6 real-life heroes for you to aspire to be when you grow up

When sharing stories about our grandmothers, one Tweak writer told me about how her grandmother smuggled her jewellery across the border during the partition by stuffing it into parathas. A real-life heroes Hall of Famer. Another said that hers would get the house help to supply her chuna on the DL.

Someone threw in the recipes she learnt from, not her own grandmother, but Indian home chef Karre Mastanamma. The tiny centenarian from Andhra Pradesh became every foodie’s surrogate granny as a viral YouTube chef on ‘Country Foods’. She had become a global sensation and at the time of her death last year was alleged to be the oldest Youtuber in the world. 

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‘Age is just a number’ is a cliche for a reason. Especially when you hear about women like Willie Murphy, the 82-year-old bodybuilder, who became the fitness icon we didn’t know we needed when she beat up a burglar who broke into her house. She then proceeded to hold him hostage until the cops arrived (they took a selfie with their new hero). 

Whether it’s in their careers, personal achievements or contributions to societal welfare – these real-life heroes are setting a new bar for who we should all aspire to be when we grow up.

Disclaimer: All grandmothers are inspiring and amazing. We love them forever. 

Real-life heroes every woman needs in her life

1. Man Kaur

The next time you say you’re too tired to go for a run, let Man Kaur be your motivation. 

There’s no stopping this award-winning sprinter, a javelin thrower and shot putter. She’s won the gold medal in shot put at the recent World Masters Athletics Games and has been clocking records in the 100 and 200m races over the years.

She was hailed as the ‘Miracle from Chandigarh’ when she took up running at age 93. A fitness freak and health nut, Kaur is our #fitnessinspo for 2020.

2. Maye Musk

You may have heard of Maye Musk as being the mother of eccentric entrepreneur billionaire Elon Musk. But she’s a gamechanger of her own making with a modelling career spanning five decades, two master’s degrees in dietetics and nutritional sciences, and authored books to her name.

The most recent being A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty and Success which will hit the market at the end of this month. This silver fox created waves when she was signed on by CoverGirl at the age of 70. Musk will always be our #1 Lady Crush.

3. Baddie Winkle

Helen Ruth Elam van Winkle, better known by her online moniker Baddie Winkle, is an Instagram sensation. And the only kind of influencer we live for.

She’s got a fan following of 3.8 million, has been featured in two cosmetic lines and is a fashion legend with her head-turning outfits – did you see her sparkly nude bodysuit?

Her great-granddaughter photographed a cute outfit she wore one day. It went viral and the rest is history. The great grandmother has been “stealing your man since 1928” according to her Instagram bio and published Baddiewinkle’s Guide to Life in 2017.

Talking of her fame and style, she tells NPR, “I’m a bad bitch; always been a rebel.”

4. Chandro and Prakashi Tomar

The story of these real-life heroes also known as India’s ‘Shooter Dadis’ came to life in 2019’s Saand Ki Aankh, led by Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar. The Uttar Pradesh natives became the world’s oldest sharp-shooters collecting wins and titles like they were on a fire sale– all over the age of 60.

Chandro Tomar was 65 when she hit her first bull’s eye, going on to collect over 25 national championships. The grandmother took up the pistol for the first time when she accompanied her granddaughter to the Johri Rifle Club. She started a sports revolution of sorts, encouraging other women to take on initiatives they never considered possible before.

One of them was her sister-in-law, Prakashi Tomar. The two continued shooting and honing their skill in secret. Speaking to First Post, she said that they would lie to their families, hide their trophies and sneak off for competitions. The ‘Shooter Dadis’ are going strong, paving the way for the next generation of sharp-shooters.

5. Saalumarada Thimmakka

Centenarian Thimmakka is perhaps one of the most dedicated environmentalists of our time, cementing her status among the real-life heroes we admire. She may not be a grandmother but has been hailed as India’s ‘mother of trees’. For the last 80 years, she’s planted over 8,000 trees.

A few years into their marriage in 1928, her husband and her realised they couldn’t have children. They channelled their love into planting banyan trees and nurturing them instead.

They embarked on a journey of planting trees from their village in Hulikal, Karnataka, to the neighbouring Kudoor village. The Saalumarada Thimmakka Foundation was set up in her honour.

She has received over 50 awards for her incredible work in environmental conservation including the National Citizens Award (1996) and the Padma Shri (2019).

6. Dorothy Flowers

We thought some intermittent fasting and getting our 10,000 steps in for the day will keep us healthy for a long time. Turns out the solution may simply be champagne. Well, that’s what Dorothy Flowers has to say. The 108-year-old cites sipping on champagne as the secret to a long life.

“Her real secret for longevity though has to be champagne. It’s the only thing we ever see her finish a glass of,” said Helene Ballinger, Resident Manager of the Southlands Care Home in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, where Flowers lives. They brought in her 108th birthday with love, well wishes and cards from across the world when Mrs Flowers’ story went viral – and of course, champagne too.

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