Innholdsfortegnelse for 24 December 2023 i Business Today

India is a country where nearly half the population consists of women. According to World Bank data from 2022, women constitute 48.4 per cent of India’s population. India has a woman President, a woman Finance Minister, a woman heading markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India, and the heads of the Competition Commission of India and even the Railway Board are women. Women are also playing critical roles in India’s space ambition. And yet, when viewed from a macro perspective, there’s still a lot of work to be done. But the good news is that things are changing. Today’s Indian woman is keen to break barriers and carve out her niche, and we are increasingly witnessing several such examples in the world of business in particular. Many women are…

JUST DO IT. That, in a nutshell, explains what Arundhati Bhattacharya did every time she encountered self-doubt during her long and storied career. Because, one mantra she has followed throughout is to never give up. “Giving up is the easiest thing to do… When faced with a situation that is asking you to give up, I have realised the only way to get past these moments of self-doubt is to go ahead with the notion of ‘I can do it’ and ‘I will do it’,” says Bhattacharya, who retired as the first female chairman of SBI. It was the same ‘will do’ attitude that led her to accept US cloud-based software firm Salesforce’s offer to be Chairperson and CEO of its India operations. And she took the role at 64,…

SHE MAY have turned 60 recently, but Meena Ganesh is in no hurry to hang up her boots. In fact, she is leading the transformation of her company, home healthcare provider Portea Medical. Ganesh, the Co-founder & Chairperson of the company, has played a pivotal role in shaping the strategic vision of Portea, founded in 2013. “We have extended our reach beyond metro cities, introducing services such as palliative care, high-acuity cancer care, and stroke care at home in 40 locations, including various Tier II cities across India,” says Ganesh, adding that the expansion aligns with Portea’s commitment to achieve health equity beyond metro cities. Leveraging digital health-tech, Ganesh has also spearheaded the transformation of Portea into a digitally-driven entity by implementing end-to-end digitisation of the customer’s journey. She is…

The Journey of a Visionary: Meenal’s story begins with a simple yet profound belief: understanding people is the essence of HR. Armed with a defining tenure in the banking sector, a rich educational background with an Executive Diploma in HR from XLRI Jamshedpur, a B.Sc in Mathematics, a Master’s in Management Studies from MNIT Jaipur, and a deep passion for HR, she embarked on a journey that would redefine HR consultancy in India. Starting iConsult India in 2011 was Meenal’s leap into a world where she married her proficiency with her passion. “Each client brought a unique puzzle, and for each one, we crafted a bespoke solution. That’s the iConsult India promise”, Meenal reminisces, her eyes lighting up with the memory of early challenges turned into milestones. Redefining HR for…

OCCUPYING PRIDE of place in Kavery Kalanithi Maran’s ultra-spacious and swanky 11th-floor Chennai office is a giant TV screen airing Sun TV. Almost synonymous with cable TV in south India, it is the flagship satellite TV channel of Sun TV Network, which generates over ₹4,000 crore in revenue annually. “I watch a lot of TV,” says Maran, the network’s Executive Director. As the person in charge of the content for the group’s 30-plus TV channels across six languages—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, and Marathi—her eyes are glued not just to what’s playing on them but those of competitors as well. “Every Tuesday, we have meetings with the fiction heads where feedback is openly discussed. So, I need to know what I’m talking about.” She is also ably helped by the…

Harshita Jain is acknowledged as one of the most dynamic entrepreneurs in the infrastructure industry. She is the Director of Consulting Engineers Group Limited (CEG), one of the largest Indian owned infrastructure consultancy companies in India providing services for metros, railways, high speed bullet train, highways, urban development, tunnels, etc. and is working on the most iconic projects. Harshita’s meticulous planning, progressive thinking and motivational leadership qualities have made CEG a strong brand in the infrastructure sector. Her untiring efforts have transformed it into a behemoth with operations spanning over 14 countries, with over 1500 employees working out of 52 offices. Moving very aggressively in the international markets, CEG has also opened international subsidiaries in London and Dubai along with branches in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zambia and Gabon. CEG is providing…

IT HAS TRULY been Alia Bhatt’s year. From being announced as Gucci’s first global brand ambassador from India in May, immediately after her debut at the Met Gala in New York to selling off a majority stake in her business to Reliance Retail, to being awarded the National Award for Best Actress for her film Gangubai Kathiawadi, she has been in the news for all the right reasons. This has also led her to be a part of Business Today’s The Most Powerful Women in Business list for 2023. In September, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL) acquired a 51 per cent stake in Ed-a-Mamma, a children’s- and maternity wear brand founded by Bhatt in 2020 that started out as an online brand before expanding its presence offline in department stores.…

IN THE MIDST of G20 meetings during India’s presidency, Ashima Goyal, then chairing a Task Force on Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), got a chance to visit Mysore Palace. Goyal, one of three external members on the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy committee, was reminded of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of Mysore who had allied with France. “This is the city with a history of global involvement,” she recalls saying then. She believes with the G20 presidency passing from Indonesia to India, now to Brazil, and then to South Africa—all emerging markets—MDB reforms can be brought to fruition. “There is scope for MDBs to trigger private investments,” says Goyal, Emeritus Professor at the Mumbai-headquartered Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research.…

Dipali Goenka is really busy rebranding Welspun. A new logo was unveiled in July, and she can’t stop talking about the group’s presence in various businesses. “We are in roads and also other parts of infrastructure, plus there is the buyout of Sintex-BAPL (that deal concluded in March),” she says. As CEO & MD of the ₹8,200-crore home textile manufacturer Welspun India, she is clear that India is the big story. “India is increasingly being preferred as the new supply chain partner,” says Goenka. She is making Welspun future-ready. “With tools like AI and data analytics, it is necessary for us to be ahead of the curve,” she says. Ask her what will make her happy about the company in five years, she says, “Har ghar se har dil tak (from…

After taking charge at Diageo India in mid-2021, Hina Nagarajan brought in a new growth strategy that has catapulted the firm’s business over the past year. Its listed entity, United Spirits, reported 10.1 per cent growth in net sales to ₹10,611 crore in FY23, while its net profit climbed 24 per cent to ₹1,052 crore. With the company becoming net debt free, its market capitalisation has surged 25 per cent to ₹75,770 crore. Nagarajan now plans to sharpen the portfolio in line with the changing consumer landscape. “Within the organisation, we will continue to focus on driving agility, digital transformation and a culture of high performance to help deliver on our commitments,” she says.…

