Women have today broken the proverbial glass ceiling, and how! Ahead of the International Women’s Day, we take stock of the exemplary work women are doing across sectors to make a difference.
Vini Mahajan
Ms. Mahajan leads the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Swachh Bharat Mission as Secretary, Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti. The two missions are among the important initiatives of the Union Government. Through the fast-paced rollout of social development initiatives like the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), our country has shown the world how large-scale impact can be achieved in a short span of time.
These schemes have dramatically improved the health and well-being of millions of Indians, increased their ease of living, and aided economic prosperity. And as their rollout continues at great speed, it is improving the lives of millions more.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar
As the Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, Priya is spearheading India’s largest and the world’s second-largest zinc-lead-silver producer. Additionally, she holds the position of a Non-Executive Director at Vedanta Limited, a leading natural resources company. She is passionate about environment & sustainability and has been playing a crucial role in strengthening Vedanta’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices and overall organizational transformation. She is also responsible for steering best-in-class people practices across the Group.
Priya leads the Anil Agarwal Foundation, which is the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s community and social initiatives. The focus areas of the Foundation are Healthcare, Women and Child development, Animal Welfare Projects, and Sports Initiatives. Anil Agarwal Foundation aims to empower communities, transform lives, and facilitate nation building through sustainable and inclusive growth. The Foundation has pledged Rs 5000 crore across five years on various social impact programs.
Priya closely monitors Nand Ghar, the flagship social impact project under the Anil Agarwal Foundation, is a model project working towards strengthening the Anganwadi ecosystem of the country. The 5800+ Nand Ghars are the enabler of change and sustainable development with a presence in 14 states across India and currently impacting more than 2.25 lakh children and 1.7 lakh women. Set up in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), Nand Ghars are modernized ‘Anganwadis’ working to eradicate malnutrition among children, provide pre-primary education, primary healthcare, and empower rural women through skill training. Nand Ghars, the state-of-the-art Anganwadis, aims to transform the lives of 7 crore children and 2 crore women across the 13.7 lakh Anganwadis across the country. Nand Ghars are equipped with solar panels to ensure 24×7 electricity, water purifiers, clean toilets, and smart television sets, and have become a model resource center for the local communities. Pre-school education is provided to children in the age group of 3-6 years. Nutritious meals, multi-millet nutri bars and take-home rations are being provided for children and pregnant and lactating women. Primary healthcare services are rendered through mobile health vans and telemedicine services, and women are empowered through skilling and enterprise development.
Priya’s love for animals and her dedication to create a sustainable environment for them led her to create and anchor TACO – The Animal Care Organization, under Anil Agarwal Foundation, with the aim to transform the animal welfare landscape across the nation and drive the vision of developing world-class infrastructure, veterinary services, a training facility, and animal shelters to heal and protect animals. TACO brings leading academicians, veterinary professionals, and communities together to create a more holistic approach to animal care in India. The organization also reinforces wildlife conservation efforts and provides infrastructural support to the Ranthambore National Park in collaboration with the Government of Rajasthan. Under its pillar for disaster relief for animals, TACO recently mobilized on-ground rescue and relief operations in Delhi- NCR where the national capital and nearby areas faced severe rains and flood.
Priya’s zeal and dedication towards animals’ welfare also led her to establish YODA – Youth Organization in Defence of Animals, at the age of 16. YODA is currently the largest animal welfare organization in Maharashtra. Priya Agarwal Hebbar’s dedication to both business and animal welfare is a testament to her versatile leadership and vision.
Priya’s work can be seen at: https://anilagarwalfoundation.org
She can be contacted here: https://in.linkedin.com/in/priyaagarwalhebbar
Anisha Padukone
Anisha is the Chief Executive Officer of LiveLoveLaugh (LLL), a charitable trust which aims to give hope to every person experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression. LLL was founded by actor Deepika Padukone in 2016.
At LiveLoveLaugh, Anisha provides strategic leadership across program development, fundraising, policy outreach and other areas. During her tenure as the CEO, LLL has emerged as a leading voice in India’s mental health sector delivering impactful change in championing marginalised communities.
Anisha has a degree in Psychology, Sociology and Economics, and has completed a program in Strategic Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School and Ashoka University.
She is a former member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council for Mental Health, and has played golf professionally, representing India at international tournaments.
Anisha’s work can be seen at: https://www.thelivelovelaughfoundation.org/
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anisha-padukone-a83276187/
Tania Lal
Tania comes with a decade and a half of experience in public policy and strategic communications. She is currently working at Global health strategies on their NTD portfolio. Tania’s organization, GHS works in the world’s most dynamic regions to enable policy innovations, mobilize resources and build political will, engaging global and local audiences to drive change.
Tania has vast experience of advising on policy and regulatory issues in health, digital economy, and education. She has worked extensively with governments at the centre and state levels in India including Ministry of Health, Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission, MeITY, Ministry of Ayush to promote good health and wellbeing for all.
Tania has a degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.
