Wed Dec 04 05:37:21 UTC 2024: ## Three Indian Women Among BBC’s 100 Most Influential
**New Delhi, India** – Three Indian women have been recognized among the BBC’s 100 Most Influential and Inspiring Women of 2024. Social activist Aruna Roy, Olympic wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat, and funeral rites pioneer Pooja Sharma join a prestigious list that includes astronauts, actors, and Nobel laureates.
Roy, a former civil servant and co-founder of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), has dedicated decades to fighting for the rights of India’s rural poor. Her advocacy played a crucial role in the passage of India’s Right to Information Act. Currently president of the National Federation of Indian Women, Roy continues her grassroots activism and recently published her memoir.
Phogat, a three-time Olympian and one of India’s most decorated wrestlers, is celebrated not only for her athletic achievements but also for her outspoken stance against gender inequality in sports. After a controversial disqualification from the Olympic final this year, she retired from wrestling and entered politics, leading high-profile protests against alleged sexual harassment within the Indian Wrestling Federation.
Sharma, founder of the Bright The Soul Foundation, challenges traditional gender roles by performing funeral rites for unclaimed bodies in Delhi. Breaking with Hindu custom, she has conducted over 4,000 last rites for people of various faiths in the past three years, a mission inspired by her own experience performing her brother’s funeral.
The BBC’s recognition highlights the significant contributions of these three Indian women to social justice, sports, and community service.
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