Six inspiring moms from screen and page

From striking a perfect balance to being the epitome of care and sacrifice, here are some fictional mothers who have impressed the youth.

Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: A single mother of two children and an aspiring stand-up comic. What else could have been more inspiring in the late 1950s? Armed with unparalleled humour and multiple side jobs, she strikes a balance between breaking social stereotypes and taking care of her responsibilities as a parent. The relationship between Maisel and her children is not that of an omnipresent caregiver. Keeping in mind the notion of a modern working mother, an individual life outside the traditional norms of motherhood is as valuable as the ones they share with their children. Her role is the ultimate female role model, for whom nothing seems unattainable. To sum it all up in one word – simply “marvellous”.

— Sriparno Ganguly, second-year, BTech Computer Science and Technology, IIEST Shibpur

Mariam from A Thousand Splendid Suns: In the novel by Khaled Hosseini, Mariam went through a miscarriage. That did not stop her from tending to her husband’s second wife Laila and their children like her own. She sacrificed herself and not once did she feel hostile towards Laila’s children. Mariam found happiness in them despite her miserable life and failed marriage. Mariam showed us that maternal feelings are not just formed by blood but purely from love and affection.

— Sannidhyaa Basu Mallik, first year, BA Honours, English, Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi

Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls: There is no shame in accepting that we have all wanted our mothers to be like Lorelai Gilmore at some point in our lives. She has the right amount of cool quotient but is also protective of her daughter, Rory. Even though her parenting style was a bit unconventional, she sheltered Rory with utmost love. Lorelai is a supportive mother and a pillar of strength for Rory. Like every parent, she too wasn't a perfect mother, but what made her stand out was the dynamic bond she shared with her daughter. Oh, let's not forget about her perfect situational pop culture references!

— Aatreyi Sarkar, Class XII, Humanities, Shri Shikshayatan School

Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter series: Being a die-heart Potterhead, Molly Weasley tops the list. Even though she had her brood of seven children to take care of, pretty much all of which unruly and wild, she took Harry in as her own. She didn’t think twice before stepping in as Harry’s mother. Molly knew how to keep her kids in line. Her scolding was legendary and it worked. When Molly unleashed one of her spectacular tirades, it wasn’t her frustration with her children but she wanted to push them to their best versions. Her family was always her top priority. Molly managed to raise her kids with the right priorities and all of them appreciated what family meant and enjoyed being together. For me, Molly is a rare gem.

— Aishee Bhattacharya, Class XI, Science, Naihati Narendra Vidyaniketan, West Bengal

Kainaaz Akhtar from Kaafir: I personally like Kainaaz Akhtar, a role played by Dia Mirza in this less-known web series. It is inspirational to watch how a mother spends eight years behind the bars raising her daughter after being misjudged as a terrorist. Although being deprived of all facilities, she raises her child well. I like how this web series portrayed the character of a mother who can go beyond limits for her child.

— Harsheen Kaur, first year, BSc Honours Biomedical Science, Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences, University of Delhi

Vaibhav Pandey’s mom from Kota Factory: Actress Jyoti Gauba plays the role of Vaibhav Pandey’s mom. It is a short yet inspiring role. Vaibhav, the central character, during his stay at the hostel, hid all the challenges and difficulties he faced from his mother. However, it did not take her much time to realise the issues her child was struggling with. Leaving everything else aside, she decides to meet his son and be his pillar of strength. The beautiful, loving, caring qualities of a mother are beautifully portrayed. Her care, love and vigilance make her inspiring.

– Soham Bhattacharya, first-year, BSc Honours Mathematics, St Xavier's College, Kolkata