A woman who was widowed in her prime, Indira Gandhi showed extreme composure and presence of mind. She was a true feminist to the core, a woman of substance who helped the country to tide through a testing phase, possessed all the virtues of a woman and fought valiantly for women's rights in a man's world.
Indira Gandhi was a strong-willed woman who led one-fifth of the worlds population, democratically, non-aligned in a bi-polar world.
Mukesh Agarwal, Russia
Indira Gandhi was a dynamic leader and worked for the uplifting of India and its women.
Indira Gandhi's boldness during the emergency period is commendable and at that time lot of changes and improvements took place in the great nation of India.
Elizabeth I was only a girl when she took the throne of England. Against many adversaries she triumphed and made England into one of the strongest nations of her time.
At the beginning of Queen Elizabeth I's reign, England was nearly bankrupt, looked upon as a minor player in world affairs, prey to both France and Spain (especially the latter after Mary's disastrous marriage), no navy, no army to speak of. When she died, it was one of the most powerful nations on earth. She was also a woman in what was very much a man's world and excommunication by the Pope meant that English Catholics had the go-ahead to assassinate her without committing a sin - do I have to go on?
Many have given themselves selflessly for the uplifting of people but few have succeeded like Mother Teresa in getting people to notice the plight of the downtrodden.
Kanshukan Rajaratnam, Zambia
Mother Teresa was the most extraordinarily selfless woman one can think of; somebody who devoted herself to the rest of humankind.
Marie Curie was an outstanding scientist who won two Nobel prizes in a time when women were not taken seriously.
Marie Curie made an outstanding contribution to science, a field that is still dominated by men.
The first female prime minister in the UK, Margaret Thatcher set the political agenda for more than a decade. Even now, the long-term impact of her time in office is only beginning to be evaluated, and she is still capable of causing tremors in the political world.
The images of Aung San Suu Kyi's dignified yet determined resistance in the face of a terrifying opposition have been inspirational. She deserves both recognition and victory.