New Delhi

The progress and rise of a nation is not just about the annual growth or the GDP figures. A nation that boasts the highest population of young people with aspirations, hopes, and dreams can rise only when its talented and hardworking citizens make a mark on the global stage and shine brightly.

Here are seven Indian personalities from diverse fields who broke the barriers and represented the aspirations of Indians through their role as icons and pioneers:

Sofiya Qureshi and Vyomika Singh:

Operation Sindoor is a milestone for India’s rise as a nation. Apart from the military precision in hitting terrorist schools, training camps and launch pads in Pakistan, the media briefing of the Operation by two women officers – Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh - showed a different side of India to the world. Calm and composed, as they narrated to the world the details of Operation Sindoor, Col. Sofia Qureshi and Wg. Cdr. Vyomika Singh became national icons of women’s empowerment. 

 Col Sofiya Qureshi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Wg Cdr Vyokima Singh, beiefing the media

Their professional role ,n leading the press briefing for "Operation Sindoor" in May 2025 symbolised the growing female leadership in Indian defence. Qureshi, from the Corps of Signals, is known for leading foreign military contingents, while Singh, a helicopter pilot, is noted for high-altitude rescue missions, with both representing professional excellence and Nari Shakti (women's power) in the armed forces.

Shubhanshu Shukla in Space:

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla made history in June/July 2025 as the first Indian to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the private Axiom Mission 4 (Axe-4). An Indian Air Force Officer, Skhula, served as the mission pilot and conducted crucial scientific experiments. His mission marks a significant step for India's human spaceflight program, Gaganyaan. 

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla 

He is a decorated fighter pilot with extensive flight experience and plays a key role in India's future space endeavours. His flight to space makes him the first Indian on a space mission after 41 years. He hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. His return to Earth in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, filled the entire nation with pride.

Though the mission was operated by a Houston-based private company, Axiom Space, its spirit lay in international collaboration. Axe-4 was a joint effort by NASA, ISRO, the European Space Agency, and SpaceX. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson commanded the mission while Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla served as the pilot. Also aboard this historic journey were Slawosz Uznański-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.

Banu Mushtaq's Booker moment:

Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi with Booker

Banu Mushtaq is a celebrated Indian writer, activist, and lawyer from Karnataka, who won the prestigious International Booker Prize for her short story collection, Heart Lamp, making her the first Kannada author to receive the award. Her work, known for its sharp critique of societal injustices, especially concerning women, Muslims, and Dalits in India, draws from her experiences as a journalist, lawyer, and activist in the progressive Bandaya literary movement.

Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, features stories written between 1990 and 2023, highlighting the struggles of Muslim women in southern India, and became the first short story collection to win the International Booker Prize. In her acceptance speech, Mushtaq thanked readers for letting her words wander into their hearts.

In her acceptance speech she said, "This book was born from the belief that no story is ever small; that in the tapestry of human experience, every thread holds the weight of the whole." 

Zakir Khan’s Maddison square Moment

Zakir Khan made history by becoming the first Indian comedian to perform a sold-out, full Hindi stand-up show at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden on August 17, 2025. It is a massive milestone for Indian comedy and representation, bringing his relatable stories to a global stage and connecting deeply with the Indian diaspora. The event was celebrated as a huge moment for South Asian pride, with many calling it a full-circle moment for the Indore-born artist who now performs in the world's biggest arenas.

Zakir Khan at Maddison Square Garden show 

Zakir Khan is a well-known name in the world of Indian comedy, and he hails from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. His genre of comedy is classy and easy breezy. He is also an accomplished musician. 

SRK, Diljit Doshanj at Met Gala:

Actor and superstar Shah Rukh and Punjabi singer actor Diljit Doshanj Khan made history as the first Indian male actors to ever grace fashion's most glamorous night - the Met Gala 2025 at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event is the most rated fashion show where King Khan had his regal debut as a fashion icon. Draped in a show-stopping black ensemble by the legendary Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Shah Rukh Khan turned heads and stole hearts at the Met Gala. His polished, floor-length Tasmanian superfine wool coat, black crepe de Chine silk shirt and structured kamarbandh were the epitome of elegance in terms of proportion and silhouette.

Shah Rukh Khan and Diljit Doshanj at Met Gala

Diljit Dosanjh truly made a statement by bringing his Punjabi heritage to the spotlight. His look was inspired by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, renowned for his grand style and iconic jewellery. If you remember Emma Chamberlain’s 2023 Met Gala look, she wore a necklace that originally belonged to Bhupinder Singh. This time, it was Dosanjh who carried forward the fashion-forward legacy of the Maharaja like never before.