women are battling it out in the political arena for a more challenging career indian history is full of references of women who have made significant influence in the politics of the country who is not familiar with the legendary accounts of rani lakshmibai and razia sultan women have always been at the forefront of indian politics be it during the freedom movement or contributing towards building india a vibrant democracy in the present times the constant increase in the number of women members in the lok sabha is a testimony of this while the first lok sabha had 23 women the current 13th lok sabha has 48 the maximum by far it should be noted that the government of india has designated 2001 as the year of women empowerment as india observes the birth anniversary of its first and only woman prime minister indira gandhi on november 19 education times explores how important it is for women to play a bigger political role in 1993 an important step for women empowerment was taken by reserving 33 per cent seats for women in panchayati raj institutions acknowledging that the decision brought in a revolutionary change union minister for sports and youth affairs uma bharati observed that women participation in decision making has increased women are getting representation from every section at the village block and district level the decision has made a tremendous impact on women participation at the grass root level lakhs of women without any political backing are joining politics she remarked another encouraging trend has been of successful professional women showing interest in joining the political movement deputy chairperson of rajya sabha najma heptullah felt that more educated and professional women should come forward as they can appropriately articulate the problems of people she however disagreed that women politicians should only be talking about women its in the larger interest of the nation to have women at every level to join politics education is the key for success the true emancipation of women will come only when the opinion of every women is taken seriously added heptullah politics is generally perceived as a game played by the powerful and the influential backed with money and muscle power in such a scenario how viable is politics as a career for women trinamul congress chief mamata banerjee feels that the apprehensions are right violence corruption money and muscle power discourages women to survive in such atmosphere women will have to fight battles to remove the dirt new generation will have to bring in fresh air she said bharati feared that money could erode the fabric of democracy the poor will dare not contest and elections will remain a prerogative of the rich political parties should come together to fight the dominance of money and muscle power she urged most women parliamentarians disprove the claim that only women with political inheritance can succeed in the political arena maintaining that many women entering politics have prior political linkages banerjee