At a time when women are taking patriarchy by the horns, calling bull over gender inequality, gender wage gap, and the ever so controversial principles of feminism, it has become all the more crucial for the 'fairer' sex to prove its worth.
The Indian society is an awkward concoction of people worshipping female deities on one hand, and creating a line of limit for their daughters and wives on the other. Yet, its history has seen many strong women, including former prime minister Indira Gandhi, known for her ruthlessness. All Indian women, throughout history, have stood the test of time. The modern woman is everywhere. From class rooms to board rooms, women have stormed over all fields including the media, science, defence, banks, law, even the armed forces.
Waging a war on inequality, these women today, stand at the top, making the call and shaking the world.
Indira Parikh
Professor Indira Parikh was Dean of IIM-Ahmedabad from 2002 to 2005. She is also the former founding President of the Foundation for Liberal and Management Education (FLAME) Institute. Indira has a specialisation in organisation development and design, and institution building. She has taught at INSEAD, Fontainebleau and Texas A&M University, and also worked as a consultant to various national and international organisations.
Renu Sud Karnad
With her fingers in different pots, Renu Sud Karnad has been the Managing Director of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) since 2010. She deals with strategy, budget, product development, and distribution for the all-India lending operations and is a part of the senior management team of Housing Development Finance Corp. Karnad also serves as a Joint Managing Director at Home Loan Services India Private Limited and has worked as its Executive Director since 2000. She holds extensive knowledge on finance and significant experience in international business.
Ramni Nirula
Ramni Nirula has held several top positions in different fields including Project Financing, Strategy, Planning & Resources, and Corporate Banking. She is currently associated with ICICI Foundation as advisor and key management team member. Ramni has also held key positions as Managing Director & CEO of ICICI Securities Limited, and was also responsible for Government Banking Group and Corporate Agri Groups based out of New Delhi. She has been member of Board of leading Indian companies like Crompton Greaves, Jindal Steel and Power, Haldia Petrochemicals, Eicher and the likes.
Bhagyam Ramani
With over three decades of experience in investment and accounts, Bhagyam has served as General Manager In-charge of Investment & Accounts at General Insurance Corporation of India. She has also served as Assistant General Manager at General Insurance Corporation of India, and as an Investment & Financial Analyst. She also serves as an Independent Director at L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering Limited.
Bharati Rao
Bharati Rao is the first woman Deputy Managing director of the State Bank of India. With 40 years of experience in banking and financial sector, Rao is currently on the boards of companies like SBI Capital Markets Limited, SBI GTF Limited, Vijaya Bank, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co Limited, Carborundum Universal Limited, Neuland Laboratories Limited, etc.
Ranjana Kumar
Ranjana Kumar is the Advisor at India Alternatives Investment Advisors Private Limited. She has worked as the Chairperson and Managing Director of Indian Bank, and retired as Vigilance Commissioner of the Central Vigilance Commission, Government of India. She has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of US operations of Bank of India, New York.
Kishori Udeshi
Reserve Bank's first woman deputy governor, Kishori Udeshi was appointed as the bank's Executive Director in 2004. She has taken charge of the department of currency management, deposit insurance and credit guarantee corporation, inspection department, premises department, rural planning and credit department and urban banks department.
Ireena Vittal
Senior Advisor of Aspada Investment Advisors, Vittal has served as Senior Advisor of ZyFin Research Private Limited. She also made Partner with McKinsey & Co. and was the founding member of the economic development practice and the global emerging-markets practice at McKinsey. She has also served as the Head of Marketing and Sales at Hutchinson Max Telecom and has been Independent Director of Titan Company Limited since January 30, 2013.
Vibha Paul Rishi
With over 25 years of experience during which she associated with giants like Tata Administrative Services, and PepsiCo, Vibha Paul Rishi is the Head of Marketing and Group Strategy & Consumer Director of Future Consumer Enterprise Limited. She has worked as Executive Director of Brand & Human Capital at Max Financial Services Limited.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Named among TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is the Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon. She is also ranked among Fierce Biotech's list of the 'Worlds' 25 Most Influential People in Biopharma', Forbes '100 Most Powerful Women' and Fortune's 'Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Asia-Pacific'.
