From Sofia Qureshi to Maithili Thakur: Women who broke barriers in 2025

In 2025, Indian women left a decisive mark across governance, security, sports and culture, shaping outcomes, changing policies, breaking records and inspiring millions nationwide

From policymaking and politics to sports, literature and national security, Indian women emerged as defining figures in 2025. Be it scripting history by winning the ODI World Cup or breaking barriers by leading military briefings, their achievements were not limited to personal milestones but reshaped public discourse, institutions and representation across sectors.

 

Let's take a look at some of these women trailblazers of 2025.

Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh

In May, Indian Army's Colonel Sofia Qureshi and Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Vyomika Singh made national headlines when they jointly led official media briefings during Operation Sindoor, alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. The two officers explained India’s retaliatory strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.

 

 

Colonel Qureshi is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multinational military exercise and has served in the United Nations peacekeeping missions in Congo. Wing Commander Singh, a skilled IAF pilot, is known for her role in high-risk flying operations, flood relief missions and her participation in Operation Sindoor.

Indian women’s cricket team

On November 3, India celebrated a historic moment as the women’s cricket team lifted the ODI World Cup. The team, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana, defeated South Africa by 52 runs in the final. The victory marked a watershed moment for Indian women’s cricket, ending years of near misses and heartbreaks.

Nirmala Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a significant impact on middle-class households with the Union Budget presented in February. Under the new tax regime for the financial year 2025-26, individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh annually were given zero tax liability due to an enhanced rebate under Section 87A. Later in the year, the finance ministry under Sitharaman brought the GST rationalisation, further giving relief to the middle class.

Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi

On May 21, author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi won the 2025 International Booker Prize for Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories originally written in Kannada. The book explores the lives and struggles of Muslim women in southern India.

 

This was the first time a Kannada literary work won the prestigious international award. The prize was shared equally between the author and the translator, with the jury praising the book’s powerful portrayal of social and familial conflict in Karnataka.

Maithili Thakur

At just 25, Maithili Thakur made history by winning the Alinagar Assembly seat in Bihar as a BJP candidate, becoming one of the youngest MLAs in the state.

 

Maithili’s journey from folk singer to legislator stood out as one of the year’s most inspiring stories.