Kiran Bedi

Women played mostly a secondary role in Indian scene even about 50 years back. Even before we won our independence there was an awakening in case of women in this regard. By sheer effort, they occupied top positions in almost all fields of India. But, it was only in 1972 that a woman first became a police officer. This achievement goes to Kiran Bedi. In an area where there was only a microscopical sprinkling of women, she showed Indians and the world, that the Indian women can even become a police officer and called great, not because she is a women. She has been awarded the Magsaysay award in 1994.