It's okay to be you. You don't have to try to be anybody else. Whatever you are, however you are, it's fine. Nobody's perfect.

I'm lucky. I don't know whether I'm deserving or not. All I know is that I work damn hard for everything. And God helps those who help themselves. Every day is like an exam. I believe destiny and hard work go hand in hand. I was studying to be an engineer when my mom and my brother sent my pictures for the Miss India contest. I didn't even know about it. If that isn't destiny, what is?

We're afraid of letting people see the glory of who we are.

I hope and look forward to the day that there will be a female president of the United States.

I was also told some years ago that I shouldn't 'waste my time' with female-centric films because the audience was not ready for it.

I'm a tough girl, I know what my job entails - it entails a lot more than standing in front of the camera. So I get it. I won't deny the physicality of it is exhausting, and sometimes my body just can't keep up. But it is ultimately about mind over matter.

Mary Kom is a woman who stood up alone in a male-dominated field and fought for her rights and what she believed in. Her story is an inspiration for every young person out there.