Nature has uniformly bestowed its boons on all human beings. Human consciousness is originally endowed with enormous potentials. However, hardly some of us pay any attention to this fact. Most of us live, though with a difference in living standard and worldly activities, an average life largely revolving around - feeding and protection of the gross body, externally stimulated conditioning of mind, extrovert pleasures, reproduction and looking after the family. Only a few are those who sacrifice themselves for the noble cause of altruist service and elevation of the society, nation, or the world as a whole. Annals of humanity remain glorified for ever by such exceptional lives.

The ideals and altruist works of the great men and women of the above kind stand as guiding lights to show us the better and brighter ways of righteous progress in purposeful life worth the dignity of a human being. The present volume brings the eternal glow of this inspiring light near us by describing the distinguished contributions and major events of some of these glorious lives witnessed by the past few centuries pertaining to the period of social and intellectual evolution of the modern world.

Rani Durgawati, Ahilyabai and Lakshmibai were the revered queens whose patriotism, valor, justice and motherly love for the public remain unparalleled in the history. Their memories may make every woman proud of being a woman herself. Today, in the major parts of the world and especially in India, women by and large are living in a state of negligence by the society, deprived of and ignorant about even the fundamental rights granted to them by the law and suffering oppression and assault by men through different means.

Reviewing the biographies of the hilarious queens of yesteryears in above circumstances would offer a much needed source of solace and moral boost to most women today. The simplicity of language and relevant illustrative discussions in today's context presented in this volume raise greater hopes in materialization of this possibility. Simultaneous discussions - on the lives and works of Avantikabai Gokhale, Sarojini Naidu, Kasturba Gandhi, Janaki Maiya, etc, whose social service and active participation in the freedom movement have made special place in the history of India - are also incorporated here in this context.

Adding to the honor of womanhood, the volume also presents the glorious contributions of Mrs. Annie Besant and Sister Nivedita (Ms. Noble) who, although being foreigner by birth, had spent most important parts of their lives in India. Their inner selves were truly linked with the Indian philosophy and spiritual teachings. Both had worked for social welfare through spiritual elevation of people in the British ruled India. Mrs. Annie Besant had devoted her life to equality of all religions during her tenure as the president of the Theosophical Society. Sister Nivedita had sacrifised herself to the welfare and rise of women and the weaker sections of the society as per the great mission of her spiritual guide Swami Vivekananda.

The "Lady with a Lamp", Florence Nightingale, who founded the noble mission of nursing - is a symbol of existing in compassion and altruist service. This volume highlights her life, her struggles and great boons she offered to humanity to arouse the inner sentiments of natural love, compassion, generosity and selfless dedication which seem to have been lost in the artificial, self-centered lives of people today...