FIGHTING ALL ODDS
WOMEN OF INSPIRATION
Greta Thunberg has received worldwide recognition for her efforts to fight climate change as a climate youth activist and has inspired a generation with her simple message.
After gaining fame after striking from school, Thunberg was invited to speak at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019, visiting President Barack Obama before speaking with the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Washington D.C. Two days later, she marched with millions of protesters to demand climate action in New York City and gave her famous “How dare you” speech one day later at the UN Youth Climate Summit.
In 2019, Thunberg was honoured as Time’s Person of the Year, the youngest person in the history of the magazine to be given the title and in the same year she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her work.
"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I'm one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!
Kamala Harris was born to parents who emigrated to the US from India and Jamaica. As both of her parents were activists, she had a deep sense of justice instilled in her from a young age. Having devoted her working life to public service, Kamala was elected VP of the US in 2020. For this, she made history as the first female, first Black and first Asian-American VP – yet she is determined not to be the last, making it her mission to inspire young girls.
After experiencing racial discrimination and trauma from a young age, Maya Angelou became a much-lauded American poet, author, and civil rights activist. Her work often reflected her personal experiences and explored themes of identity, resilience, and social justice. In her role as a civil rights activist, she worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, advocating for racial equality and social justice. Her contributions to literature have made her a global inspiration for women, particularly Black women.
Despite her profound disabilities, Helen Keller learned to communicate through the help of her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who taught her to read, write, and speak. Helen went on to attend college and become a prolific writer and speaker, advocating for the rights of people with disabilities while raising awareness of blindness, deafness, and polio. Helen was also a committed activist and advocate for social justice, speaking out against war, poverty, and discrimination.
Taylor Swift
She is one of the biggest and most important names in the music industry right now. Her passionate lyrics, soothing melodies, and business acumen have catapulted her to the pinnacle of success. Taylor Swift has chalked up an incredible 14 Grammy wins and over 100 million monthly Spotify listeners, demonstrating her enormous appeal and enduring popularity.
Electrical engineering in her blood, A. Lalitha became the first woman engineer of India in 1943 when she graduated from the University of Madras.
Early Life
Born on August 27, 1919, in Chennai, A. Lalitha grew up in a middle-class Telugu-speaking family. Despite the prevalence of child marriages, she continued her education after her marriage at fifteen and even after becoming a widow in 1937 with a young daughter, Syamala. Determined to be self-sufficient, Lalitha sought a professional degree.
Professional Education
Lalitha initially considered medicine but chose engineering, inspired by her father, an electrical engineering professor. With his support and approval from college authorities, she joined the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), in 1940, becoming the first woman in its electrical engineering program. Despite the challenges of being a lone female student, she persevered, graduating in 1943 alongside two other women, marking a historic moment for women in engineering in India. Lalitha earned her Honours degree in Electrical Engineering in 1944.
In 1944, Lalitha joined the Central Standards Organization of India, Simla, as an engineering assistant.
At the instigation of her father, Lalitha left her job in order to help him with his research. Lalitha’s father had a number of patents, including Jelectromonium (an electrical musical instrument), smokeless ovens and electric flame producer.
Lalitha's journey is a testament to her resilience and determination, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of women engineers in India.
She couldn’t continue this beyond 1948 due to financial reasons, and joined the Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) .
In AEI, Lalitha worked in the engineering department, and sales division, Calcutta branch.
A notable project was the work on electrical generators for the Bhakra Nangal dam, the largest in India.
In 1953, the Council of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), London elected her to be an associate member and in 1966 she became a full member.
One of the highlights of Lalitha’s career was being invited to the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) in New York which took place in June 1964. At that time there was no Indian chapter of the organization, and Lalitha took it upon herself to attend the conference in a private capacity, overcoming many hurdles to do so.
Lalitha became a full member of the Women’s Engineering Society of London in 1965, and agreed to act as their representative in India for the Second International Conference of Women Engineers & Scientists, held in Cambridge, England.
In 1979, when she was only 60 years old, she was struck with a brain aneurysm and passed away after a couple of weeks on October 12.
Comprehension Questions (Answers)
A. 1. b 2. d 3. d
B. 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True
C. 1. a. Lalitha said this at a conference in New York during her speech.
b. She is talking about the age-old practice of Sati in the Indian tradition.
2. a. Here the narrator is discussing Lalitha. The profession of engineering is being mentioned.
b. Lalitha was courageous and dedicated to achieving a respectable living.
3. a. Lalitha’s daughter said this about Lalitha.
b. The speaker feels that her mother was important in the history of women’s education in India as well as engineering because she inspired so many other girls to pursue a career in STEM fields.
D. 1. Society expected women to lead an austere life of isolation and sorrow and shave their heads.
2. Assisting her father in inventing Jelectromonium, an electrical musical instrument, along with electric flame producers and smokeless ovens. She also designed transmission lines for the Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) and was recognized globally for her achievements, being invited to the first International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES) in New York and becoming a member of the Women's Engineering Society of London.
3. Lalitha’s father encouraged her decision to educate herself every step of the way. He was the one who spoke to the principal of the college he worked at to give Lalitha admission. This support was crucial for Lalitha's success, as it allowed her to receive an education and pursue her dream of becoming an engineer.
4. The college arranged for a separate hostel for Lalitha once she joined. This encouraged two more women to join the college. As a result of Lalitha’s decision to study engineering, the college also opened admission for other women.
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