IN 2019, WHEN Katrina Kaif started her entrepreneurial journey with Kay Beauty in partnership with Nykaa, little did she know that in about three years, the brand would surpass an annualised GMV of ₹100 crore. Kaif has ensured that the brand’s expansion strategy is on point. It is now present in more than 100 general stores, 90-plus Nykaa outlets, and can be delivered to 1,600-plus cities. What sets her apart from other celebs is her hands-on approach; Kaif oversees crucial stages of the brand’s development. “When we started this journey, making Kay Beauty accessible to everyone was a huge priority. This expansion in distribution will deepen engagement as more consumers see and feel the magic of our products,” she says.…

In the dynamic tapestry of influential women across various fields, one name stands out for her exceptional contribution to education in India - Dr. Grace Pinto. Her relentless commitment to providing top-tier education has left an indelible mark on the lives of numerous young minds, making her a beacon of inspiration for her contemporaries. Driven by a passion for teaching and a vision for accessible education, Dr. Pinto, alongside her husband, Dr. A. F. Pinto, Chairman of Ryan Group, embarked on a mission to establish learning centers across the nation. As the Managing Director of Ryan Group, Dr. Grace Pinto’s business acumen, combined with her deep faith, has played a pivotal role in building one of India’s largest privately owned chains of educational institutions. With a presence in 40 cities…

NAMITA THAPAR SIMPLY loves her business. As Executive Director of the India business at Pune-based Emcure Pharmaceuticals, she barely pauses when you ask her what the vision for the company is. “We will continue to scale both our domestic and international businesses and sustain our investments in R&D, especially novelty drug delivery systems, complex injectables & biosimilars, apart from strengthening our manufacturing capabilities,” she says. A prominent face for a while, following the success of Shark Tank India, Thapar comes with strong academic credentials. She qualified as a chartered accountant at just 21, before going on to Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business for an MBA. The next six years were spent working for cardiovascular device manufacturer Guidant Corporation across finance and marketing. In 2007, she came back and took charge…

AMID A CHALLENGING business environment marred by subdued consumer demand, a volatile commodities market and geopolitical unrest in key markets, Nisaba Godrej has not only led Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) on a growth trajectory, but also made some bold moves. Godrej—who is a part of BT’s Most Powerful Women in Business list in 2023—has spearheaded the acquisition of two popular brands, Park Avenue and KamaSutra, from Raymond Group. The ₹2,825-crore deal not only marks the Godrej Group’s foray into two rapidly growing categories — deodorants and sexual wellness—but also offers a multi-decadal double-digit sales growth opportunity. The deal has also boosted the company’s fortunes at the bourses, with its market capitalisation jumping beyond the ₹1 lakh crore mark for the first time in 2023. But despite the tough overall operating…

IN SPITE OF geopolitical tensions and a slowing global economy, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of IT giant HCL Technologies, has guided the business to unprecedented levels in recent quarters. The energetic leader’s growth strategy has not only helped the Noida-based company achieve ₹1 lakh crore in revenues in FY23 (its operating revenue surged 18.5 per cent year-on-year to touch ₹1,01,456 crore), but also boosted its market capitalisation by over 26 per cent in 2023 to cross ₹3,57,335 crore ($43 billion) by November-end. Nadar, who again features in Business Today’s Most Powerful Women in Business list this year, credits her team of senior leaders for the company’s success amid turbulent times, and takes great pride in her 220,000-strong organisation that has managed to land major deals in the past few months.…

Dr. Saloni Wagh largely looks at the business in current times and has been actively involved in all areas right from production to marketing, exports, R&D etc. She holds a Master’s degree in Science from University of Mumbai and a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science, Pacific University, Udaipur, India. Saloni Wagh might have been born with a silver spoon. But she has made the most of the opportunities that came her way to carve out an independent identity for herself. With a Master’s degree in Science from University of Mumbai and a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the Faculty of Science, Pacific University at Udaipur, she is well qualified to contribute to her father’s company Supriya Lifescience Ltd. Saloni shares, “Nine years back I joined the…

Bhavna Udernani is out to recreate the HR industry and get its due credit. She puts it in a matter off act manner, “Organizations are built of people. They spell the success or failure of a venture. However, the role of HR is reduced to that of sheer recruitment and organizing various celebrations”. Bhavna is an amicable, friendly person. But she knows the business and the true role that it needs to play. Her vision is to give the HR industry a genuine purpose and help it emerge as a game changer for the nation. “A well organised, professional and committed HR Industry will ensure more jobs for people. It will also attract more MNCs to India, creating more opportunities for our people”, she says. The dignified air of professionalism…

Dr. Manjula Pooja Shroff, the MD & CEO of the Kalorex Group, stands as a visionary educationalist, an inspirational figure dedicated to transforming the lives of young Indians and igniting the flame of self-discovery within them. With an unwavering commitment to education, she sees herself as the catalyst propelling generations towards realizing and unlocking their true potential. Today 28 years down the line since the inception of Kalorex, the Group has run 55+ institutions, including K-12 schools, pre-schools as well as initiatives for special needs students, underprivileged students, and facilities for addressing vocational needs, as well as edutainment platforms and e-learning courses. Dr. Shroffis a trend setter in the schooling sector in Gujarat and today Kalorex has made a mark by its quality initiatives and flawless processes in all aspects…

Pioneering NRB’s foray into design engineering Harshbeena Zaveri has worked tirelessly to catapult NRB from a bearing manufacturer into a complete friction solutions provider for NextGeneration Mobility Solutions. Harshbeena spearheaded NRB’S foray into design engineering and indisputably determined NRB’s position as a global benchmark for quality and innovative design in precision friction solutions. She moved strategically - building systems and attracting global talent, institutionalising processes and building IP, laying the foundation for NRB’s leap to the leadership position it enjoys within the industry. Creating a vision and driving its implementation with strong core values are the company’s strengths; her dream was to make NRB a technology leader instead of being a commodity bearing supplier and it’s evident she has achieved this. Harshbeena believed she could build engineering capabilities of global…

