The first name in the “Inspirers” category belongs to one of the most inspiring women of our time – Priyanka Chopra. She is an actress, singer, writer, Miss World, fashion icon, feminist, philanthropist, humanitarian, wife, mother – a woman who is stylish, elegant and elevated. Priyanka embodies a fearless, ground-breaking figure, an icon and a legend who not only inspires, but proves that with ambition and hard work we can achieve anything we strive for.

“Don’t try to squeeze into a glass slipper. Instead, shatter the glass ceiling.”

“No one can tell you how much you can do. You have to set your own standards.”

Priyanka is the first South Asian actress to headline an American network drama – Quantico, which aired on ABC between 2015 and 2018. When I first started watching the series, my attention was mostly on the plot rather than on her as an actress. But there was a moment in season three that made me look at her differently. She was dressed in a long pink skirt, a white shirt and a straw hat – a look that highlighted her unique and striking beauty. That was when I realized how different and refreshing her exotic presence was compared to the standard Hollywood faces we’re used to seeing on screen.

That was the moment I decided to learn more about her and her journey. You know how it starts with simple curiosity and the thought, “Let me see what Google says about her,” and then quietly turns into a real, deep admiration that stands the test of time.

“I got into the movies by accident. When I got an offer, I thought, ‘Let’s try this too.’ Everything in my life has happened by trial and error.”

Priyanka Chopra grew up in a family of army doctors, which meant her childhood was filled with constant moving. When she was in tenth grade, she settled in Boston, where she attended an American high school and was often bullied because of her background. At 18, she won the title Miss World 2000, which opened the doors to the world of show business.

Even though her family had a very academic view of the world and no real idea how anyone could make a living in entertainment, they never stopped supporting her on her path to stardom. Over the years, Priyanka has built a successful career not only in Bollywood but also in Hollywood, playing more than 70 different roles – 70 different lives she has stepped into and brought to the screen. From a federal agent in Quantico to an autistic girl in Barfi!

Interestingly, her childhood dream was not to become an actress, but an engineer – more specifically, to study aerospace engineering. But the universe offered her a different opportunity, and she grabbed it without hesitation.

“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 pageant. I didn’t even know about it. If that isn’t destiny, what is?”

Pri is so much more than an actress – she is a philanthropist, feminist, activist and producer. Her production company, Purple Pebble Pictures, focuses on creating low-budget films and giving a chance to new talent – writers, directors, actors and technicians.

In 2016, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine, and in the same year she won the People’s Choice Award for her role in Quantico, becoming the first South Asian woman to receive this honor. In 2017 and 2018, Forbes listed her among the world’s 100 most powerful women. She has been recognized with countless other awards, including the prestigious Padma Shri – one of India’s highest civilian honors. PeeCee has so many roles, nominations, awards and achievements that it would take me months to list them all.

A few years ago, I saw that she was in Baywatch (not the original series, but the comedy with Dwayne Johnson). The film itself wasn’t anything special, but her performance was outstanding. We’re so used to seeing men as the clever, manipulative villains, so Victoria Leeds felt like a revelation – especially for supporters of feminism, just like Pri herself.

Over time I started following her more closely, and the more I learned, the more I liked her. I realized how much we actually have in common, and that became a trigger that pushed me to work harder to achieve what I want. It’s always easier to believe in your own final goal when you know someone before you has already walked that path.

And even though we are, of course, very different people, if she could leave a small town and achieve whatever she wanted thanks only to ambition and hard work, then each one of us can. As she writes in her memoir Unfinished:

“I’m a small-town girl who had crazy dreams and aspirations. I hope my story will inspire people to be fearless in the pursuit of their dreams and to believe that they can achieve their goals, no matter where they come from.”

I personally can’t wait for the book, which was released on February 9, 2021 in the U.S., to reach the Bulgarian market as well. Who knows — maybe my future publishing house will be the first to release her book in Bulgarian.

“Ambition is a word associated with women negatively. People say, ‘She’s too ambitious.’ Why is that a bad thing?”

