosophy of BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, I thought of sharing these incredible stories with you.
2025 will be remembered as a year when Indian women across fields, including social justice, literature, sports, education, environment, and accessibility, reshaped narratives and inspired global conversations.
They have led grassroots movements, received international honours, and made the world a better place, proving that impact is about purpose.
Here’s a list of women of the year 2025. Women who brought change, uplist others, and made us proud.
Indian Women of the year 2025
- Dr Anjlee Agarwal: Building an Accessible India for All
Dr Anjlee Agarwal understands disability not as a concept, but as a lived reality. Living with muscular dystrophy, she has faced the daily challenges of an inaccessible world, like missing ramps, uneven footpaths, and systems that exclude differently-abled people without remorse. Instead of accepting these barriers, she transformed her frustration into action.
Through Samarthyam: National Centre for Accessible Environments, Dr Agarwal has spent decades advocating for universal design, disability rights, and inclusive infrastructure across India.
Her work has influenced public spaces, transport systems, and policy conversations, making accessibility a national priority rather than an afterthought.
In 2025, her relentless efforts were recognised with the Community Catalyst Award at the Uddhesya Awards, honouring her role in driving systemic change: one ramp, one policy, and one inclusive space at a time.
- Banu Mushtaq: Elevating Kannada Literature on the Global Stage
When Heart Lamp won the International Booker Prize 2025, history was made. Banu Mushtaq became the first Kannada writer to receive this prestigious global honour, bringing international attention to a literary tradition long underrepresented in world publishing.
Rooted in the landscapes and lived experiences of coastal Karnataka, her stories explore memory, migration, identity, and womanhood with quiet power. Through Daisy Rockwell’s translation, her words travelled across borders, proving that regional stories can resonate universally.
Banu Mushtaq’s win was not just a personal milestone—it was a cultural moment for Indian language literature.
- Supriya Sahu: Leading India’s Climate Action from the Front
As Tamil Nadu’s Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forests, Supriya Sahu continued to strengthen environmental governance in 2025. Her leadership focused on sustainable urban development, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience at the state level.
By aligning policy with action, she reinforced the idea that climate leadership must be practical, inclusive, and future-focused. Her work placed Tamil Nadu at the forefront of India’s environmental and climate initiatives.
- Safeena Hussain: Educating Girls, Transforming Futures
Safeena Hussain’s work stands on a simple yet powerful belief: educating girls transforms entire communities. Through her initiatives, she has enabled thousands of girls from marginalized backgrounds to access education, confidence, and opportunity.
In 2025, her impact continued to grow as her efforts helped break cycles of poverty and gender inequality, proving that education is one of the strongest tools for long-term social change.
- Indian Women’s Cricket Team: Redefining Excellence
The Indian Women’s Cricket Team didn’t just play the game in 2025, they dominated it. With consistency, confidence, and collective strength, they shattered long-standing stereotypes and glass ceilings in Indian sports.
Their performances inspired a new generation of girls to see cricket not as a distant dream, but as a real possibility. In doing so, they reinforced that women’s sports deserve equal respect, visibility, and celebration.
- Varsha Deshpande: Three Decades of Fighting for Justice
For nearly 35 years, Varsha Deshpande has been at the forefront of India’s struggle against gender-based violence, discrimination, and systemic injustice. As the founder of Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (1990), she has worked tirelessly to end child marriage, strengthen women’s property rights, support informal sector workers, and fight sex selection.
Her organization empowers marginalized women through vocational training, legal aid, financial independence, and rights awareness.
In 2025, Deshpande became only the third Indian to receive the United Nations Population Award (Individual Category), recognizing her lifelong leadership in advancing gender equality and reproductive justice in India and globally.
- Purnima Devi Barman: Saving Storks, Empowering Women
A wildlife biologist from Assam, Purnima Devi Barman, has dedicated her life to protecting the endangered greater adjutant stork, one of the rarest birds in the world.
She founded the Hargilla Army, a unique community initiative that trains local women to protect nesting sites and spread environmental awareness. By connecting conservation with women’s empowerment, she created a sustainable, people-led model of environmental protection.
In 2025, she was named among Time magazine’s Women of the Year, becoming the only Indian woman on the list and earning global recognition for her grassroots impact.
- Blind Women’s Cricket Team: Redefining What’s Possible
The Blind Women’s Cricket Team of India proved that vision is not limited to sight. With skill, discipline, and determination, they challenged assumptions about disability and sport.
Their performances in 2025 sent a powerful message—that talent finds its way when barriers are removed and opportunities are created.
- Women’s Kabaddi Team: Power, Grit, Glory
The Indian Women’s Kabaddi Team continued to make the nation proud with their strength, strategy, and resilience. Match after match, they showcased the raw power and mental toughness that define Indian women in sport.
Their success reinforced kabaddi’s place as a game of courage and collective spirit.
- Women of the Year 2025: More Than Achievements
These women and teams didn’t just win awards or matches in 2025—they changed mindsets. They challenged systems, amplified unheard voices, and reminded the world that progress is driven by courage, consistency, and compassion.
11 WOMEN. INFINITE IMPACT.
Their stories continue to inspire—and invite us to ask: Who inspired you the most in 2025?