Women story in one word

Whether these famous females were inventors, scientists, leaders, politicians, or literal Queens, these 12 strong women undeniably changed the world for the better.

The famous women in this list are remembered for being the rule-breakers and pioneers that showed their male peers what it means to be role models.

Here are the 12 women who changed the world

1. Jane Austen (1775 – 1817)

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

The OG rom-com queen, Jane Austen defined an entire literary genre with her shrewd social observations and wit. Born into a family of eight children in England, Austen started writing her now classic novels, such as Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, in her teens.

Her novels are funny, endearing, and questioned women’s roles within society. Austen had to hide her identity as the author of some of the most popular novels of her day and it wasn’t until her death that her brother, Henry, revealed to the public that she was the real author. Her literary influence remains and the themes and lessons from her novels still hold up today.

2. Anne Frank (1929 – 1945)

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”

The Diary of Anne Frank is one of the most honest, powerful and poignant accounts of World War II and was written by a German teenage girl. The Franks were a Jewish family living in Germany, then Austria throughout Hitler’s rise to power and during World War II. The family hid in a secret annex with four other people throughout the war but were discovered and sent to concentration camps in 1944. Out of the Frank family, only Anne’s father survived, and he made the decision to publish Anne’s diary.

The Diary of Anne Frank has been translated into almost 70 languages and is an intimate portrayal of one of the most inhumane moments in history and is able to educate us on the universal human qualities of emotion, passion, love, hope, desire, fear and strength.

3. Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014)

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou is one of the most influential women in American history and was a poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist, whose award-winning memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings made literary history as the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman.

Angelou had a difficult childhood. As a black woman growing up in Stamps, Arkansas, Maya experienced racial prejudices and discrimination all throughout her life. At the age of seven, Angelou was assaulted by her mother’s boyfriend, who was then killed by her uncles as revenge. The incident traumatised Angelou to the point that she became a virtual mute for many years.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings as well as her other works have been one of the loudest voices in the civil rights movement, and explore subjects such as identity, rape, racism, and literacy, and illustrate how strength of character and a love of literature can help overcome racism and trauma.

4. Queen Elizabeth I (1533 – 1603)

“Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind.”

Elizabeth called herself ‘The Virgin Queen’ because she chose to marry her country instead of a man. It might seem like ancient history now, but Queen Elizabeth I is one of the most successful monarchs in British history, and under her, England became a major European power in politics, commerce and the arts.

Elizabeth had a rocky road to the throne and technically should never have been allowed to reign, both because she was a woman and because her mother was Anne Boleyn, the much-hated ex-wife of Henry VIII.

However, Elizabeth I proved all the naysayers wrong and has become one of the greatest female leaders. Known for her intelligence, cunning and hot-temper, ‘The Virgin Queen’ was one truly one of the great women in history.

5. Catherine the Great (1729 – 1796)

“Power without a nation’s confidence is nothing.”

Catherine the Great is one of the world’s great historical figures and the Prussian-born Queen is one of the more ruthless women to make this list.

Stuck in a loveless marriage to the King of Russia, Catherine orchestrated a coup to overthrow her wildly unpopular husband Peter III, and then named herself Empress of the Russian Empire in 1762.

Catherine is credited for modernising Russia and established the first state-funded school for girls, reeled back the power of the church within the state and encouraged the development of the economy, trade and the arts.

She is also known for her healthy sexual appetite, having numerous lovers right up until her death who she would often gift with an abundance of jewels and titles before sending them on their way to make room for their replacement.  Now there’s a woman who knows what she wants.

6. Sojourner Truth (1797 – 1883)

“Truth is powerful and it prevails.”

Sojourner Truth is one of the most inspirational black women in America’s history and her words belong to one of the most famous speeches by any woman.  An African-American abolitionist and women’s rights activist, Truth delivered a now famous speech at the Ohio Women’s Right’s Convention in Akron, 1851, that has come to be known as “Ain’t I a Woman?”

Truth was separated from her family at the age of nine and was subsequently sold for auction as a slave along with a flock of sheep for $100. In 1829, Truth escaped to freedom with her infant daughter Sophia, but her other two children had to be left behind.

Truth began to advocate for the rights of women and African Americans in the late 1840’s and was known for giving passionate speeches about women’s rights, prison reform and universal suffrage.  Truth, who died in Michigan in 1883, is known as one of the foremost leaders of the abolition movement and one of the earliest advocates for women’s rights.

7. Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005)

“I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free… so other people would be also free.”

Rosa Parks was on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, when the bus driver asked her to stand up and give her seat to a white man. Parks, a black seamstress, refused and in doing so sparked an entire civil rights movement in America.

Born in 1913, Parks moved to Alabama at age 11, and attended a laboratory school at the Alabama State Teachers’ College for Negroes, until she had to leave in 11^th grade to care for her ill grandmother.

Before 1955, Parks was a member of Montgomery’s African-American community and in 1943 joined the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP, where she became chapter secretary.

In 1955, Alabama was still governed by segregation laws and had a policy for municipal buses where white citizens only were allowed to sit in the front, and black men and women had to sit in the back. On December 1^st, there were no more seats left in the white section, so the bus conductor told the four black riders to stand and give the white man a whole row. Three obeyed, Parks did not.

Parks was subsequently arrested, and her actions sparked a wave of protests across America. When she died at the age of 92 on October 24, 2005, she became the first woman in the nation’s history to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.

8. Malala Yousafzai (1997 — Present)

“I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is the story of many girls.”

Malala Yousafzai was born in Pakistan on July 12, 1997. Yousafzai’s father was a teacher and ran an all-girls school in her village, however when the Taliban took over her town they enforced a ban on all girls going to school. In 2012, at the age of 15, Malala publicly spoke out on women’s rights to education and as a result, a gunman boarded her school bus and shot the young activist in the head.

Malala survived.

Yousafzai moved to the UK where she has become a fierce presence on the world stage and became the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, at 17 years old. Malala is currently studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford.

9. Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

Polish-born Marie Curie was a pioneering physicist and scientist, who coined the term radioactivity, discovered two new elements (radium and polonium) and developed a portable x-ray machine.

Currie was the first person (not woman) who has won two separate Noble Prizes, one for physics and another for chemistry, and to this day Curie is the only person, regardless of gender, to receive Noble prizes for two different sciences.

Currie faced near constant adversity and discrimination throughout her career, as science and physics was such a male-dominated field, but despite this, her research remains relevant and has influenced the world of science to this day.

10. Ada Lovelace (1815 – 1852)

“That brain of mine is something more than merely mortal; as time will show.”

Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and the world’s first computer programmer. Lovelace was born into privilege as the daughter of a famously unstable romantic poet, Lord Byron (who left her family when Ada was just 2 months old) and Lady Wentworth.

Ada was a charming woman of society who was friends with people such as Charles Dickens, but she is most famous for being the first person ever to publish an algorithm intended for a computer, her genius being years ahead of her time.

Lovelace died of cancer at 36, and it took nearly a century after her death for people to appreciate her notes on Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which became recognised as the first description for computer and software, ever.

11. Edith Cowan (1861 – 1932)

«Women are very desirous of their being placed on absolutely equal terms with men. We ask for neither more nor less than that.”

Her face is on our $50 dollar note and she has a University named after her in Western Australia, but what you may not know is that Edith Cowan was Australia’s first ever female member of parliament and a fierce women’s rights activist.

Edith’s childhood was traumatic, to say the least. Her mother died while giving birth when Cowan was just seven years old, and her father was accused and then convicted of murdering his second wife when she was 15 and was subsequently executed.

From a young age Edith was a pioneer for women’s rights, and her election to parliament at 59 in 1921, was both unexpected and controversial.

During her time in parliament Cowan pushed through legislation which allowed women to be involved in the legal profession, promoted migrant welfare and sex education in schools and placed mothers on equal position with fathers when their children died without having made a will.

Edith died at age 70, but her legacy remains to this day.

12. Amelia Earhart (1897 – 1939)

“Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.”

Amelia Earhart was the definition of a rule breaker. An American aviator who became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and the first person ever to fly solo from Hawaii to the US, Amelia was a pioneering aviator and a true female trailblazer.

Earhart refused to be boxed in by her gender from a young age, born in Kansas in 1897 Amelia played basketball growing up, took auto repair courses and briefly attended college. In 1920, Earhart began flying lessons and quickly became determined to receive her pilot’s license, passing her flight test in December 1921.

