Frida Topno belongs to the Rungaon village, Sundargarh, Odisha, India. She was known as the first tribal woman graduate of Odisha and a notable Congress leader. She went to Lok Sabha and later on to Rajya Sabha, as she worked for advocating tribal and women rights, affecting generation after generation of Indian Women. Frida Topno received her degree from Sailabala College in Cuttack, making her the first tribal woman graduate in the state of Odisha. The graduation in the 1940s changes the history for the tribal women's education in Odisha.

Frida Topno has served as a Member of Parliament in 10th and 11th Lok Sabha (1991 and 1996), and in Rajya Sabha from 1998 to 2004. Her long and cherished association with these two institutions brought to the national limelight tribal issues and women's rights. Frida also served as the national vice-president of Indian Women's Hockey Federation and as president of Odisha Women's Hockey Association. Thus, she put a voice to women's sport. Her magic went beyond political empowerment; it empowered women in sports leadership. The tenure she spent in Indian politics and social welfare is could leave an everlasting legacy for the tribal women wanting to join politics. Even after her demise in the year 2018, her works and zeal towards the social cause and keeping up with tribal rights marks as an inspiration for many generations to come.