UPASANA TAKU LEFT a secure job at PayPal in the US to return to India in 2008 to launch a fintech start-up, at a time when online payments for sundry transactions were limited to a small number of local internet users. Even the low penetration of the internet (20–25 million users) in the country did not stop her from taking the plunge. Taku, then in her 20s, was certain she could solve the problem of lack of access to financial tools for millions of Indians. Her job at PayPal taught her about digital payments and how wallets make Americans’ lives easier. She learnt during her brief stint in India’s microfinance sector that millions of Indians can only be assisted digitally. Taku launched MobiKwik in 2009, one of the country’s first fintech…

IN JUST HER first year as the Chief Content Officer of global streaming giant Netflix, Bela Bajaria has already weathered two big storms, the double strike by Hollywood writers and actors, both of whom had combined to bring new content production to a grinding halt for months. In a first in 63 years, both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike to demand redressals on a range of issues, such as better pay and protection from the threat of Artificial Intelligence in creative work, among others. While the WGA strike ended in September this year after five months of protest, negotiations with SAG-AFTRA were closed in November, with both winning significant concessions from the…

WHEN REVATHI ADVAITHI joined Flex—the world’s largest contract manufacturing firm—as its CEO in February 2019, little did she know that the world would soon be in the throes of multiple challenges: the Covid-19 pandemic, increased geopolitical uncertainty leading to economic concerns, supply chain disruptions that were creating component shortages across industries around the world, and other issues that required adaptability and resilience from companies globally. Yet, through it all, Advaithi has kept Flex’s focus on achieving its long-term strategy focussed on driving tech innovation, supply chain resilience, and responsible and sustainable manufacturing solutions across industries and end markets, all the while delivering consistent financial results, prioritising employee health and safety, and continuing to make progress on its sustainability journey. Dedicated to establishing Flex as a trusted global technology, supply chain and…

Sumita’s dedication to her craft is evident in her profound expertise and proficiency in Traditional Pulse Diagnosis and Acupuncture treatment. Her impactful work extends beyond conventional clinical settings, with over 800 acupuncture awareness camps conducted under the banner “Aarogya Tumachya daari” in rural areas through collaborations with social organizations like Rotary, Lions, and senior citizens groups. A trailblazer in her field, Sumita achieved notable milestones, becoming the first Indian woman Acupuncturist to represent the country at the United Nations CSW 61 in New York. Her contributions expanded to global platforms, where she presented her work at Traditional Medicine summits in the Netherlands, Italy, Chicago, USA, and even delivered a TED talk. Driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge and an intrinsic motivation to advance her field, Sumita pursued a Doctoral…

Meet Priyanka Gupta, the Director of Brands of the leading national eyewear retail chain, GKB Opticals. Young, innovative, and enthusiastic, Priyanka is the third generation in the business, succeeding B. K. Gupta, who has been one of the pioneers in the optical industry. Established in 1959, GKB was the first to introduce prescription lenses in India. “It’s more than just selling a product; we look forward to giving better vision along with style and self-expression”, said Priyanka. Fashion along with customer satisfaction has been the key mantra of the brand. Carrying the legacy of this trusted brand ahead, Priyanka’s understanding of the customer’s psyche, attention to details, and awareness of changing needs make her stand out as a leader in the eyewear industry. She has introduced Home Service, where customers…

Dr. Archana Batra is a distinguished Nutritionist, Physiotherapist, and Certified Diabetes Educator with a remarkable career spanning over 15 years. Renowned as one of the best dietitians in Delhi for weight loss, she operates from Archana Batra’s Diet Clinic, specializing in weight management diets and addressing lifestyle diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Having served in esteemed institutions such as Medanta and the Sitaram Bhartiya Institute of Science and Research, Dr. Archana advocates for healthy eating practices to achieve weight loss and prevent lifestyle-related issues. Her personalized diet plans prioritize health through nutrition, tailored to individual needs. Dr. Archana’s journey began with a Bachelor’s in Physiotherapy in 2007, complemented by a Diploma in Nutrition and Health Education. While working as a physiotherapist, she recognized the impact of weight on…

Shweta Sangtani, a seasoned lawyer with a 12-year background in litigation, arbitration, dispute resolution, and legal drafting, is making waves beyond the courtroom. Graduating with a BSL LLB from ILS Law College in 2010, Sangtani’s early career saw her advocating in various capacities, including independent practice at the Bombay High Court. However, her professional journey took an unconventional turn when she co-founded Sangya Project (www.sangyaproject.com) alongside partners Tanisha RK and Aashish Mehrotra. Recognizing the limitations and censorship surrounding sex education for minors, Sangya Project was started as an Instagram page and gained traction rapidly, amassing over 30k followers. It so on evolved, receiving requests for guest posts and fostering candid discussions on sex, pleasure, and sexuality. Upon recognizing the need for greater quality control, higher warranty periods, greater access and…

Sebi Listing Agreement was amended in 2004; clause for appointment of a woman director was introduced Under the Companies Act, 2013, at least one woman director is mandatory for boards of all listed firms and certain unlisted entities It also mandated that any vacancy arising had to be compulsorily filled within three months In 2017, the Kotak Committee on Corporate Governance proposed at least one woman independent director in boards of all listed firms The deadline for the Top 500 firms was April 2019 and April 2020 for the Top 1,000 companies SOURCE EY REPORT, BT RESEARCH…

SOURCE IREDA DRHP, CMIE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 66 PER CENT The share of renewable energy the government is looking to achieve by 2032 in total installed capacity, compared to 42 per cent in July 2023 ₹24.43 LAKH CRORE The total outlay expected towards renewable capacity additions during FY23-FY32 25 TIMES Surge in the central government’s spending on new and renewable energy to ₹10,222 crore in FY24 (BE) from ₹395 crore in FY14…

Lingel Windows and Doors, a German fenestration brand with 65 years of expertise, stands tall as a beacon of innovation and excellence. It is one of the leading manufacturers in the fenestration industry in India with its sole 125,000 sq.ft manufacturing unit in Rewari. At the heart of Lingel’s success lies an unwavering commitment to the craftsmanship and precision of every product. Lingel Windows understands that windows and doors are not mere functional elements; they are integral parts of a building’s character. The company’s commitment to innovation is evident in its diverse range of designs that cater to both contemporary and classic architectural styles. As such, the company invests significantly in research and development. Lingel offers a gamut of fenestration solutions for every customer. Lingel German Wood: These windows are…

