New book to tell stories of 50 Indian women role models

New Delhi: An octogenarian sharpshooter, a priest, a spy and a warrior princess are some of the awe-inspiring Indian women whose stories will be part of a new book, "Girl Power: Indian Women Who Broke The Rules".

Written by author Neha J Hiranandani, the book details the struggles and achievements of 50 remarkable women, complemented with illustrations by Niloufer Wadia.

"Their stories give a lesson to every one on how they can make dreams come true," said publisher Scholastic in a statement. It features contemporary women like Olympic medallist PV Sindhu as well as historical figures like the warrior queen Abbakka of Chowta dynasty who singlehandedly defeated the Portuguese six times.

Actress Priyanka Chopra too gets a spot in the list, as do real-life heroines such as Subhasini Mistry, who worked as a maid before winning a Padma Bhushan for healthcare, and Chandro Tomar, the octogenarian sharpshooter, popularly known as 'Revolver Dadi'. "Viewed as individual vignettes or as an anthology, this book is the definitive rebuff to the 'damsel in distress princess story'. "Far from waiting to be rescued, this collection celebrates women who decided to be the heroines of their own stories and write their own fate, unafraid of getting their hands dirty or swimming against the tide," they said.