Earhart set multiple aviation records, but it was her attempt at being the first person to circumnavigate the globe which led to her disappearance and presumed death. In July 1937, Earhart disappeared somewhere over the Pacific, and was declared dead in absentia in 1939. Her plane wreckage has never been found and to this day, her disappearance remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century.  

International Women’s day is celebrated in many countries around the world to revel the achievements of women beyond the divisions of national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political barriers. Today, Remembering The Famous Women In History with gender equality and women’s rights are openly debatable topics but this discussion of women empowerment and women’s rights is not new. The debate dates back to 1848 when the women marched together for the civil, social, political rights in the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. United Nations officially recognized the day in 1977 as Women’s Day and since then every year the day is associated with a specific theme. The theme for 2020 is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”.

We are all aware of the efforts this generation of women is taking to move beyond the dominant ideology of patriarchy. But, do we know about the inspirational women in history who led the movement towards women’s rights. These rebellious women who broke the shackles of set gender stereotypes deserve a shout out on the 109^th International women’s day.

Here is the list of Famous Women In History who brought the revolution in women rights:

1. Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

Marie Curie is known as the celebrity scientist for her contribution to cancer research. She was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1903 for her research in radioactivity. Curie later went on to win a second Nobel Prize, for chemistry in 1911. To date, she is the only person to have won two Nobel in two different sciences and one of the famous women in world history.

Due to the research in radioactivity, she was exposed to radioactive materials and carried test tubes of radium in her pockets. She died of aplastic anemia at the age of 66. Her contribution to Cancer research cost her own life, but Marie’s legacy lives to date.

2. Ada Lovelace (1815–1852)

It is often said that female contribution in the technological sector is less as compared to that of men. But Ada Lovelace’s contribution to the technological world proves the contrary. Born in the early 19th century, Ada is the first computer programmer. Her interest in science and mathematics challenged the expectations of class and gender at that time.

Ada is an influential woman figure not just because she was a woman excelling during a period when men dominated the fields of science and mathematics, but also she had a unique and farsighted vision into the potential of computers.

3. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the founding feminist philosophers, an English writer, and an advocate of women’s rights. Even today, feminists often quote her work as an important influence. She book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is the foundation of modern feminism that argues for the equality of women to men.

Through her book, she concentrated on the limitations that women suffer due to the lack of education rights. She writes: “Taught from their infancy that beauty is woman’s scepter, the mind shapes itself to the body, and, roaming round its gilt cage, only seeks to adorn its prison.” She implies that, without the encouragement young women receive from an early age to focus their attention on beauty and outward accomplishments, women could achieve much more.

4. Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)

“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction,” quotes Virginia Woolf, a famous English author. Apart from being a great author, Virginia was also one of the founders of the influential literary set the Bloomsbury Group.

Virginia was a fan of Mary Wollstonecraft’s work and just like Mary, she too turned into an inspiring feminist. She was one of the central subjects of the 1970s movement of feminist criticism and her works have ever since been in limelight as an inspiration. Today, you will find Virginia Woolf commemorated by statues, societies dedicated to her work and a building at the London University. Despite a complex personal life and controversial viewpoints, Virginia is an influential woman figure for the generations.

5. Queen Victoria (1819-1901)

One of the UK’s most iconic monarchs is Queen Victoria. She was crowned in 1837 and foresaw the nation and its empire for a remarkable period. She ruled for 6 decades witnessing social, technological and economic change throughout history. Queen Victoria was the empress of the world’s largest-ever empire, and her name denotes an entire era of British History. Even today, century after her death, she is portrayed in countless films and TV series.

6. Diana, Princess of Wales (1961-1997)

Diana, the rebel princess of the royal family, is one of the most famous women in history. Her transformation from a dutiful, innocent bride to an outspoken and controversial figure is noteworthy. Diana ripped up the rule book and lived her life on her terms.

Diana was the centre of attraction for media, regardless of her being a part of the royal family or even after her divorce. She has left behind a legacy of social work which was well renowned globally. She spread awareness among individuals on the issues which were considered taboo like HIV/AIDS, mental illness and those affected by cancer. The Princess of Wales never went by the rules and always led by her heart not mind.

7. Bessie Coleman (1892-1926)

Back then racism was also a topic of concern that limited access to basic rights. In 1921, Bessie Coleman was the first American woman to earn an international pilot’s license, regardless of racial discrimination. She was prohibited from entering the American flying schools. She traveled to France to earn her license because American racial and gender bias issues restricted her to pursue her passion.