BOLD AND FAST is the name of the game in the wild world of startups, and nobody has embodied that in the past few years quite like Falguni Nayar. The 60-year-old former managing director of Kotak Mahindra Capital defied conventional start-up norms when she traded her banker hat for a start-up adventure, launching Nykaa in 2012 at the age of 49. She built an entirely new category within the internet economy and achieved a rare feat for an online commerce business by listing it as a profitable entity in just about nine years. Along the way, she earned the title of India’s richest self-made woman billionaire. And with that, she has stormed into the Hall of Fame of BT’s Most Powerful Women in Business. “One of our biggest values is…

“AN ASTROLOGER looked at my mother’s hand and said, ‘Don’t name it Apollo Hospital, make it Hospitals. It will never be one. It will be several’,” says the hospital chain’s MD Suneeta Reddy. And there certainly have been—71, to be precise. Not to forget the 5,600-plus offline pharmacies, nearly 3,000 clinics and specialty centres, as well as digital platform Apollo 24/7 that make it the largest omni-channel integrated healthcare network in India. Suneeta, Founder and Chairman Dr Prathap C. Reddy’s second daughter, has been involved in the business from her final year of college, when she helped prepare the project report to set up the first hospital. Now she spearheads corporate strategy and finance of the group, which generated revenues of ₹16,612 crore in FY23. “We first came up with…

FOR YOUNG AND affluent women to enter their family businesses was quite a rare occurrence back in the day. But since a young age, Devita Saraf has had the desire to enter the world of business. She started her journey at the age of 16 in her father’s company, Zenith Computers, and became the Director of Marketing at 21. Then, she took over as CEO at the age of 25. Between this time, in 2005 (when she was only 24), she started a separate firm called Vu Technologies—that has grown into a ₹ 1,400-crore TV manufacturer today. “Studying abroad and understanding how global companies are created and compete, helped me understand what I can bring into the world of business,” says Saraf. So, how did the idea for Vu germinate?…

Each one of us is born equal. However it is our ecosystem that shapes our self-belief about our capabilities. In regressive surroundings, it is essential that one needs to silence the voice of self-doubts and dive deep to realize our true potential. Atifa Akbar should know better. She has done just that to rise up and find a place for herself with her skin care brand Eclat. Aco-Founder of a Skin Care brand, she is a fierce exponent of the fact that beautiful skin cannot be a veneer of makeup, but it must be a healthy glow that comes from prevention, protection and nourishment. That is her mission, to create a range of skincare products that are clinically proven to protect and nourish. No empty claims here. The list of…

IN THE SECOND attempt to get her on the phone, a cheerful voice apologises for a 10-minute delay. Without wasting a second beyond the customary niceties, the successful and much–adored actor and entrepreneur, Nayanthara, launches right into describing her brands and business philosophy. Articulate and no-nonsense, you know she means business. Known as much for headlining powerful and commercially successful women-centric films as for her stylish pairings opposite top actors, Nayanthara’s 20-year journey in the film industry has seen her evolve from a Malayalam TV anchor to ‘Lady Superstar’, entrepreneur, investor and brand ambassador. “When you start thinking about it, you kind of start manifesting it,” she says about her decision to venture into business along with her filmmaker husband, Vignesh Shivan. The duo’s film production house Rowdy Pictures bankrolled the…

Starting off as a management trainee at Sundram Fasteners (SFL) in 1990, Arathi Krishna rose through the ranks. Nearly three decades later, she became the MD in 2018, succeeding her father after his retirement. SFL, earlier a part of the erstwhile $8.5 billion TVS Group, is now free to chart its own course after the group restructured last year. Already on top, she is building SFL into a global brand through innovation as she aims to transform it from a component maker to a supplier of sub-assemblies to EV players. “We have a target of 50 per cent of our top line to be non-auto and EV in five years,” says Krishna. Seems she is ready for the ride.…

IF SHAH RUKH Khan set the cash registers ringing in 2023 with blockbusters like Pathaan and Jawan at a time when Bollywood desperately needed a pick-me-up to boost its collections, he had excellent company in both those movies in Deepika Padukone. But apart from being one of the most bankable names in the Hindi film industry, Padukone has also evolved into a multifaceted brand. Top-grossing film projects as an actor and producer aside, she has also carved a niche for herself as an investor, entrepreneur, global brand ambassador and mental health champion. One of the most well-known Indian faces internationally, representing luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier, 2023 has seen her become the global brand ambassador for Qatar Airways as well. With well-known brands such as Adidas, Levi’s,…

WITH REVENUE OF ₹2.6 lakh crore, Reliance Industries Ltd’s retail business, Reliance Retail, is a leader in the space by some distance. Interestingly, its revenue continues to grow on a large base—in fact, it grew by 30 percent over the last fiscal. And at the helm is Isha Ambani, its Director, who has given the business a big push from the time she came aboard in 2014. From moving into new formats to bringing in world-class brands, and making strategic acquisitions to raising huge amounts of funding, Ambani, who holds an MBA from Stanford University, is hungry for more growth. And the opening of the Jio World Plaza, the country’s largest luxury mall, is a clear indication of the company’s growth plans under the watchful eye of Ambani, who recently…

WHAT CONNECTS THE Hindi version of Oscar winning film RRR directed by S.S. Rajamouli, Oscar-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers and the International Emmy-winning Vir Das: Landing? All of them are on Netflix India. Credit for this must go to Monika Shergill, who is leading the streaming giant’s content strategy in India. Shergill has manoeuvred Netflix India through a revised strategy that has seen it pump in a lot more money into local content. As a result, Netflix India’s user engagement grew 30 per cent and revenue grew 24 per cent over a year at the end of December 2022, making it the company’s fastest-growing market globally. “Our core strategy remains unchanged. We want to make Netflix the service of choice for Indian audiences by offering an exciting line-up of quality series,…

FOR NANDINI PIRAMAL, Chairperson of Piramal Pharma Limited (PPL), profitable business growth is synonymous with responsibility and sustainability. After a challenging FY23, the current fiscal is about recovery and turnaround for the business. The pharma company’s revenue from operations in Q2FY24 grew by 11 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,911 crore. This turnaround was possible thanks to Piramal’s focus on organic growth, cost control and operational excellence. Under Piramal’s leadership, PPL journeyed towards sustainable growth and expansion at a steady pace. In August 2023, PPL closed a rights issue and paid off ₹950 crore in debt. Today, PPL has 17 manufacturing sites worldwide and a global distribution network spread over 100 countries. For Piramal, sustainability targets are equally important. And with over 40 per cent of corporate roles in the organisation…

