In last few years, the Indian business sector had witnessed an encouraging change of demographics in the number of women entering the corporate topography. This fresh and vibrant shift marks the confidence among women to work side by side with their male associates.
As per the National Sample Survey Organisation, only 14% of business establishments in India are being run by women entrepreneurs. The data also states that most of these women-run companies are small-scale and about 79% of them are self-financed.
This shows that despite the uncountable enterprises taken by women to risk outside their domestic walls, there seem to be numerous challenges that are not permitting them to flourish and break on through to the other side.
However, amidst the difficulties top five Indian women entrepreneurs who had already set the benchmark are:
- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Being a Bangalorean at heart and having 1.8 million followers in Twitter, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has become one of the richest woman in Asia. She is the founder of one of the largest bio-pharmaceutical firms in India- Biocon. On graduating from Bangalore University in Zoology, Kiran went on to pursue post-graduation in Malting and Brewing at the Federation University in Australia. After studies she continued to work as a trainee in Carlton & United Beverages. Today Biocon is not only one of the biggest bio-pharmaceutical company, but also dynamically involved in acquisitions, partnerships and in-licensing within the pharmaceuticals and bio-pharmaceutical area, enlisting into more than 2,200 high-value R&D licensing and other deals between 2005 and 2010.
- Vandana Luthra
After nine years of marriage, Vandana Luthra founded the VLCC Health Care Ltd. She began with beauty and slimming services unit at Safdarjung Development Area in New Delhi, when her elder daughter was merely three years old. Now VLCC Health Care Ltd. is a beauty and wellness corporation represented in Asia, the GCC and Africa. She is also the Chairperson of the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council (B&WSSC), an initiative that provides training under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana scheme, and was honored by the Government of India in 2013 with the Padma Shri, for her contribution to the fields of trade and industry. She has also been ranked 26th in the distinguished annual Forbes Asia 50 Power Businesswomen in the APAC region and was also appointed the first chairperson of the Beauty and Wellness Sector Skill Council in 2014.
- Dipali Goenka
Based in Mumbai, Dipali Goenka is the CEO & Jt. Managing Director of Welspun India Limited, a part of the Welspun Group. According to Forbes, “Five years ago, when Goenka took charge of home textiles maker Welspun India (part of her family’s $3 billion in revenue Welspun Group), the buzz in the male-dominated industry, she recalls, was: “Welspun has lost its mind.” Goenka has doubled down to disprove that. Revenue and earnings are up several fold, with net profit of $81 million on revenue of $790 million in the year ended Mar. 2015.” Dipali graduated in Psychology and has completed the Owner/President Management Program from the Harvard Business School, and leads Welspun’s retail initiative in India and has set up distinct brand, ‘Spaces Home & Beyond’. She initiated the establishment of Welspun Vidyamandir High School, a school affiliated under CBSE and Welspun Anganwadi, a pre-primary school in Gujarat.nShe is also a member of the governing body of FICCI FLO, the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce, and the chairperson of FLO – Mumbai Chapter.
- Sabina Chopra
Ever wondered who is the woman who made Yatra.com the second largest online website in India?
The answer is Sabina Chopra. She is the present Managing Director of RCI India, a part of Wyndham Worldwide, and is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Corporate Hotels of Yatra Online, Inc. Having more than 16 years of work experience, meticulous knowledge of all facets of the travel BPO industry, she founded Yatra.com along with Dhruv Shringi, Manish Amin in August 2006. In April 2012, it was the second largest online travel website in India, with 30 per cent share of the ₹370 billion market for all online travel-related transactions. The website provides travellers unique customised options from hotels to tickets, and from home-stays to activities. It also introduced a “holiday-cum-shopping card” with State Bank of India (SBI).
- Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz says that she had sold a 5000-year old civilization in a jar. In reality there’s hardly a mall, market or salon in India where one won’t find a Shahnaz Husain product. Did you wonder why?
Nearly 375 formulations for general beauty care, treatment of skin and scalp disorders, health and fitness have beeen her breakthroughs in her Ayurvedic care. In short, Shahnaz Husain is a pioneer of organic beauty care with over 400 franchise clinics internationally. She has achieved international praise for her innovative application of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of herbal healing, and is currently the CEO of Shahnaz Herbals Inc. In 2006 she was also awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.