New Delhi: After Priyanka Chopra's marvelous performance in 'Mary Kom', this year we saw Sonam Kapoor's powerful portrayal of Neerja Bhanot in 'Neerja'. No wonder, these movies helped us get a glimpse of the real-life heroes the country has produced.


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In 1994, Shekhar Kapur's 'Bandit Queen' depicted the life and struggle of Phoolan Devi. And in 2011, Vidya Balan essayed the role of Silk Smitha in 'The Dirty Picture'.


All these women, both the on-screen characters and the off-screen performers – have given us a clear picture of the life lead by these great women – who earned name and fame in their own style.


Here's a look at a few other meticulous yet ignored women from all walks of life, who with the sweat of their brows and hardship did wonders in their pursuits. Take a look:


Lakshmi Sahgal:


Donning many hats of a doctor, soldier, war prisoner, and an activist – Lakshmi Sahgal gained a lot of fame as 'Captain Lakshmi'. She was a proud Indian National Army officer and pioneered the 'All India Democratic Women's Association'. Courage is the word which describes her best.


Saalumarada Thimmakka:


A hardworking environmentalist, Thimmakka from Karnataka has an ample of credit in her kitty. She along with her husband's undying efforts led to tree plating and tending 384 banyan trees along a highway. She was bestowed with the National Citizen's Award.


Savitribai Phule:


Phule's contribution in fields like caste and gender discrimination is well known and praised in academic circles. She is also famous for improving women's rights during the British rule. She along with her husband founded the first women's school in Pune.


Sarla Thakral:


Sarla was the first woman to fly an aircraft at the tender age and earned a pilot license at the age of 21. She was the first Indian woman to obtain an 'A' license for over 1000 hours of flying.


Durgavati Devi:


An Indian revolutionary and freedom fighter, this brave woman picked up the cudgels against the tyranny of British Raj. Her daredevilry knew no bound and her clever wit helped Bhagat Singh escape the Britishers during a train journey.


Shakuntala Devi:


Popularly known as a 'human calculator' – Devi earned herself nationwide fame with her prodigy and books. She also emerged to be the first author of a book detailing homosexuality in India. She even has her name in 'The Guinness Book of World Records'.