Think back less than a hundred years. Women around the world were still fighting for the rights to vote, own property and manage their own bank accounts. Some battled the odds to stay in school, and make it to college and graduate, only to be told they weren’t wanted in the workplace.

Those who struck out on their own – doctors, lawyers, scientists, educators and even spies – fought to be taken seriously and had to contend with name-calling and ridicule. But it was these pioneering individuals whose grit and vision led to women being represented in Parliament and even in boardrooms. None of this would have been possible if a few courageous women hadn’t decided to set an example, regardless of the personal cost.

In the spirit of the theme of International Women’s Day today – ‘I Am Generation Equality: Realising Women’s Rights’ – here’s a look at five of India’s women pioneers, whose lives were full of firsts but also littered with hurdles as they took on the patriarchy. These are the inspirational stories of women in Indian history.