Lakshmi Sahgal

Indian revolutionary who commanded all-female combat unit against British rule

Lakshmi Sahgal (1914-2012) shattered gender norms as commander of the Rani of Jhansi Regiment in Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army (INA). This WWII-era 1,500-woman battalion remains history's first all-female infantry combat unit.

Trained in jungle warfare and sabotage, Dr. Sahgal (a gynecologist by profession) led her troops across Burma's frontlines. Post-independence, she organized medical relief during Partition riots and later co-founded the All India Democratic Women's Association.

In 2002 presidential elections, this 88-year-old ran against APJ Abdul Kalam to highlight leftist feminist causes. Her legacy redefined women's roles in military and political spheres across South Asia.