Women's Day 2019: TV ladies join #BalanceforBetter campaign, recall their inspiration

On the occasion of Women's Day 2019, Television actresses remembered Indian women who inspired youth and proved the society that girls are not lesser than boys. The actresses also joined the International Women's Day 2019 campaign theme #BalanceforBetter by remembering how those historical women balanced the identity of women with golden words in pages of yesterday.

Helly Shah: Ahilyabai Holkar inspires me a lot as she is not only known for women empowerment but also for her stand against the odd rule our society followed. After the death of her husband Khanderao Holkar, Ahilyabai Holkar became the queen of Malwa. Her reign lasted for 30 years and she ruled with the utmost compassion and pride. During her time, the region prospered and scaled many new heights. She is often cited as the "philosopher queen" and an "absolute ideal ruler."

Devoleena Bhattacharya: Abala Bose, known for her efforts in the advancement of women’s education and her contribution towards the alleviation of the condition of widows. She was an early feminist and frequently wrote about why women needed more education and stressed that women's minds were just as important as men's. Later in her life, she set up the Nari Shiksha Samiti, a nonprofit whose mission was to educate girls and women. She also opened a home for widows and a rehabilitation centre for women. Her courage to fight the black and white Indian society inspires me a lot.

Amrapali Gupta: Popular long-distance swimmer, Arati Saha inspires me to be non-judgemental about gender. She was the first Indian and Asian woman to swim across the English Channel in 1959. She was the first female sportsperson to be awarded Padma Shri in 1960.

Mahika Sharma: Warrior Monarch of Bijapur, Chand Bibi is my inspiration. She defended Ahmednagar against Mughal emperor Akbar. One of the bravest women of her times, she successfully defended her throne when Akbar's forces invaded. In fact, she defended her reign twice. She was unfortunately killed in the third battle by her own companions as a rumours spread that she was joining hands with the Mughals.

Roop Durgapal: I admire Mother Teresa. The founder of Missionaries of Charity (1910 - 1997), she was known for her extensive work for the poor. She was Bharat Ratna recipient and the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.  She dedicated her life to working for the poor people of India. She received many awards in India and elsewhere in the world. Through her Missionary of Charities organization, she personally cared for thousands of sick and dying people in Calcutta. She also worked tirelessly 24/7 to eradicate poverty and improve lives around the world. She is frequently featured on any list of "women who changed the world."

Anju Jadhav: I admire Shobha Chalukya, the princess of Saurashtra, who risked her life to save the temple of Somnath and her kingdom from Gaznavi and his goons. She has influenced my life and I look up to her. She is a perfect example of beauty with brains. She used her beauty and fooled Gaznavi and hence saved thousands of people.