International Women's Day: She's the one

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!

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.

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.

Tanishaa Mukerji, actress and producer

The woman who has inspired me consistently 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.