Shabana Azmi is an Indian actress of film, television and theatre. Her career in the Hindi film industry has spanned over 160 films, mostly within independent and neorealist parallel cinema, though her work extended to mainstream films as well as a number of foreign projects. One of India's most acclaimed actresses, Azmi is known for her portrayals of distinctive, often unconventional female characters across several genres. She has won a record five National Film Awards for Best Actress, in addition to five Filmfare Awards and several international accolades. The Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 1998 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012.
Sonal Mansingh is an Indian classical dancer and Guru Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancing style. She has been nominated by the President of India to become a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. She is the youngest recipient of Padma Bhushan in 1992 and Padma Vibhushan in 2003.
Nawab Ali Yavar Jung Bahadur was an Indian diplomat. He served as Indian Ambassador in Argentina, Egypt, Yugoslavia and Greece, France, and the United States.
Krishnammal Jagannathan is an Indian social activist from the state of Tamil Nadu. She and her husband, Sankaralingam Jagannathan, protested against social injustice and they are Gandhian activists. Her work includes upliftment of the landless, and the poor; she has sometimes fought against governments as well as big industries. She was earlier involved in the Indian independence movement, along with her husband, and was also a close associate of Vinoba Bhave. In 2008 she received the Right Livelihood Award, which she shared with her husband. She was given the Padma Bhushan; India's third highest civilian award; in 2020.
Sarojini Varadappan was an Indian social worker from the state of Tamil Nadu. She was the daughter of former Chief Minister of Madras, M. Bhaktavatsalam.
Sunitha Krishnan is an Indian social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2016.
Vidyaben Shah was an Indian social worker and activist known for her work with children, women and the elderly in India. While she was already serving as Vice-President, she was appointed the first non-officio President of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. She has held several leading positions in the field of social welfare since the 1940s. Vidyaben Shah died at the age of 97 on 19 June 2020 at her residence in Delhi, her son Mihir Shah confirmed the news of Vidyaben Shah death.
Jaya Arunachalam was an Indian social worker and the founder of Working Women's Forum, a non-governmental organization based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, working for the welfare of marginalized women. Starting in 1978, she channeled her activities under the aegis of the forum for organizing poor working women and provided them with seed capital to start their small business or to develop their existing business.
Binny Yanga was an Indian social worker, a member of the National Planning Commission of India and the founder of Oju Welfare Association (OWA), a non governmental organization based in Arunachal Pradesh, working for the welfare of the weaker sections of the society and campaigning against social Illnesses such as child marriage, forced marriage and dowry. She was honored by the Government of India, in 2012, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Patricia Mukhim is an Indian social activist, writer, journalist and the editor of Shillong Times, known for her social activism. A recipient of honours such as Chameli Devi Jain award, ONE India award, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry FLO award, Upendra Nath Brahma Soldier of Humanity award, Siva Prasad Barooah National award and North East Excellence award, she was honored by the Government of India, in 2000, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Kiran Martin is an Indian pediatrician, social worker and the founder of Asha, a non governmental organization, working towards the health and community development of around 50 slum colonies in and around Delhi, reaching a reported number of 400,000 to 500,000 slum dwellers. She was honored by the Government of India, in 2002, with the fourth highest Indian civilian award of Padma Shri.
Shalini Moghe was an Indian educationist, social worker and the founder of Kasturba Kanya School for tribal children and Bal Niketan Sangh, the first Montessori school in the state of Madhya Pradesh. She was the chairperson of the Bharatiya Grameen Mahila Sangh, Indore, a national level non governmental organization working for the welfare and education of the disabled, orphans, under privileged and the economically weaker sections of the society and was involved with other Indore-based educational institutions such as Prestige Public School and Pragya Girls School. A winner of the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in 1992, she was honoured by the Government of India in 1968, with the award of Padma Shri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award for her contributions to the society.
Hema Bharali was an Indian freedom activist, social worker, Sarvodaya leader and Gandhian, known for her contributions for the empowerment of women and efforts towards the upliftment of the socially and financially challenged sections of the society. She was reported to have been active during the relief operations in the wake of the earthquake in North Lakhimpur of Assam state in 1950 and in the development activities after the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2005, for her contributions to Indian society. A year later, she received the National Communal Harmony Award from the National Foundation for Communal Harmony, an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Runa Banerjee is an Indian social worker and the co-founder of the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Lucknow, a non governmental organization promoting the interests of the poor working women of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where she serves as the General Secretary and the Chief executive officer. She was one among the PeaceWomen Across the Globe who were collectively nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, which was eventually won by Mohamed ElBaradei. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2007, for her contributions to Indian society.
Bilkees Idrees Latīf was an Indian social worker and writer from Telangana, known for her work in the slums of India. She was a founding member of INTACH.
Keepu Tsering Lepcha is an Indian social worker, educationist, former civil servant and the founder of the Human Development Foundation of Sikkim (HDFS), a non governmental organization serving the socio-economically challenged people of Sikkim. A former secretary of the Government of Sikkim, she has served as the project director in the Rural Development Agency of the government. She is a member of the PeaceWomen Across the Globe organization which was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize of 2005, and a recipient of the 2012 Real Heroes Award of the Reliance Foundation and the 2013 Senior Citizen Award of the CNN-IBN. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2009, for her contributions to society.
Surrendar Saini is an Indian social worker and the chairperson of the Bhavan Institute of Indian Art and Culture. She is the Pradesh chairperson of the Bharat Sevak Samaj, Delhi and the chairperson of the Delhi Social Welfare Advisory Board, a State Government sponsored organization for women and child welfare. She was a member of the committee set up by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 1999 for proposing amendments to the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995. The Government of India awarded her the third highest civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan, in 1970, for her contributions to society.
Andal Venkatasubba Rao (1894–1969), popularly known as Aandaalamma, was an Indian social worker, educationist and the co-founder of Madras Seva Sadan, a Chennai-based charitable organization working for the welfare of women and children.
Madeleine Herman de Blic is a Belgian-born Indian social worker and humanist, known for her humanitarian services in the south Indian state of Puducherry. She is the founder of Volontariat, a Puducherry-based non governmental organization engaged in social welfare activities since 1966. She is a recipient of several honors such as Legion of Honour from the Government of France, Order of the Crown from the King of Belgium, Doctor Schweitzer Award and the Independence Day Award from the Government of Puducherry. The Government of India awarded her the fourth highest civilian honour of the Padma Shri, in 2016, for her contributions to society.
