MARGARET THATCHER ..........our first female "role model "

Baroness Margaret Thatcher was the longest-serving British Prime Minister of the 20th century and is the only woman to have held the office .  A Soviet journalist once called her "Iron Lady", a nickname that became associated with her uncompromising leadership style, the name which became her identity and which defined her.  Iron Lady was also the name of popular Hollywood movie made about her . As Prime Minister, she implemented policies that have come to be known as "Thatcherism" . Asian countries have had many female leaders but mostly all of them belong to powerful political families , on the other hand Mrs Thatcher who was daughter of a grocer and studied chemistry did enter politics as a complete outsider . She defeated Mr Edward Heath  in the Conservative Party Leadership elections  to become leader of her party and leader of opposition . She  became prime minister in 1979 . Her wit and intellect definitely transformed Britian , she found a great friend and ally in US President Ronald Reagan . Mrs Thatcher was a key player during the " Cold War " of 1980"s . Mikhail Gorbachev of USSR and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl greatly respected her . She  served her country for 11 years and during that time she was able to resolve many social and political issues  like privatization of state owned companies and reducing the power of trade unions. Thatcher's popularity  during the 1982 Falkland Wars  helped her being re- elected as Prime Minister .

Mrs Thatcher dominated the world political stage in the 1980s , she was a role model for not only British women but for women every where , all across the world . When I look at female leaders of today like Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton I think they may  have  borrowed few political tips from Baroness Thatcher .