Despite having a license she couldn’t fly commercial planes thus leaving her the option of stunt flying. Bessie was a famous woman in history as huge crowds gathered to watch her shows. She raised money through the stunt flying and founded a school to train black aviators so that others could fulfill the dream that she couldn’t.

8. Amelia Earhart (1897–1937)

Another rebel aviator back in the era was Amelia Earhart, she took up aviation in 1921 at the age of 24. The following year, she broke the women’s altitude record when her flight raised the flight to 14,000 feet. Throughout the years, she broke many records resulting in her honorable mentions in aviation history.

Amelia was the first person to fly across from the Red Sea to India. She would have more records named after her but sadly was reported missing on 2 July near the Pacific. Amelia’s disappearance is to date is still an unsolved mystery.

9. Josephine Butler(1828-1906)

Josephine Butler is termed as the most distinguished woman in the nineteenth century. She was an English feminist and a social reformer in the Victorian era. She was fierce in discussing the double standard that existed in the male-dominant society.

Josephine actively campaigned for the women’s suffrage, the right of women to better education, the end of coverture in British law, and putting an end to child prostitution and human trafficking of young women. Josephine’s campaign strategies have reformed the way feminists and suffragists conducted future struggles and her work grabbed the attention of political people who never actively participated in the gender equality discussion.

10. Cleopatra (69BC-30BC)

Cleopatra is the final ruler of Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty; she was the epitome of beauty and courage. Being a formidable, politically shrewd monarch, she brilliantly handled all the challenges throughout her reign.

Cleopatra spoke as many as a dozen languages and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory, and astronomy. She is described as a ruler who elevated the ranks of scholars and enjoyed their company. Cleopatra was ambitious in her desire to rule and influenced the politics of Rome like no other woman of her era.

11. Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

Mother Teresa was a Roman Catholic nun who devoted her whole life to caring for the sick and poor. She was born in Albania but spent most of her life in India. She established the Missionaries of Charity in 1950 which attracted many sisters. Later, many of them together took vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and free service to the poorest of the poor. Over 130 countries, the charity trust managed homes for the people who were dying, food for needy, orphanages and schools. Mother Teresa is one of the most famous women in world history.

She is still criticized for her views on abortion; however, she is a loved figure world-wide and a global inspiration who changed the lives of many vulnerable people.

12. Wangari Maathai (1940-2011)

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmental activist who created the Green Belt Movement. This movement was centered on planting trees, environmental conversation, and women’s rights. She stood up courageously against the former oppressive regime in Kenya. Her actions shed light on the political oppression both nationally and internationally. Wangari is an inspiration for many in the fight for democratic rights and has encouraged numerous women in the betterment of the situation.

Wangari became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate. She was the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, peace, and democracy. She is an inspirational figure and among the most famous black women. From 2003-05 Wangari was elected to parliament and appointed assistant minister for Environment and Natural Resources.

13. Indira Gandhi (1917-1984)

“I am in no sense a feminist, but I believe in women being able to do everything…Given the opportunity to develop, capable Indian women have come to the top at once,” quotes Indira Gandhi, the first and only female Prime Minister of India to date.

Indira Gandhi did not discuss her gender but she surely involved herself in the issues faced by women. Stepping away from gender roles, Indira performed her duties as a professional and not a ‘woman professional’. Indira Gandhi is one of the most famous women in Indian history. She is remembered for her political steel and the controversial legacy.

14. Mary Anning (1799-1847)

Far from the limits of precise education in, Mary Anning became one of Britain’s leading experts on prehistoric life. Mary was not formally educated in the field of paleontology but her curiosity led her to scour the cliffs of Lyme Rigs. Mary once wrote in a letter, “The world has used me so unkindly; I fear it has made me suspicious of everyone.”

She was a fossil collector, dealer, and paleontologist who became popular due to the Jurassic Marine findings. Mary’s contribution to the prehistoric study led to important changes in scientific thinking about the history of Earth.

15. Theodora (c497-548)

Theodora was the most powerful woman in Byzantine history. She was one of the first rulers to understand the rights of women and altering divorce laws to give greater benefits to women. She even prohibited young girls from trafficking.

Theodora did not belong to a humble background and yet was one of the most influential and powerful of the Eastern Roman empresses.

