Bangladesh Liberation War Heroine - Co-Founder of Bangladesh Mukti Sangrami Shilpi Sangstha and Chhayanaut, nurturing Bengali culture

String Puppeteer from Puducherry, performing for the last 4 decades - performances for educational purposes and social messages

Social Worker from Jalandhar who has been taking care of abandoned girls for 3 decades - after herself being abandoned as a child

Longest living commentator of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra - contributed to revival of dying art of Pala

Marathi Writer, Journalist and Teacher from Vidarbha - published over 15 novels and story collections furthering unity and convergence

Mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh - Fastest woman mountaineer in the world to climb Mt Everest from India

Hindi litterateur from Kurukshetra - credited for discovering 17th to 19th century Hindi literary works in Gurumukhi manuscripts

Gujarati Folk Writer from Junagadh popularly known as 'Kavi Daad' - renowned for his songs and poetry on spirituality

Bali's most influential Kecak Dancer and Scholar - a traditional Indonesian art form depicting chapters of the Ramayana

Self-made Maithili Painter from Madhubani - rose from being a Dai to an acclaimed painter against all adversity