New Delhi, Nov.26,2025:15 Constitution Women Icons played a historic role in shaping India’s democracy at a time when the nation was struggling with Partition, violence, and uncertainty. The Constitution was not merely a legal document—it was a moral compass meant to unite a broken society. These 15 Constitution Women Icons ensured that the document carried compassion, equality, and a lifelong commitment to justice.
Yet today, their names rarely appear in public discussions, school textbooks, or media debates. At a moment when India is continuously negotiating its identity, rights, and diversity, their insights have become more relevant than ever.
Why These 15 Women Matter Today
When modern India debates equality, representation, caste-based violence, women’s safety, religious polarisation, or the complexity of legal language, it is clear that several questions raised by the 15 Constitution Women Icons are still unanswered.
These women were
- visionaries,
- social reformers,
- lawyers,
- activists,
- educators,
- and freedom fighters.
Their combined vision ensured that the Constitution became not just a legal text but a humane framework for a diverse nation.
Hansa Jivraj Mehta’s Demand for Real Equality
Among the most influential 15 Constitution Women Icons, Hansa Jivraj Mehta stands out for questioning the very foundation of rights. She asked a bold question:
“Is the Constitution being written for citizens or for the already powerful?”
Her message was uncompromising
- Equality is not charity.
- It is a right that must reflect in every institution and social structure.
- The state must actively remove barriers that limit women’s freedom.
Today, when India debates
- workplace harassment,
- digital bullying,
- gender pay gap,
- poor representation of women in leadership and politics,
Hansa Mehta’s concerns sound painfully familiar.
The 15 Constitution Women Icons were crystal clear that legal equality is meaningless without social acceptance. Yet, decades later, society still struggles to transform equality from law into lived reality.
Dakshayani Velayudhan and the Battle for Social Justice
Dakshayani Velayudhan, the only Dalit woman in the Constituent Assembly, brought unmatched courage and clarity to constitutional debates.
Her warning remains one of the most powerful insights from the 15 Constitution Women Icons
“Laws alone cannot change society. The mind must change first.”
She opposed separate electorates, believing that
- Social separation breeds deeper discrimination.
- True empowerment comes from shared democratic spaces.
Her words echo loudly even today, when
- caste-based violence continues,
- discrimination persists in workplaces, universities, and neighbourhoods,
- social mobility still depends heavily on caste.
Dakshayani reminded the nation that the Constitution shows the direction,
but society must walk the path itself.
This message is more relevant in 2025 than it was in 1947.
Qudsia Aizaz Rasul on Citizenship Beyond Identity
Qudsia Aizaz Rasul, the only Muslim woman in the Constituent Assembly, spoke at a time when India was bleeding from Partition. Her courage shaped one of the most important principles of the Constitution
Citizenship must never be based on religion, community, identity, or fear.
Her core message among the 15 Constitution Women Icons was
- Democracy must not discriminate.
- Minorities must not depend on political concessions but on equal citizenship.
- National unity grows from trust, not suspicion.
Today, when public debates frequently revolve around identity, religion, or “us vs them”, her words become a mirror to our times.
Ammu Swaminathan and the Need for Simple Legal Language
Ammu Swaminathan emphasised something surprisingly modern
The Constitution must speak in the language of the people.
Her belief
- Complex legal jargon distances citizens from their own rights.
- A Constitution is effective only when ordinary people can understand it.
Even today
- legal procedures remain intimidating,
- people struggle to understand policies,
- citizens often feel disconnected from governance,
- laws appear as government paperwork rather than public tools.
Ammu Swaminathan’s contribution among the 15 Constitution Women Icons highlights the urgent need for accessible governance.
Other Pioneering Women of the Constituent Assembly
The 15 Constitution Women Icons were not limited to four voices. Each contributed with brilliance and unwavering dedication
Durgabai Deshmukh
Focused on social welfare, education, and women’s legal rights.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
As independent India’s first Health Minister, she shaped public health policy and fought for women’s dignity.
Vijayalakshmi Pandit
Brought global diplomatic experience, strengthening India’s international democratic image.
Purnima Banerjee
Fought for civil liberties and grassroots participation.
Sucheta Kriplani
Later became India’s first woman Chief Minister; shaped debates on labour rights and civil services.
Leela Roy
Advocated for women’s education and political participation.
Malati Choudhury
Worked for tribal rights, rural empowerment, and social harmony.
Sarojini Naidu
A poetic force and political visionary who argued for universal equality.
Annie Mascarene
From Travancore, she championed labour reforms and state autonomy.
Each of these 15 Constitution Women Icons played a unique role in ensuring the Constitution remained progressive, inclusive, and deeply humane.
What India Is Forgetting Today
Despite their guidance, several lessons are fading
1. Equality is not a formality.
Hansa Mehta insisted that equality must shape everyday life, not just constitutional text.
2. Justice begins in society, not parliament.
Dakshayani Velayudhan warned that unless minds change, discrimination will survive every law.
3. Citizenship must be neutral and universal.
Qudsia Rasul championed identity-free citizenship.
4. Democracy must be understandable.
Ammu Swaminathan believed that rights must be easy to read, easy to claim.
5. Dignity cannot be selective.
The 15 Constitution Women Icons fought for dignity as a universal human right.
Lessons for the Present
India’s modern challenges—gender-based crimes, online harassment, caste inequalities, religious tensions, institutional complexities—prove that the warnings and wisdom of these 15 Constitution Women Icons still hold power.
Their teachings remind us
- The Constitution is alive only when society practices its values.
- Rights mean nothing without empathy.
- Diversity is a strength, not a burden.
- Justice requires active participation from every citizen.
These women gave India not just a framework, but a soul.
The 15 Constitution Women Icons were not background figures—they were architects of a humane, inclusive India. Their questions, warnings, and wisdom are not history lessons; they are present-day instructions for a more just and united nation.
If India understood and applied their teachings today, many of our current conflicts would look very different.
