of the few women writing on science she coauthored a book 31 fantastic adventures in science women scientists in india pic ashutosh tripathito have my own ideas and sticking to them despite peoples gendered expectations about what i should do with life there is still a lot of bias and stereotypes that work against women and other genders professionally there is a commitment towards diversity in representation but it is not working in most places because real engagement with gender issues is lacking you cant just say you are proinclusivity you have to do the work for it there have always been fearless femmes personally i look up to women scientists ive been interviewing who have defied the odds and trans people and gender non binary people who are challenging patriarchies to change the narratives women are being censured and their perspective erased example why else would a movie inspired by isro women sending a spacecraft to mars need a male herogrowing up i dared to ask uncomfortable questions shikha mittal entrepreneurwhy shes here for starting a social awareness enterprise beartsy that leverages the power of artwhen it comes to women empowerment is seen as a favour bestowed on them when it is actually every womans rightsince childhood ive been very inquisitive not in the miss nosy parker kind of way but by asking tough questions as a teenager i questioned why i was not allowed in the kitchen during my period why were boys allowed to wear shorts and i wasnt why could i not expose my stomach in a crop top but could in a saree as a young adult i was curious to know why i could not stay single why it was not a good idea to run a business of my own why i had to decide my job profile based on my inlaws or husbands choices why did i have to keep quiet about domestic violence why was i being forced to have a baby at the time when i wanted to build my careertoday as a woman entrepreneur for nearly a decade i can proudly say that through it all i have dared to be free of social and religious norms the starting point of this attitude was when i realised it was my human right to live a life of my choice the outcome of my courage on the professional front has helped me build my business being daring for a woman has not changed much over the centuries till date in many parts of the world a woman has to only try to claim her basic human rights to be seen as daring even in modern society any woman who challenges regressive social norms makes her own decisions and does not accept secondclass treatment continues to be called daring to add to it a woman also faces either bouquets or brickbats depending on how she chooses to be daring for instance mary kom is considered daring in the positive sense for