BBC 100 Women 2016: Who's on the list

The BBC has chosen its list of inspirational and influential women for 2016. Here are some names we are familiar with.

| NOVEMBER 29, 2016, 12:00 AM IST

Photo Credits: pg 3- lead_1

The year 2016 marks the fourth year when BBC has released the list of 100 Most Influential Women around the world. The list includes a mix of entrepreneurs, engineers, sportswomen, business women, fashion icons and artists who have left a mark with their contributions in their fields.

From some of the world's biggest names like singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, COO of Instagram Marne Levine, former adult star Sunny Leone, and 105 year old environmentalist Saalumarada Thimmakka, to women you may never have heard of, but who all have astonishing stories to tell, the list has it all.

Here are some names you may know... and others you should get to know.

Marne Levine, COO of Instagram

Country of Birth: USA

Before joining Instagram, her previous roles included vice-president of global public policy for Facebook, and working for Bill Clinton and the Obama administration.

Mallika Srinivasan, CEO of farm equipment company

Country of Birth: India

Known as the 'Tractor Queen' of India, she has grown her family company into the third largest tractor manufacturer in the world.

Natalia Ponce de Leon, Human rights activist

Country of Birth: Colombia

Victim of an acid attack who has become a national icon - her efforts have led to the approval of a law penalising such attacks, which carries her name.

Neha Singh, Actor/Writer

Country of Birth: India

Founded a movement to encourage women to walk the streets in Mumbai to defy harassment.

Alicia Keys, Singer-songwriter

Country of Birth: USA

Singer-songwriter and actress who has won 15 Grammys, sold over 30 million records worldwide, and is regularly listed as one of the greatest R&B performers of all time.

Saalumarada Thimmakka, Environmentalist

Country of Birth: India

Has planted more than 8,000 trees in 80 years, a project which first started in response to social ridicule at not being able to have children.

Sunny Leone, Actor

Country of Birth: Canada

Former porn star who entered mainstream acting in 2013 and has appeared in several Bollywood films.

Zulaikha Patel, Schoolgirl

Country of Birth: South Africa

13 year old South African girl who became a symbol of the fight against the policy in a high school that forced black girls to straighten their hair

Carmen Aristegui, Journalist

Country of Birth: Mexico

One of the most influential Mexican journalists in history who has put some of the most powerful people in her country on the spot.

Chan Yuen-ting, football manager

Country of Birth: Hong Kong

The first female football manager in the world to lead a men's team to a domestic top-flight league title.

Chanira Bajracharya, former 'living goddess'

Country of Birth: Nepal

Creating a support network to help Nepal's former 'living goddesses' (certain young girls who are revered by the population until their period comes) transition into ordinary life.

Dwi Handa, Instagram star

Country of Birth: Indonesia

Member of a new group of 'Hipster Hijabis', who, through their Instagram accounts, have become Islamic fashion influencers invited to sit in the front row of fashion shows and paid to wear new designs.

Egge Kande, community leader

Country of Birth: Senegal

Mother of six children and eight grand-children, who collaborates closely with teachers to advise young girls about issues related to girls' education, child marriage and teen pregnancy.

Ellinah Ntombi Wamukoya, Bishop

Country of Birth: Swaziland

The first woman to be elected bishop in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa as the diocesan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Swaziland.

Ieshia Evans, Nurse

Country of Birth: US

New York nurse whose image of calm, dignified defiance during the Baton Rouge protests became an icon of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Isabella Springmuhl Tejada, fashion designer

Country of Birth: Guatemala

First fashion designer with Down's Syndrome to take part in London Fashion Week.

Katherine Johnson, Former space scientist

Country of Birth: US

Former 'human computer' and research mathematician at Nasa, where she calculated the trajectories for the US' first space flights and the first moon landing.

Share this