Tania’s work can be seen at: https://globalhealthstrategies.com/blog/impact/beatntds/
She can be reached at: https://twitter.com/tanialal
Sminu Jindal
She has not only upheld the family legacy but also made significant personal achievements. Ms Jindal is the Founder and Chairperson of Svayam, an organization dedicated to promoting accessibility. Her journey from joining the family business to becoming a successful woman in the male-dominated sectors of steel, oil, and gas is inspiring. With an MBA in Finance from the Fore School of Management and a background in commerce, she combines business acumen with a deep commitment to social causes.
Under Ms Sminu Jindal’s leadership, Jindal SAW Limited has become one of the world’s largest pipe manufacturers, offering a comprehensive range of pipe solutions. The company excels in manufacturing LSAW pipes, HSAW pipes, ductile iron pipes and fittings, seamless pipes, coatings, bends, anode, and connector casings. With manufacturing facilities across the globe and a strong presence in supply chain management, Jindal SAW has achieved significant growth and expanded into sustainable energy and rail infrastructure sectors. Ms Jindal also served as the Chairperson of the ASSOCHAM National Council on Iron & Steel from 2007 to 2021.
Apart from her role at Jindal SAW Ltd, Ms Jindal is actively involved in various other businesses through the company’s subsidiaries. One notable subsidiary is JITF, which operates a Waste-to-Energy (WtE) plant in Delhi, generating energy from municipal waste. JITF has also been awarded several waste management projects across different parts of India.
Ms Jindal is a strong advocate for accessibility and inclusivity. In 2000, she founded Svayam, an accessibility organization that focuses on creating barrier-free environments and promoting the dignity of people with reduced mobility. Svayam works with policymakers and stakeholders to change the perception that accessibility is only needed by persons with disabilities. The organization has made significant contributions to making public infrastructure inclusive and has collaborated with government agencies, educational institutions, transport authorities, and other entities to promote accessibility.
Throughout her career, Ms Jindal has received numerous honours and awards for her contributions. She has been recognized as the Women Entrepreneur of the Year by FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and has received the L’oreal Femina Women Award, among others. She has also been featured in various publications and books that highlight successful women in different fields.
Ms Sminu Jindal’s journey is marked by her determination to break barriers and create a better world for all. Her leadership and entrepreneurial skills have not only led Jindal SAW Ltd to great success but also empowered people with reduced mobility through her initiative, Svayam.
Sminu’s work can be seen at: http://www.main.svayam.com/blog/
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sminu-jindal-a978862a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Simrat Bishnoi
Simrat is associated with Amway India since June 2017 as the Vice President – Communications & CSR, Amway India. In continuation to its efforts to empower women, Amway India has recently launched an initiative, “Pehal,” a significant part of Amway’s flagship Project Nari Shakti, which focuses on promoting women empowerment and fostering economic sustainability for the less privileged women. This initiative stands as a testament to Amway’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
In collaboration with Deepalaya, a distinguished NGO committed to empowering underprivileged women, youth, and children through education and vocational training, “Pehal” is set to make a lasting impact. By strengthening Self Help Groups (SHGs) and supporting local artisans, Amway is championing collaboration for women-led micro-entrepreneurs. The initiative has already witnessed remarkable success, establishing a production center and retail outlet managed by four SHGs, empowering 40 women who directly benefit from our skills training program. These skilled individuals, specializing in fashion design, not only craft a diverse range of products for sale but also extend their expertise to train 200 new female students.
Simrat’s work can be seen at: https://www.amway.in/about-amway/corporate-social-responsibility
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simrats/
Theresa Ronnie
Theresa Ronnie is a seasoned management expert with 20+ years experience during which she has donned multiple hats. She heads Marketing for ProClime, a unified climate action services provider and the Co-founder of Fly Neon Skies, which has been working with brands on unlocking their true potential. She has worked with leading brands in the Middle East, Malaysia and is now plying her trade in India.
Theresa is extremely passionate about making an impact through her initiatives and exploring synergies, ensuring a sharp focus on behaviour change. She also loves to write and is currently in the process of writing a novel.
Theresa’s work can be seen at: https://proclime.world/about/
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresaronnie/
Nidhi Ashok Goyal
Nidhi leads the National Award-winning non-profit organization Rising Flame, pioneering work on leadership and rights of women and persons with disabilities in India.
Nidhi has been working on disability rights and gender justice for the past 12 years at the global, national and grassroots levels-through research, writing, training, policy influence, and art. Currently, she sits on the Steering Committee of Civil20 under India’s G20 presidency and has been instrumental in creating the historic Disability Equity Justice working group within C20.
As a disability, diversity and inclusion specialist, she has advised, led, and steered numerous global and National organizations and initiatives. She has led multistakeholder and cross-movement work, influenced policies and systems, and authored ground-breaking research, all with a vision for the inclusion of women and youth with disabilities within India and globally.
