These are stories of eighteen strong women who daily resist the suffocation of conformity. They are fighters of their circumstances and winners, brave and determined in their refusal to accept conventional limitations and courageous in their acceptance of the consequences. For them every day is a challenge; for their relationships and social expectations conspire to encroach upon their private spaces, erode their dignity and identity. Yet rooted in their cultural milieu, they make their choices, fight for it and succeed. Much of author Meera Khanna’s voluntary work is in the field of gender rights, which has perhaps honed her skill to spot the unique story of an empowered woman. Many of these stories are inspired by real life incidents and some by newspaper reports. Covering a wide social spectrum, some of these women break a stereotype with a drastic action. And there are some who without rippling the waters ostensibly carve a space for themselves. Presented in lucid language, with their own twists and turns in events and characters, the stories meander along unbeaten tracks, striking hard at the reader’s soul.