1) Gargi Vachaknavi(born about 700 BCE)
Gargi was a hindu philosopher & a brahmavadini, she became highly knowledgeable in the Vedas & Upanishads in the Vedic times and held intellectual debates with other philosophers. She is also said to have written many hymns in the Rigveda.
2) Themistoclea of Delphi(6th century BCE)
Themistoclea was a 6th century seer or Pythia of Apollo at the temple at Delphi. She is reputed to have been the teacher of Pythagoras, who is often called "the Father of philosophy".
3) Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 370 CE- 415 CE) was a philosopher & mathematician, born in Alexandria, Egypt. She was murdered in 415 CE by a Christian mob on accounts of being a witch due to her expertise in philosophy. Her remains were burned in a mockery of pagan sacrifice.
4) Kubaba(2,400 BC)
Kubaba is the first recorded female ruler in history. She was queen of Sumer, in what is now Iraq. Kubaba was apparently not given this position by birthright, but she instead worked as a barkeep, brewing and serving ancient beer, before taking the throne.
5) Trotula of Salerno (11th and 12th centuries)
Trotula of Salerno was an Italian physician who worked in Salerno. She is the author of Practica secundum Trotam, which covers a variety of different medical topics, from infertility & menstrual disorders to snakebite and cosmetics.
6) Ahilyabai Holkar (31 May 1725 – 13 Aug 1795)
Regarded as one of the finest female rulers in Indian history, she spread the message of dharma. She was a brave & learned politician. Her observation of the British & their agenda was something even the Peshwa had missed noticing
7) Fatima Al-Fihri(800-880 CE) Fatima bint Muhammad Al-Fihriyya Al-Qurashiya was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the al-Qarawiyyin mosque in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco. The mosque subsequently developed a teaching institution, the first university in Morocco.
8) Cixi(Nov 1835-Nov 15 1908)
Also called Xitaihou or Xiaoqin Xianhuanghou, she had a towering presence over the Chinese empire for almost half a century. By maintaining authority over the Manchu imperial house, she became one of the most powerful women in the history of China.
9) Artemesia Gentileschi (1593–1653)
She was anoted painter of the Italian Baroque period. She painted Biblical and mythological paintings, & was the first woman accepted to the prestigious Fine Art Academy in Florence
10) Amanirenas
Amanirenas was a queen of the Kingdom of Kush from c. 40 BC to c. 10 BC. Her full title was Amnirense qore li kdwe li. Amanirenas is one of the most famous kandakes, because of her role leading Kushite armies against the Romans in a war that lasted five years.
11) Jane Austen ( 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817)
She was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), Emma (1815), and Persuasion and Northanger Abbey (both 1817)
12) Rufaida Al-Aslamia (born approx. 620 AD; 2 BH)
She was an Islamic medical and social worker recognized as the first female Muslim nurse and the first female surgeon in Islam.
13) Virdimura (fl. 1376) was a Sicilian Jewish doctor, the first woman officially certified to practice medicine in Sicily.
14) Shakuntala Devi (4 November 1929 – 21 April 2013)
She was an Indian mathematician, writer & mental calculator, also known as the "Human Computer". she gave the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds & demonstrated the multiplication of 2 13 digit numbers in 28 seconds.
Merit Ptah (c. 2700 B.C.)
Merit Ptah lived in Ancient Egypt and is most notable for being the first female physician mentioned by name in history.