THIS FOURTH-GENERATION member of the Mumbai-based Godrej family leads at the intersection of law, business strategy, and sustainability. As Executive Director, Nyrika Holkar steers Godrej & Boyce’s digital strategy, overseeing areas such as brand management, legal affairs, and M&As. A qualified solicitor, she shapes the company’s global legal strategy, ensuring robust commercial contracts, structuring M&A transactions, and safeguarding intellectual property across the diverse spectrum of G&B’s 14 businesses. Beyond her legal responsibilities, she serves as the brand custodian, collaborating with Sustainability, Marketing, and Communication teams to forge a responsible corporate brand. Under her, the company’s Godrej Electricals & Electronics unit has bagged orders worth ₹2,000 crore from power transmission, railways and solar projects. G&B has also been praised for sourcing more than 80 per cent of its domestic supply chain…

Radhika Gupta is the latest to join the panel on the third season of Shark Tank India. An odd woman out on the panel—coming from the tightly regulated MF industry as against the opaque start-up arena—she did spring a surprise with her foray. Gupta is the only female MD & CEO in the Indian MF industry and has been instrumental in growing the assets of Edelweiss Mutual Fund from ₹9,000 crore in 2017 to over ₹1 lakh crore now. She has interests outside business, too. With mentorship programmes, she has encouraged women in her fund house. “At Edelweiss, we are already 30-odd per cent women, which is high for financial services,” she says.…

THE PERSON IN-CHARGE of India’s largest offline pharmacy chain is a big advocate of taking care of one’s physical and mental health. “The only way you can bring your best to work is if you first do the right thing by yourself,” says Shobana Kamineni, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise. “Exercise, eat right, meditate and [have] a deep sense of gratitude,” is what she suggests. Her own advice has helped her develop Apollo Pharmacy into a network of 5,700-plus stores that generates around ₹6,000 crore in annual revenues, and Kamineni says they are on track to add another 700-1,000 new stores across India this year. While offline pharmacy is a well-established business, she is focussed on growing the integrated digital platform, Apollo 24/7, which offers virtual doctor consultations and…

UNDER SINDHU GANGADHARAN’S leadership, SAP Labs India has emerged as the German enterprise software company’s largest R&D centre globally. This means that 40 per cent of its global R&D workforce is based in India. “What started as a small organisation of 100 developers is now a strong family of 15,000-plus people,” says Gangadharan. Interestingly, it is the only location to host SAP’s entire product portfolio. “I am proud to have been associated with this journey of driving more investments to India, building on India’s product engineering and creating more job opportunities for young Indians,” she says. The company is coming up with a new campus in Devanahalli in Bengaluru, which, she says, will generate 15,000 more jobs in the Indian technology space. Moreover, as SAP globally made the transition to…

If the story of the past three years has centred around survival, 2023 has purely been about growing for Suparna Mitra. Defying the challenges of Covid-19, the division under Mitra’s watch has emerged as one of the fastest growing segments for Titan Company. Its watches and wearables division crossed the ₹5,000-crore mark in annual turnover in FY23. “To increase focus, we divided the business into three segments… And all our engines are firing,” she says. Further, Mitra plans to turn the division into a ₹10,000-crore per year business by 2026. To that end, the company added 150 stores in the last year. And the momentum will continue, she says.…

VINEETA SINGH is a house-hold name today, a face of entrepreneurship and a champion of women-led businesses, all thanks to Shark Tank India. However, beyond the spotlight, Singh, alongside her Co-founder and husband Kaushik Mukherjee, is driving SUGAR Cosmetics towards expansive growth in the dynamic beauty landscape. She says the company saw a 90 per cent increase in revenues in financial year 2022-23, totalling ₹428.4 crore, coupled with a 15 per cent improvement in the bottom line. What’s the next big goal? Turning profitable, she says. Singh is aiming to ensure that Q3 and Q4 are in the black, riding the wave of festive season demand. Zooming out, the plan is to hit Ebitda break-even by FY24. “Our aim has always been that once we come close to the ₹500-crore…

IN GUNEET MONGA Kapoor’s twinkly eyes, all you see is love. She is unapologetically and self-admittedly in a one-sided love affair with her stories. “I’m head over heels in the service of the story, so I make sure that my love for that story opens its own doors to the world,” says the two-time Oscar-winning producer, who has made a comeback on the BT Most Powerful Women in Business list for the first time since 2019. For someone who has made over 35 movies, she still exhibits the optimism of a newcomer. “Even though I’ve been around for 15 years [in this industry], it feels like I just got started,” she says. As someone who’s at the helm of both creative and financial processes, Kapoor often finds the right balance…

IN THE LABYRINTH of Bollywood’s male-dominated world of directors and storytellers, Zoya Akhtar is indeed part of a rare breed. With her soul-stirring films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Gully Boy (2019), Akhtar has left an indelible mark on Indian cinema. In addition to her work as a director and screenwriter, she is a well-known film producer. With Director Reema Kagti of Talaash fame, she co-founded the film production company Tiger Baby in October 2015 with the aim of telling distinctive stories and have more nuanced characters in mainstream cinema. Since its debut production Gully Boy—directed by Akhtar—that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, Tiger Baby has been making waves under her watchful eyes, especially in the OTT space. While Dahaad and Made in Heaven 2, that…

BURGER KING, PERNOD Ricard, Samsung, Verizon, Unilever, Nestlé and IBM—as diverse as these brands are, they have one thing in common. Some or most of their advertising needs are met by one global ad agency, Ogilvy—part of the £14.43-billion international advertising and marketing services group WPP, that also owns Wunderman Thomson, GroupM and Kantar, among others. Leading the charge for these brands to create a space in the hearts of consumers is Ogilvy’s Global CEO Devika Bulchandani, who has been living in the US for over three decades now. Having moved to the country in the early ’90s to do her Masters in Communications from the University of Southern California, Bulchandani is now counted amongst the biggest names in the world of advertising. But to people who know her, she is…

At the forefront of two transformative enterprises, Dr. Amushree Jha takes on the role of Chief Executive Officer at Pujashoppe.com and serves as the Director at Diviniti.com. An accomplished entrepreneur, strategic thinker, and a strong advocate for organized spiritual practices, Dr. Jha stands as a beacon of innovation in the realms of puja essentials and spiritual gifting. Amushree’s professional trajectory is characterized by remarkable versatility. Commencing her career in journalism with notable positions at esteemed publications such as the Telegraph and Times of India, she seamlessly transitioned into the field of public relations. In 2015, propelled by a vision to bring order to the unorganized puja industry, she founded Pujashoppe, championing the mantra ‘Puja made easy!’ Her inventive approach, featuring an Omni-channel fulfillment strategy, propelled Pujashoppe to become a household…