Nidhi’s work can be seen at: https://risingflame.org/
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nidhi-goyal-b9784884/
Pooja Garg Khan
Pooja leads the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Communications functions at Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSIND).
Pooja is leading Panasonic’s Eco Relay program. Through this, Panasonic strives to inspire and empower individuals and communities to make meaningful contributions towards ensuring a greener and more sustainable world. The Panasonic Group globally is contributing to the decarbonization of society through the Panasonic Green Impact initiative. The objective of the campaign is that by 2050, Panasonic Group aims to create an impact that reduces CO2 emissions by more than 300 million tons, or about 1% of the current total global emissions. Panasonic’s Green Impact campaign which speaks to the target audience of Gen Z and millennials today, highlights the company’s dedication to building a more sustainable future and calls on individuals to make a difference by being change agents.
Pooja’s work can be seen at: https://holdings.panasonic/global/corporate/sustainability/citizenship/environment/per.html
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pooja-garg-khan-4035285/
Aditi Srivastava
Aditi is President, Pearl Academy. She wears multiple hats with aplomb. With 30 years of professional expertise from academia, marketing, and entrepreneurship her core competencies include strategic collaborations, brand development, marketing, curriculum design, training, talent acquisition, and business operations.
Known for a ‘go-getter’ attitude, Aditi is also valued for her pragmatic leadership, unwavering focus, consumer brand building, and expertise in franchise operations. Earlier, she was the Global President of International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD), spearheading its expansive growth across India and international locations.
Aditi’s work can be seen at: https://www.pearlacademy.com/about-us
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditisrivastava/?originalSubdomain=in
Kirti Kama
Kirti is the Senior Vice President, Technology at Mastercard. In her current role she leads business operations globally for the regulatory and technology (regtech) function, for some key platforms. Prior to this Kirti was leading Mastercard’s regional infrastructure for technology operations for Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa regions, significantly contributing to the expansion and resilience of the company’s data centers as well as network and platform services, while enhancing customer experience. She has also held a leadership role in Mastercard’s Data Warehouse team, where she oversaw systems development for data products and helped build Data warehouse footprint across big data development, merchants, business intelligence, APIs and products.
Kirti’s work can be seen at: https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/vision/corp-responsibility/social-sustainability/corporate-philanthropy-volunteering/girls-4-tech.html
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirti-kama/?originalSubdomain=in
Mamta Saikia
Mamta is CEO of Bharti Airtel Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises. With a clear vision and unwavering dedication, Mamta a core pillar of the Foundation since 20 years, has championed education as the catalyst for transformation. She has been recognised as one of India’s Most Trusted Leaders by Great Place to Work along with the prestigious Mahatma Award for ‘Leadership in Social Impact through CSR.’ These wins are a testimony of Mamta’s visionary leadership as the Foundation has been able to bring smiles in the lives of nearly 3 million children.
Through her leadership, Mamta has shown that through education, we can uplift the lives of the children and their families and hence the community. Her innovative approach to education has not only enhanced the quality standards but has also paved the way for successful collaboration with several state education departments.The flagship program of the Foundation, Satya Bharti Schools, is successfully running173 schools in five states with more than 40,000 children.
Bharti Airtel Foundation has been recognized as the ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women’ by Great Place to Work consecutively for the second year. The Foundation has been empowering women especially in rural communities with females employed as teachers in Satya Bharti Schools and in various other roles including leadership positions.
Mamta’s commitment extends beyond the organization. She has worked tirelessly to transfer the learnings and good practices of the Satya Bharti School Program to Government Schools, thereby amplifying the impact of education across society. By empowering women like Mamta, who harness the power of education, we can build a more equitable and prosperous future for all.
Mamta’s work can be seen at: https://bhartifoundation.org/mamta-saikia/
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamta-saikia-407695122/?originalSubdomain=in
Anitha Cadambi
Anitha Cadambi teaches LLM Legal Profession, Introduction to U.S. Culture and Practice, and Introduction to the U.S. Legal System for USC’s residential and online programs, respectively. She serves as the USC Gould Graduate & International Programs’ associate director of graduate curriculum and instruction and is an adjunct assistant professor of law.
Prior to joining USC full-time, Cadambi was a transactional attorney with Singh Law Group, where she advised clients on a variety of business law issues. Over the years, Cadambi’s clients have included startup companies, restaurants, health care agencies, educational ventures and manufacturing companies. Previously, she was an attorney with Castilla Del Oro, a Washington, D.C., non-profit organization, with offices in Panama and Spain. While at Castilla Del Oro, she advised on legal and business issues for the foundation’s projects in Panama, Spain and the U.S.
Cadambi graduated in the top 2% of her class with an LLM degree from USC Gould School of Law in 2011. Upon graduation, she completed a six-month legal fellowship with Aparicio Law, where she worked as a research associate for the firm’s business law practice. She received her Bachelor’s in Law (LLB), with top honors, from Indian Law Society, Pune, India. Cadambi is a member of the California and New York state bars.
She can be reached at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anithacadambi/