16. Nellie Bly (1864-1922)

Back in the days when women journalists focused more on domestic topics, Nellie Bly broke the chain and wrote hard-hitting stories about the poor and oppressed. She was a pioneer in her field and launched a new branch of journalism called investigative journalism. However, Nellie Bly was her pen name, her real name was Elizabeth Cochran Seaman.

Nellie was an American journalist, industrialist, inventor, and charity worker who was widely known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days. During 1886-87 she traveled for several months in Mexico to investigate the malpractices, report official corruption and the condition of the poor, whilst also working undercover as an insane person to expose conditions inside asylums.

17. Marie Van Brittan Brown (1922-1999)

Marie Van Brittan Brown was professionally an African–American nurse and also the inventor of the first home security system. Marie also credited for the invention of the first closed-circuit television. She invented the CCTV for the protection of her family and friends. There was huge police negligence, so she invented the movable camera that could display images on a TV screen monitor of whoever was at the front door. In 1966, Marie patents the idea and it is still popular and used widely.

18. Sarah Breedlove (1867-1919)

The first self-made female millionaire in America was Sarah Breedlove, popularly known as Madam C.J.Walker. She was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. Sarah developed a line of beauty and hair products and personally marketed the products globally.

Sarah established a Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company that made her one of the most successful wealthiest self-made women in history. Likewise, Sarah is one of the most famous black women in history.

19. Mary Somerville (1780-1872)

Mary Somerville is recognized as the “Queen of the Sciences.” She never attended any university but her contribution to science made Oxford open the doors for women education.

Her research aims at complex French astronomy that later became a standard textbook, and her syntheses of scientific knowledge communicated the latest discoveries to the public audience. Mary’s contribution was also celebrated by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2017, by featuring her on the new £10 note.

20. Sarojini Naidu (1879-1949)

Sarojini Naidu is known as the Nightingale of India. She was an Indian independence activist and poet. Sarojini was the first Indian woman to be the president of the Indian National Congress and also to be appointed as the Indian state governor. She is among the famous women in Indian history.

She was a close friend of Mohandas Gandhi and in 1917, both formed the Women’s India Association. Sarojini led the civil disobedience movement in colonial India with this association.

21. Maria Bochkareva (1889-1920)

Very few people know that women were also directly involved in the war during World War I. Maria Bochkareva was one of the 1,000 women who joined the Russian army. At that time, the majority of women dressed as men to participate in the war but Maria didn’t hide her gender.

In 1917, she was made the commander of Russia’s first all-female Battalion of Death. During that period, when no other countries allowed women in combat roles, she headed an army troop. Under her headship, the battalion was succeeded in taking over the German trenches on the Eastern Front.

22. Junko Tabei (1939-2016)

Regardless of the backlash from the people, Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, a place in which she described a “smaller than a tatami mat.” Junko emerged as a symbol for women’s empowerment and challenges the female stereotype and made headlines for her astounding human endurance.

23. Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845)

In the Victorian period, the prisoners were kept in callous conditions. Elizabeth Fry was an English Quaker, also known as the “Angel of Prisons” led the campaign to make conditions for the prisoners more humane. Also, she tried to change and improve the hospital systems and treatment for the insane.Grace Hopper (1906-92)

24. Grace Hopper (1906-92)

Technology has always been revolutionizing society. When the era of electronic computers began, Grace Hopper was one of the leading players among the team. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale University in 1934.

Grace developed COBOL, the commercial programming language that enabled a military innovation to transform the business world.

25. Coco Chanel (1883-1971)

Chanel has a long-lived legacy of the biggest fashion brand. The inventor of this female fashion line was Coco Chanel. Coco experienced a difficult, nomadic childhood in France and emerged as an internationally famous designer. Her fashion line extends as apparel, jewellery, and perfume.

She revolutionized the fashion industry and making female fashion comfortable. “There have been several Duchesses of Westminster—but there is only one Chanel!”

Thus, women in history were not victims but heroes who began the rebellion for women’s rights. The current generation may feel that the battle for equality is tough, but the feminists from the 1970s know the prolonged and ingrained complexity of patriarchy. Due to women’s revolt against the set stereotypes, the world is witnessing a significant change and shift in both women’s and society’s thoughts. To conclude, Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and activist once explained: “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.”

You may also be interested in reading: Women Entrepreneurs Can Mind Her Own Business!