“Feminism is women standing up for themselves and saying, ‘Give me the freedom to make my own choices without judging me.’ It is not superiority. It is not hating or berating men. It is just saying, ‘Let me make my decisions without shaming me or trolling me. Give me the same opportunities that men have enjoyed for so long.’”

One of the things that inspires me most about Priyanka is her dedication to charity. I share her passion for humanitarian work; we even support many of the same causes and organizations (at least in spirit – she does it on a far bigger scale, of course).

As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she fights for the rights of women and children, for access to education, food and clean water, and against poverty and inequality in many countries. She also supports people affected by humanitarian crises or displaced by conflict. In 2017, she visited Zimbabwe, where she met with children who were victims of sexual violence.

She is also an advocate for the UN’s Girl Up initiative – a program that supports projects giving adolescent girls in developing countries equal access to education, healthcare, social and economic opportunities, and a life free from violence. About this, she has said:

“I’ve been a supporter of Girl Up for a while now and I truly believe in its mission: that every girl, no matter where she is born, deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy and empowered.”

Early in her career, she founded The Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education, which provides education and medical support for children in need. Ten percent of all her earnings go to this foundation.

Through UNICEF she has worked with the Deepshikha campaign, helping around 70,000 girls and young women in India learn entrepreneurship skills and gain confidence through financial education and leadership training.

She also supports UNICEF’s Awaaz Do campaign, which focuses on sending every child in India back to school, and the Dare to Care initiative, which works to end child marriage and physical, emotional and sexual violence against young women.

Beyond that, she supports organizations like Nanhi Kali and Save the Girl Child, which fight for access to education for underprivileged girls in India who otherwise would not have this opportunity. She is also vocal about climate change and environmental issues.

We often hear her speak about topics like female infanticide, access to education and systemic inequality. She believes in feminism, women’s rights, gender equality and equal pay.

For her social and humanitarian work, Pri has received many awards and honors, including the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice and the UNICEF Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award.

“My mom always said that when a woman is financially independent, she has the ability to live life on her own terms.”

“Financial independence gives you the ability to protect yourself when life happens, to stand on your own feet and say, ‘Alright, I can do something about this,’ without feeling helpless.”

Beyond everything else, Priyanka is a strong advocate for the right not to be perfect – for the right to be a human being with flaws and strengths, not an idealized robot constantly living under pressure and unhappiness in the pursuit of some impossible standard.

None of us is perfect – that’s exactly what makes us human. And that’s the beauty of life: to be imperfect, to make mistakes and to grow through them. Otherwise, imagine how boring everything would be. How can you not admire such an inspiring person? I truly hope that one day I can be an inspiration for someone the way she is for me.

“I think it’s great to be flawed. I am hugely flawed, and I like it this way. That’s the fun of life. You fall, get up, make mistakes, learn from them, be human and be you.”

“Don’t try to squeeze into a glass slipper. Instead, shatter the glass ceiling.”

“No one can tell you how much you can do. You have to set your own standards.”

Priyanka Chopra is living proof that with ambition, hard work and self-belief we can achieve anything we set our minds to. Her journey from a small town to the global stage inspires thousands of people around the world and reminds us that there are no limits for those who are willing to fight for their dreams.

If she could achieve so much, starting from seemingly nowhere, then every one of us can. Her story is proof that with the right mindset and consistent effort, any woman can overcome obstacles and succeed on a global level.

“You can’t control everything – you just have to do your best with every opportunity.”

So, inspired by her example, let’s never give up and always believe that our dreams are possible. Believe in yourself, dream boldly and act bravely – because your story could be the next one to inspire the world. Never be afraid to StArt something new – you never know what your idea might grow into in the end.

“When life gives you lemons, make grape juice, then sit back and let people wonder how you did it.”

“Be true to who you are. Be courageous. Be selfless. Be love. Courage comes from knowing your truth and standing up for it. Only then is it special.”

“No one can tell you how much you can do. You have to set your own standards.”

“No matter where you go in life or who you get married to you have to be financially independent, whether you use it or not.”

I hope this article has inspired you! If it has, feel free to share it with your friends on social media. You can also subscribe to our newsletter for more inspiring stories or contact us with your suggestions for the next Inspirer.