Education, Equity, Innovation: 3 Women Trailblazers Honored By TIME

Photo (Left to Right): Dr. Reshma Kewalramani. Photo: Anthem Multimedia for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Reshma Saujani, Safeena Husain. Photo: Wikipedia

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – Time magazine has unveiled the 2026 Women of the Year list, highlighting global leaders who are driving significant humanitarian and social change. Among this year’s prestigious honorees are three women of Indian origin: Safeena Husain, Reshma Saujani, and Reshma Kewalramani. Each has been recognized for their transformative contributions to education, economic policy, and biotechnology.

Safeena Husain is being honored for her tireless work through her nonprofit, Educate Girls, which focuses on re-enrolling out-of-school girls in rural India. Having recently surpassed the milestone of bringing 1.5 million girls back to the classroom, Husain has set a new target to reach 10 million girls by 2035. Her leadership earned her organization the Ramon Magsaysay Award, making it the first Indian nonprofit to receive the honor. Husain, who recently authored the book Every Last Girl, continues to advocate for the 133 million girls globally who lack access to education.

Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First, is recognized for her advocacy regarding the childcare crisis in the United States. Following a viral confrontation over childcare costs in 2024, Saujani successfully pushed the issue into the legislative spotlight. Her efforts culminated in early 2026 with the announcement of a $1.7 billion investment in universal care for children under five in New York. Saujani continues to fight for economic equity for mothers, positioning her advocacy as a vital defense against the dismantling of diversity and support programs.

Dr. Reshma Kewalramani, the CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is celebrated for her pioneering leadership in the biotech industry. Since becoming the first woman to lead a major public biotech firm in 2020, she has overseen historic medical breakthroughs, including the first CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy for sickle-cell disease. Under her guidance, life expectancy for cystic fibrosis patients has risen dramatically. Kewalramani has also prioritized global health equity by launching pilot programs that provide free, life-saving medications to patients in fourteen countries, including India.

The list also features notable figures like Teyana Taylor and Brandi Carlile, as well as Pakistani lawyer Mahnoor Omer for her fight against the period tax.