Illustration by Anirban Ghosh

TOWARDS FREEDOM (1st Prize)

«Jana gana mana …» The schoolboy squirmed. Another two minutes? He knew he should stand at attention. The drillmaster’s cane loomed large.»Vindhya Himachal …»He grunted in discomfort. This was unbearable. He considered making a dash; after all he was in the last row. What if the master noticed? The cane loomed again. He gritted his teeth.»Tava shubha …»This is it. He cast his eyes around.»Jaya he …»He started running.»Jaya he …»He was almost there.»Jaya he …»The chorus floated from afar. He was already in the toilet, heaving a relieved sigh.

—Subramaniam Mohan, Chennai

THE WINDOW (2nd Prize)

On a windy winter morning, a woman looked out of the window.The only thing she saw, a garden. A smile spread across her face as she spotted Maria, her daughter, in the middle of the garden enjoying the weather. It started drizzling. Maria started dancing joyfully.She tried to wave to her daughter, but her elbow was stuck, her arm hurt, her smile turned upside down. Reality came crashing down as the drizzle turned into a storm. Maria’s murdered corpse consumed her mind.On a windy winter morning, a woman looked out of the window of her jail cell.

—Saanchi Wadhwa, New Delhi

IDENTITY CRISIS (3rd Prize)

The country was on fire. Communal riots had paralyzed most of the state. Reyaz, with the help of a friend, got a fake identity card—his new name was Rakesh—and booked a ticket to Aligarh. The ticket checker on the train asked for his identification—Reyaz nervously showed the one he had recently procured. He seemed satisfied and Reyaz heaved a sigh of relief.At Aligarh there was none to fear. «Assalamu alaikum,» said Reyaz to ward off a group of enraged people. The angriest of them, with bloodshot eyes, approached Reyaz and asked for his identity card.

—Junaid H. Nahvi, New Delhi

LEERING LOTHARIO (4th Prize)

She peered over the open magazine, and there he was, still staring at her, disconcertingly. For the past 30 minutes, she’d endured his irritating attention. Time to call airport security. The burly cop strode in purposefully, with a sleek Alsatian on leash. «Sir, there’s been a complaint. I need you to come with me. Quietly, please,» he growled. The leather-jacketed man didn’t move a muscle. His hands were rock-steady on the trolley handle in front of him. The cop waited for a minute, and then reached out to handcuff the Ray-Ban-wearing guy. The hands were locked in rigor mortis.

—Ed Sudhir, Bengaluru

LOVE ACTUALLY

«Do you believe in shooting stars?» she asked.»Do you?»»There is no harm, is there?» She paused. «I’d love to sit in the balcony amidst all the flowerpots and watch the busy world go by.»He said nothing. She needed no assurance, no promise. She squawked a reply when they asked if she was ready to go back to her room. It would be another 10 minutes before the duty nurse wheeled him away.She had laughed at the last tooth he had lost. He had teased her about the silver hair at the back of her sweater.

—Maya Davi Chalissery, Thrissur, Kerala

A BROKEN PROMISE

Hearing a knock on the door,  she hustled towards it with her  little feet, her lips uncloaking the cutest smile and her voice singing, «Daddy’s home!» Her mum, glued to the news channels for the past week, approached the door hesitantly and opened it with trepidation.Two men in military uniform were standing at the doorstep. One of them handed her an envelope with a mournful expression, adding plaintively, «We’re sorry, Mrs Bhatt.»»Where’s my dad, Uncle? He promised we’ll celebrate Diwali together this time,» exclaimed the girl. They stared helplessly, with a lump in their throats and moistened eyes.

—Aditi Sharma, New Delhi

MEETING THE ONE

They met at a cafe, stealing glances at each other while the parents  spoke animatedly.They remained silent throughout, only exchanging shy smiles while ordering snacks at the counter.Returning with the food, he moved to the head of the table to get a good look at her.Noticing his manoeuvre, she smiled down at her coffee, making him beam like a proud schoolboy.When the two families parted at the end of the meeting, he rushed back to the cafe, praying that the girl, who had been at the table behind theirs all afternoon, would still be there.