Apurva Agarwal is a certified celebrity nutritionist based in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and a torchbearer of holistic health practices. With a profound passion for transforming lives, Apurva specializes in crafting personalized diet plans beyond the superficial realms of weight loss, addressing concerns, promoting skin health, and improving gut well-being. Apurva’s philosophy is rooted in sustainable well-being, rejecting the allure of crash diets and quick fixes. Instead, the focus is on nurturing a healthy and enduring lifestyle, emphasizing how one feels internally over mere appearances. Her practice is known for curating custom plans for patient’s physical wellness, sleep quality, natural radiance, and optimum energy levels-in short, good health inside out. Driven by an insatiable curiosity about food and health, Apurva delves into the earnest impacts of various foods on the body and…

Dr. Shilpi Mohan transcends conventional medical boundaries in her diverse roles as a Cardiologist, Yoga Trainer, Psychic, Chakra and Crystals Healer, and Tarot Card Reader. She is the force behind the Ashvattha Cardiac Care Centre (www.drshilpimohan.com) in Telangana for holistic healing. She advocates a harmonious blend of indigenous, traditional, contemporary, and modern medicinal practices with spiritual and alternative approaches for wellness-focused healthcare. With a foundation rooted in spirituality from her mother and a commitment to honesty and excellence inspired by her father, a national award recipient, she embarked on her medical journey driven by a passion for becoming a heart specialist. She has a wealth of experience spanning over 15 years across esteemed medical centers in India and is a guest columnist at The Hitavada newspaper. Recognized as the “Most…

THE YEARS CORRESPOND TO WHEN THESE LEADERS WON THEIR SEVENTH BT MPW AWARD AND THEN MOVED TO THE HALL OF FAME LIST…

1 Women’s representation on corporate boards of Nifty 500 companies has tripled to 18 per cent in 2022 from 6 per cent in 2013 2 Almost 95 per cent companies of the Nifty 500 have at least one woman board member compared to 69 per cent in 2017 3 More than 40 per cent have gone beyond the regulatory mandated limit to appoint more than one woman board member. But less than 5 per cent have a woman as the chairperson 4 The Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) and Audit Committee of the boards of Nifty 500 companies are customarily reserved for male board members. But this is changing 5 NRC had 13 per cent women board members in 2017. In 2020, this had increased to 18 per cent. Audit…

To achieve gender diversity in the boardroom, India Inc. will need to create a robust leadership pipeline for women IT HAS BEEN 10 years since the Indian government brought about amendments to the Companies Act, making it mandatory for listed firms to have at least one woman on the board of directors. In fact, India was the first developing country to introduce quotas for women on boards in 2013. A few years later, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) made it compulsory for the top 1,000 listed entities to have at least one woman independent director. By the end of FY23, over 4,700 women directors were serving on the boards of 3,200 listed companies in the country, per data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The regulatory…

▶ THE LAST FEW weeks have not been easy for Gautam Singhania, the 58-year-old Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond. A very public spat between him and his now estranged wife, Nawaz Modi Singhania, has not gone down well with the stock market, sparking a 14 per cent fall in share prices in November. The family battle has a professional angle, since Nawaz Modi is a non-executive director of Raymond. Singhania has requested privacy, but there are concerns. A recent note by proxy advisory firm Institutional Investor Advisory Services asks how “private” the lives of listed company CEOs ought to be. “A CEO’s divorce can affect the company in many ways. First, a divorce may impact the CEO’s efficiency. There is a growing body of work that suggests that family conflict…

IT HAS BEEN a little less than two years since Madhabi Puri Buch moved to the corner office of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). But it would not be an exaggeration to say that the markets regulator has grabbed more headlines in those two years than in many previous years combined. In March 2022, Buch not only became the first female chief of the markets watchdog but was also the first non-IAS person to head the regulatory body in two decades—G. N. Bajpai, the former chairman of LIC, was named Sebi chairman in April 2002. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, Buch has been vastly helped by her previous stints in industry. Before joining Sebi in 2017—she was…

FOR VIBHA PADALKAR, MD and CEO of HDFC Life Insurance, the year began with a bit of a dampener thanks to a change in tax rules governing insurance policies in the Union Budget 2023-24. The government said the proceeds (other than ULIP) of policies with an annual premium over ₹5 lakh would be added to the income of the taxpayers and taxed at the slab rate. But as it turns out, that didn’t matter because Padalkar successfully navigated that challenge and helped her company retain its position among the Top 3 insurers in terms of market share, achieving balanced growth and profitability. “Despite the recent Budget changes that were perceived to be unfavourable for the sector, the life insurance industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience. We recorded a healthy growth of…

ANANYA BIRLA was all of 17 when she founded Svatantra Microfin. This maiden entrepreneurial venture was born of a desire to make women financially independent. “It was to democratise access to finance and building a business at scale,” she says. Simply put, it came down to creating a financial services entity that could create value for its stakeholders. Quite candidly, she speaks of being born into position and privilege. Birla, the oldest child of Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla and Aditya Birla Education Trust Founder and Chairperson Neerja Birla, was struck by a situation where a girl across the road barely had the means to survive. Of course, “being a young girl in an industry dominated by men” was not easy. “I embarked on the journey to demonstrate…

IN DECEMBER 2021, Prabha Narasimhan was in a hotel room in Mumbai when her mobile phone rang. It was from an unfamiliar number, and at the other end was a headhunter with a proposal. Recalling the conversation, she admits to being very comfortable then in her position at Hindustan Unilever (HUL). As Executive Director, she was in the top management bracket and had no reason to leave, after almost 25 years with HUL, with a short stint at Madura Garments in between. The offer was to be MD & CEO of Colgate-Palmolive (India). Colgate, its flagship brand, had about a 50 per cent share of the toothpaste market. “There was no push factor but tremendous pull,” says Narasimhan in her corner office in Mumbai’s Powai area. Called Colgate Research Centre,…

