Syeda Saiyidain Hameed is an Indian social and women’s rights activist, educationist, writer and a former member of the Planning Commission of India. She is currently the President of the National Federation of Indian Women. She has authored numerous books such as The Quilt and Other Stories (1986), They Hang: 12 Women in My Portrait Gallery (2006), and Beautiful Country: Stories From Another India (2012), among others. Her columns also frequently appeared on The Indian Express. She was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2007.