5 Inspiring Indian Women Who Achieved Success in Their Careers

By Dhanalakshmi M

India is a country that is proud to have many successful  women who have made their mark in various fields. In the changing world of business and leadership, Indian women have been doing something incredible. They've been breaking barriers and reaching the highest positions in big companies. These women aren't just great leaders; they've also inspired many others to dream big and work hard. In this blog, we are celebrating the impressive journeys of 5 Indian women who made it to the top of important companies. 

Vanitha Narayanan, MD, IBM India

Vanitha Narayanan is an Indian business executive who has held several leadership positions at IBM India. She joined IBM in the US in 1987 and has worked in several countries. She is a member of IBM's Growth & Transformation Team and was inducted into the IBM Industry Academy. Vanitha Narayanan has led several leadership development and diversity initiatives and is the executive sponsor for developing the women's leadership pipeline. 

Pic Source : The World Economic Forum

She was the Chairman of IBM India from 2017 to 2018 and prior to that, she served as the managing director of IBM India and regional general manager for India and South Asia. Vanitha Narayanan is currently the managing director of the IBM-Verizon relationship. She was chairperson of the American Chamber of Commerce in India from 2015 to 2016, an executive council member of NASSCOM, chairperson of NITK Surathkal, and a member of the Confederation of Indian Industry. In 2017, Narayanan was named one of the ‘Most Powerful Women’ by Fortune India and Business Today.

Falguni Nayar, Founder & CEO, Nykaa

Falguni Nayar is the founder and CEO of Nykaa, a multi-brand omnichannel beauty-focused retail business. She was born on February 19, 1963, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Nayar is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and has worked as a management consultant with A.F. Ferguson & Co. and as a Managing Director with Kotak Mahindra Capital. She quit her job in 2012 and founded Nykaa with $2 million of her own money. 

Pic Source : Rest of World

Nykaa has grown over 100% year over year for the last three years and was worth $2.3 billion as of 2021, bringing Nayar's fortune to an estimated $1.1 billion. Nykaa listed at $13 billion valuation on November 10, 2021, making Nayar the first Indian woman to take a unicorn public. She is one of two self-made female Indian billionaires, the other being Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. Falguni Nayar was a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY) India 2019 Awards program.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, a pioneering entrepreneur and esteemed global business leader with over four decades of experience in the field of biotechnology, is the founder and Executive Chairperson of both Biocon Limited and Biocon Biologics Limited. Based in Bangalore, India, her journey in biotechnology began in 1978 in her very own garage. Today, her remarkable journey is positively impacting lives worldwide.

Pic Source : Biocon

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is recognized as a visionary thinker, known for her numerous groundbreaking achievements. Under her leadership, Biocon has consistently fulfilled its mission of providing accessible and affordable medicines to millions of patients across the globe, marking significant milestones in the biotechnology industry. She is a successful technocrat of global standing, a healthcare visionary, and a global influencer.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has received numerous awards, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan, two of India's highest civilian honours. She was also recognized as a "Technology Pioneer" by the World Economic Forum in 2000 and named the best entrepreneur in the field of healthcare and life sciences by Ernst & Young in 2002. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur who was awarded the Othmer Gold Medal for outstanding contributions to the progress of science and chemistry in 2014.

Gita Gopinath - First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF

Gita Gopinath, an Indian-American economist, presently holds the position of First Deputy Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She was previously the Chief Economist of the IMF from 2019 to 2022. In her present position, she supervises the activities of the staff, serves as the Fund's representative at multilateral gatherings, nurtures important relationships with member governments and Board members, engages with the media and various institutions, guides the Fund's efforts in surveillance and associated policies, and manages research initiatives and flagship publications. 

Pic Source : Mint

Gita Gopinath was born in India and is a U.S. national and an overseas citizen of India. She has received numerous awards and commendations, including being named among the ‘25 most influential women of the year’ by the Financial Times in 2021. Gita Gopinath is also a professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University. She is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the Econometric Society, and a member of the Group of Thirty and the Council on Foreign Relations. 

She has also served as a member of the economic advisory panel of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. 

Roshni Nadar Malhotra - Chairperson, HCL Technologies

Pic Source : The Economic Times

Roshni Nadar Malhotra is the Chairperson of HCL Technologies, a global technology company that provides a range of services including IT consulting, engineering, and business process outsourcing. She is also the CEO and Executive Director of HCL Corporation, a holding company for HCL Technologies. Roshni is a proud member of the HCL family and is passionate about helping global enterprises embrace digital transformation. She is a well-known figure in the business world and has been featured in various interviews and articles. In one of her interviews, she discussed HCL's 23-year-old relationship with Australia and the company's strategic partnerships. Roshni is also known for her philanthropic initiatives and environmental and social causes. She is a respected leader in the technology industry and has been recognized for her contributions to the field.

These five women are an inspiration for women who aspire to achieve great things in their careers. Their stories show that with hard work, determination, and perseverance, anything is possible.

Pic in Banner Source: India Times