Nisha Kaur Uberoi is a trusted advisor and first person on speed dial on competition matters for marquee clients. Breaking gender stereotypes, she has more than carved a niche for herself as an ace litigator and a go to person for complex merger deals. Nisha is well recognised for her professionalism and litigation strategy. Nisha strong competition domain expertise makes her the first port of call to spearhead the competition defence from Apple to Aditya Birla to Heineken to Schneider. Her unparalleled experience also leads corporate India to seek her out at the drawing board stage for complex strategic M&A requiring the regulator’s nod. An alumna of the National Law School of India University and National University Singapore, Nisha has risen up to be one of the most acclaimed lawyers…

IN FY23, TWO years since Daisy Chittilapilly took over as President of Cisco India & SAARC, India emerged as one of the highest-performing markets globally for the company, contributing to the overall growth. Under her leadership, the India operations re-imagined the go-to-market strategy to bring Cisco’s capabilities to the fore and make them more accessible to customers. And scripting the next chapter in the company’s journey in India, Cisco is once again making significant investments in setting up a manufacturing operation to support the growing demand from customers. “The manufacturing facility will build Cisco’s best-in-class technology, and we aim to drive over $1 billion in combined domestic production and exports in the coming years,” says Chittilapilly. Chittilapilly, a 19-year Cisco veteran, says, “Talent and technology are the two most powerful…

For Ghazal Alagh, one thing she has learnt from her entrepreneurial journey is that one won’t know everything on Day One. “You just need to start and figure things out along the way,” says Alagh, the force behind Honasa Consumer—the parent of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand Mamaearth—that got listed in November. Under her, Honasa posted a 58.3 per cent year-on-year surge in revenues, at ₹1,493 crore in FY23. According to brokerage firm Emkay Global, Alagh’s ‘house of brands’ portfolio, that includes Mamaearth, The Derma Co, and BBlunt, sets the stage for sustained growth. With her strategic vision and commitment to sustainable practices, Mamaearth is well-positioned as a frontrunner in the D2C space.…

Driven by a deep desire to create wholesome, healthy food, Shubhi Singh embarked on a career in the food industry. And it took the Patna girl across the globe. While she amassed amine of experience in London, it also toughened her to step out of her comfort zone to pursue excellence in a form that she can truly claim to be her own ikigai. Going beyond honing her culinary skills, she has developed a keen sense of innovation, infusing a unique and creative approach to food. As she says “Food is Personal. Food has no barrier and Food can make one happy and productive”. Shubhi Singh’s startup in Mumbai, The Cookie Dough Cake Cafe, has captured the attention of food enthusiasts, families, and food critics alike. Initially a bakery founded…

Masaba Gupta—fashion designer, actor and entrepreneur—has made it to BT’s Most Powerful Women in Business list once again after her debut last year. In 2023, Gupta worked towards scaling her businesses, apparel line House of Masaba and cosmetics label LoveChild, and also dabbled with investments in start-ups. Gupta sees Tier II and III cities as growth drivers. Incidentally, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail acquired 51 per cent stake in House of Masaba in 2022. Gupta plans to set up an offline presence for her brands, starting with tie-ups with retailers like Reliance-owned Tira. “The Indian beauty market is not as evolved as it is globally, and so far, only a few colours sell,” she says.…

Parle Agro’s Nadia Chauhan doesn’t like to stay contented. Self-driven like her father Prakash Chauhan, Nadia too aspires to catapult Parle Agro into a holistic beverages firm—that had a turnover of ₹8,500 crore in FY23. She has now set her eyes on a bigger target. “Our long-term objective is to… expand our portfolio… and set a base of ₹30,000 crore (yearly revenue).” To that end, Chauhan is looking to double Parle’s distribution to reach 4 million outlets. While she has managed to taste early success with the value-added dairy brand SMOODH with its affordable ₹10 packs, the formula is now being extended to Frooti with a new ₹5 pack, which she believes, could be a game changer.…

BY HER OWN admission, Neerja Birla’s professional journey is not typical. “I did not plan for things to move in a particular way; it has all unfolded organically,” she says. Take the case of Aditya Birla World Academy, where she wanted to start a school to provide holistic education instead of the more prevalent academic approach. “What also planted the idea in my mind was that I hadn’t been able to complete my undergraduate education. I knew how education at that level worked, and I could train the mind to take the right decisions and handle pressure.” Likewise, mental health initiative Mpower had its own genesis. “It was born out of my daughter’s bad patch. Even with money and educated minds, the problem was difficult to solve,” she recalls. “I…

Padmaja Chunduru knows that the BFSI segment is a preferred segment for women as they account for as much as 25 per cent of the workforce at the entry level, though the ratio shrinks significantly as one moves up the ladder. Chunduru, MD & CEO of the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), however, has been able to break many barriers in her rise to the top. She spent most part of her working career with the country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), where she rose to the rank of Deputy Managing Director. At NSDL, Chunduru oversees nearly 34 million investor accounts with the total demat custody value pegged at a whopping ₹350 lakh crore.…

HAVING A CLEAR goal that is tied to a larger purpose has been a game-changer for Sangita Reddy, who leads the tech and innovation piece at healthcare chain Apollo Hospitals Enterprise. “Each one of us needs to articulate a clear statement that guides, empowers, and inspires us. Doing this small exercise can be extremely powerful in helping us decide what to do, and more importantly what not to do.” She, for instance, believes healthtech can contribute significantly to breaking down barriers to healthcare access for women, promoting proactive health management, and ultimately improving health outcomes. The youngest of Founder and Chairman Prathap C. Reddy’s four daughters, it is under Sangita’s leadership that IoT, drone tech, blockchain, AI and data analytics are all playing a key role at Apollo. The latter…

Shweta Jalan is an established name in the PE industry with over two and a half decades of experience. During this period, she has worked on as many as 18 investments, with 14 of those happening at Advent International, including CARE Hospitals, Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals, Eureka Forbes, Suven Pharmaceuticals, and YES Bank, among others. Jalan, who has experience in sourcing and negotiating transactions, knows that many women leave the workforce around mid-senior level, but she feels the sector should do more to make that phase easier. “Many firms are developing better policies for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace… women will gradually find it easier to reach key leadership and management positions,” says Jalan.…

