Social activist Aruna Roy, Olympic Wrestler Vinesh Phogat and Performer Of Funeral Rites Pooja Sharma.
Three Indians have made it to the list of BBC’s 100 Most Influential and Inspiring Women of 2024. Social activist Aruna Roy, wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat, and funerary rites pioneer Pooja Sharma have joined a stellar lineup that includes stranded astronaut Sunita Williams, Hollywood actress Sharon Stone, rape survivor Gisele Pelicot, Nobel Peace laureate Nadia Murad, and climate activist Adenike Oladosu.
Aruna Roy, Social Activist
Social activist Aruna Roy has dedicated over four decades to championing the rights of India’s rural poor. A former civil servant, Ms Roy co-founded the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), an organisation advocating for transparency, fair wages, and government accountability. Her efforts were instrumental in enacting India’s Right to Information Act in 2005.
As president of the National Federation of Indian Women, Ms Roy continues to lead grassroots movements and published her memoir, The Personal is Political, earlier this year.
Vinesh Phogat, Olympic Wrestler
Vinesh Phogat, a three-time Olympian and one of India’s most decorated wrestlers, has been a strong voice against gender bias in sports. She has earned medals in the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games.
This year, she became India’s first female wrestler to reach an Olympic final but was disqualified after being 100 grams over the weight limit. Following this, Ms Phogat retired from wrestling and ventured into politics.
Known for speaking out against gender stereotypes, she led a prominent protest by Indian wrestlers against former Indian Wrestling Federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexually harassing female athletes – a charge he denied. The protest gained national attention when Ms Phogat and others were detained by police during a demonstration.
Pooja Sharma, Performer Of Funeral Rites
Pooja Sharma has redefined societal norms by performing funerary rites for unclaimed bodies – a role traditionally reserved for men in Hindu culture – in Delhi. Her mission began after the death of her brother, whose final rites she had to perform alone.
She is the founder of Bright The Soul Foundation and in the past three years, Ms Sharma has conducted over 4,000 last rites for people from various religions.