—Preyanka Paswan, New Delhi

HUMANKIND

It was pouring, as I entered a  nearby porch.Out of the blue, a kid startled me from behind—I panicked and scampered away. His father asked him not to scare anyone.After some initial hiccups we became good friends. I often visited their house, ate with them.One day, while I was slurping down the milk, a man entered their portico, begging for food.The father yelled at him and pushed him out of the entrance.I was terrified, and in a jiffy, I ran away screaming, «Meow! Meow …»

—Aswin R. S., Chennai

RED SAND

Border guard Melissa Walter fumed, «Madam President’s lost it.» A new batch was arriving. The count had crossed 10,000. «As if the country doesn’t have enough mouths to feed.»Officer Gerald was off-duty, so here she was, about to ‘welcome’ refugees. The boat arrived. She pasted on her best professional smile.So many people, all skinny and gaunt. Teary, scared eyes, with a weak gait. Clinging to the elders, the children walked on.»Look!» a boy exclaimed, dropping down. «The sand is so soft here. It’s not red. Can I touch, Mama?» he pleaded.Melissa stood still, stunned into silence.

—Geetha M., Kanchipuram

WHAT, SERIOUSLY?

Varun called his friend over to his house. When he arrived, he told him he had to speak to him about a problem. They both went up to Varun’s room.»What is it?» asked the friend. «I think I am having an identity crisis,» said Varun.»What do you mean?» asked his friend.»MOOOOOO!» he bellowed like a cow.His friend stood frozen, in stunned silence. Varun burst out laughing, «I was just kidding!»»Are you sure? Because we just ran out of milk,» came the reply.

—Aditi Ashok, Chennai

THE GOODBYE

Out jogging, I saw two elderly women hugging each other and weeping inconsolably. The women had been good friends, living in adjacent apartments on the ground floor, for years.One of them was now having to shift to the fifth floor, as the house owner wished to undertake major maintenance work.Since there were no lifts in the building, she would be carried upstairs, unable to come down—ever again. Her friend, just as frail, would not be able to visit her upstairs either. Accepting the inevitability of their permanent separation, the poor dears said their final goodbyes.

—Deepak Nair, Thiruvananthapuram

ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE

As a married couple, they led a charmed life. Jantu had his own circle of friends and Tulu had hers. And every morning they exchanged and savoured their previous day’s experiences over breakfast. Jantu was not immune to the seven-year-itch, though. The days he strayed were few and far between. Faithful Tulu was quietly accommodating. On the nights he slipped, Jantu would indicate it by skipping his daily apple at breakfast.That morning, Jantu was devastated to see Tulu’s favourite pear was left untouched.

—K. L. Narayanan, Bengaluru

THE UGLY TRUTH

«Hello,» said the figure cloaked in darkness.»Who are you?» I asked.»I am that which you fear the most,» it said to me and stepped into the light.What I saw next sent me into a paroxysm of fear. There stood a creature most hideous: twisted body, gnarled fingers, with a semblance of what might have once been a face. Chillingly revealing a gaping hole where its heart should have been, spilling oily blackness.Overcome with revulsion and trembling in horror, I fell to my knees.»I am you,» said the creature.

—Vaishnavi R. Krishna, Thiruvananthapuram

MUMMIFIED

During our visit to Egypt’s Alexandria National Museum, I took my five-year-old son to the basement to see a mummy and started explaining what it was. Confused, he bolted from the room and rushed to his mother, who was busy chatting with other tourists.He told my wife breathlessly, «Mum! Dad just showed me another mummy. He is looking at her.»Surprised, my wife followed him to the basement. She sized up the situation instantly and retorted, «Oh! Mummy is a daddy.»Confused, sonny asked innocently, «If mummy is the daddy, then who is the mummy’s mummy?»

—Dhananjay Sinha, Kolkata

STREET SMART

It was 9 a.m., 26 January. The politician’s car, on the way to the flag-hoisting ceremony, stopped at a red light. A 10-year-old street vendor came running to the car and waved the tricolour, hoping that selling one more flag will help him buy some vada pav. With no intention of buying, the politician rolled down the window and smirked, «Today you are selling the national flag. On other days, I have seen you sell toys, umbrellas and kites. Is there anything you have not sold so far?»»Our country,» the boy retorted at once.

—Kalpesh Sheth, Mumbai

All entries have been edited for clarity. They were graded on grammar, language, originality, plot device and storytelling technique by RD editors, basis which the winning entries were selected. Winners will receive book prizes, courtesy HarperCollins Publishers India.