Smita Jatia, Vice Chairperson of the country’s largest burger chain operator Westlife Foodworld, has led her company to a high growth phase. Westlife, which operates the McDonald’s franchise in South and West India, saw its revenues surge 45 per cent to ₹2,260 crore in FY23, while PAT surged to ₹112 crore, from a net loss of ₹1.7 crore. Not one to rest on her laurels, Jatia has set some ambitious goals for her venture. She plans to double revenue to ₹4,000-4,500 crore and increase store count to 580-630 by end-2027 from 357 now. In the medium term, Jatia says she wants Westlife to remain a modern and progressive food company. Beyond that she wants to run great restaurants.…

THE WORLD TODAY, especially in the ever-changing realm of technology, demands the ability to embrace the unpredictable and navigate with agility. Leaders like Suman Mishra, who operate in the male-dominated world of automotive engineering, are born with it. For her, leading Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (LMM) has underscored the importance of humility and lifelong learning. Under her leadership, the company saw a huge year-on-year growth in FY23, with sales volumes increasing 2.5x and production capacity 3x. This year, she also spear-headed a significant deal securing a ₹600-crore investment from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with the latter valuing Mahindra LMM at $740 million. “This investment is IFC’s first in an Indian EV manufacturer and will help boost electric three-wheelers and small commercial vehicle production, thus advancing the auto industry’s shift…

For Vinati Saraf Mutreja, a big lesson from her professional journey has been to not shy away from taking long-term bets. “Identifying the correct product segment is key to growth,” says Mutreja, MD & CEO of Vinati Organics Limited (VOL), which produces nearly 30 diverse chemicals, and sees around two-thirds of its sales coming from exports. The last few years have been good for VOL, with FY23 seeing ₹2,000 crore in revenues, its best-ever performance, she says. “We kept optimising our costs, front-running the demand, and entering new product segments,” she explains. With manufacturing costs remaining low, her plan is to expand existing capacity and introduce new products.…

TASKED WITH FINANCIAL and risk management of the World Bank Group, Anshula Kant has been diligently championing the bank’s cause as its MD and CFO since her appointment in 2019. This was amply visible recently when suggestions were made at one of the G20 Finance Track meetings that the multilateral development bank (MDB) go for a lower credit rating. The bank commands the highest rating currently, which allows it to raise funds at lower interest rates, and which may restrict its flow of funds. Staunchly defending the MDB’s rating, Kant said, “We are among the world’s biggest non-sovereign issuers. Size and scale are important.” She explained that any ratings downgrade wo mean an increase in borrowing costs for it. Further, the bank’s new President Ajay Banga’s avowed vision to create…

IN ADDITION TO her immensely successful acting career, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s business ventures span a spectrum of industries. From launching her production company—Purple Pebble Pictures—that focusses on promoting regional and diverse content to expanding her beauty and personal care brand Anomaly, she sure has her hands full. A UK-based beauty and cosmetic platform, Cosmetify, recently said in a report that after singer Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Anomaly is the wealthiest celebrity beauty brand of 2023. She left behind global celebrity-owned brands like Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, Ariana Grande’s R.E.M Beauty, and even Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty. Chopra Jonas’s focus on natural and sustainable hair care products that are free from harmful chemicals seems to have struck a chord with the customers. Anomaly Hair Care recorded an impressive revenue of £429 million…

Dr. Shweta Singh is a first-generation serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Ennoble IP, an award-winning technology-based Intellectual Property (IP) platform that enables innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to ideate, protect, and commercialise their IP and innovations globally. She started with an impeccable academic footing, fueling her insatiable thirst for knowledge and choosing to pursue a career in science and innovation, earning a double master’s degree. She then proceeded to seek the discipline of patent law, eventually getting a PhD before launching Ennoble IP. Owing to her extensive wisdom, she has even been acknowledged by many, including: ◼ The Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has congratulated her for her courageous efforts to uplift women. ◼ Received the ET Inspiring Women Leaders: Honoring Excellence award. ◼ Titled as one…

A kiya Aesthetics founder Dr. Rupika Singh’s name stands out for her expertise and commitment to holistic skincare treatments. With qualifications that speak volumes and a deep passion for dermatology. Dr. Rupika is at the forefront of revolutionizing skincare through science-backed procedures. Her journey began with a solid foundation in medicine. She obtained her MBBS from Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and earned her MD in Dermatology from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. Driven by her childhood dream and belonging to a family of esteemed doctors, dermatology became her true calling. Never one to rest on her laurels. Dr. Rupika pursued fellowships in dermatologic laser surgery from Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, and became a fellow of the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. Such diverse expertise empowers her to adopt the latest…

Sheetal Bhilkar is the dynamic founder and entrepreneur behind Urja Building Services Consultants Pvt Ltd (UBSC), an engineering services firm she established in 2002. Stepping into entrepreneurship with a three-month-old baby, Sheetal’s leadership has transformed UBSC into a trusted name specializing in comprehensive engineering solutions for construction projects. Beyond her role at UBSC, Sheetal is a visionary who founded The Real Woman Awards and The Real Woman Global Community, which are dedicated to empowering women in construction. Through this initiative, she provides a platform for women to connect, learn, and grow together, showcasing her commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Sheetal’s passion for sustainable MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) practices sets her apart in the industry. She has actively promoted and implemented environmentally friendly solutions and has become a sought-after…

The multi-million dollar media and entertainment industry is a typical example of an industry that runs entirely on content created by human mind, be it in the form of songs, lyrics, stories, video, photos or otherwise. Artists and musicians in the ancient times were patronised by kings; with that era gone, it is regime of Intellectual Property that they may lean on. Intellectual property provides protection for useful products, tangible or intangible created by human mind. Intellectual property roughly falls in 4 categories - patents, trademark, copyright and designs. Copyright protects and covers all kinds of artistic, literary, dramatic and cinematographic works. One of the main problems plaguing this industry is counterfeits and large scale piracy which can be controlled only through routine and regular legal actions. Yet another emerging…

As India strives for 8 per cent GDP growth by 2030, it is clear that higher female workforce participation and a strategic focus on upskilling must be prioritised IN TODAY’S EVER-EVOLVING corporate realm, the call for diversity and equality has transformed from an echoing desire to an essential mandate. Though there has been a noticeable change, the quest for fair representation in corporate settings is at a critical juncture and needs urgent attention. India’s journey towards gender diversity in the corporate realm, as delineated in the EY report titled ‘Diversity in the Boardroom: Progress and the Way Forward,’ is a testament to this transformative path. The rise from a mere 6 per cent representation of women in boardrooms in 2013 to 18 per cent currently demonstrates a significant dedication to…