The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) was passed while we were well into conceptualising this issue. And, in the wake of the national rebellion fomented by this political act, the paradox of thinking about ambition, motivation and being inspired became penetratingly obvious. It turned into a lesson in overcoming hopelessness, in retaining faith about the future as we encountered stories of incredibly resilient, strong-willed and innovative people who have forged new paths in their various pursuits and chosen to be driven by optimism. While still working at venture capital firm Sequoia, cover personality Ankiti Bose co-founded the start-up Zilingo, a digital fashion marketplace that will soon place her in the exclusive list of female Indian entrepreneurs heading a unicorn. We pair her with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of biopharmaceutical company Biocon, role model for young women entering the business world and a leader who is synonymous with self-empowerment. Our latest issue also features former film producer Nikhil Taneja whose digital content platform Yuvaa seeks to erase the stigma that surrounds the notion of asking for/getting help regarding one's mental health, the inspiring journeys of mountaineer Priyanka Mohite, triathlete Solonie Singh Pathania and ultrarunner Anjali Saraogi who have managed to sustain careers and excel in extreme outdoor sports, and dance reality show veteran Alisha Singh trying on the latest Indian streetwear trends. On stands now.