Defiant Dreams: Tales of Everyday Divas is a collection of twenty-four stories handpicked through a nationwide contest. More than a book, it is a collage of love and patience, courage and determination. Between the pages is a chronicle of dreams that refuse to be crushed by the heel of Life's injustices. The tales are portraits of ordinary women-mothers, daughters, brides-to-be and wives --- rising to extraordinary challenges; women who transformed themselves into mistresses of their own destinies. From the lanes of Banaras to the hills of Assam, from urban landscapes to rural settings, these incredible women are here to inspire.