With the consistent developments in the Indian startup ecosystem, more and more women are chasing the entrepreneurial dream and flourishing in their ventures. This is empowering other Indian women who are still confined to the traditional homemaker role to think for themselves. However, a recent report states that only two Indian cities have made it to the list of the 50 most favorable global places for women to work.
India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru, ranked 40th, while Delhi was at 49th place. This survey was conducted by the tech giant Dell in partnership with the consultancy firm IHS Markit. The ranking—based on inputs from women entrepreneurs in India, policymakers, venture capitalists, media, and academicians—measures a city’s ability to attract and support those women who want to grow their businesses.
According to the National Sample Survey, only 14% of the businesses in India are run by women entrepreneurs. Most of the companies are bootstrapped and run on a small scale. The global disparity is evident in a report that says nearly 126 million women have their own business across the globe while Indian women linger around the 8 million mark; a paradoxical statement is given that India is the second-most populous nation in the world. StartupTalky has compiled a list of successful female entrepreneurs who’ve made a mark in India’s startup ecosystem.
Some Interesting Statistics on Female Entrepreneurs in India
- About 58% of the female entrepreneurs were in the age range of 20-30 when they started out.
- Nearly 73% of them report revenue of approximately Rs 10 lakhs in a financial year.
- Almost 40% of these women started out solo, i.e., without any other member.
- About 35% of the women had a co-founder.
- Roughly 40% of the Indian female entrepreneurs employ five people or less.
- Despite the challenges of business ownership, 74% of the women entrepreneurs were somewhat or very happy owning a business, 17% were somewhat or very unhappy, and 9% were neutral.
In a country like India, where most women aren’t encouraged to think big (especially in the rural parts of the nation), there are some who have soared higher than one would expect in a constrictive setup.
These wonder women are inspiring other ladies to venture on the path of entrepreneurship through their success stories comprising personal struggles and challenges. As a result, India is steadily rising up the ranks when it comes to a favourable startup environment coupled with some solid backing from the Indian government.
List of Successful Female Entrepreneurs in India
- Aditi Gupta
- Anisha Singh
- Shradha Sharma
- Upasana Taku
- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
- Ghazal Alagh
- Neeru Sharma
- Sugandha
- Malika Sadani
- Ruchi Garg
- Ankita Gaba
- Ashwini Asokan
- Akanksha Anshu
- Chitra Gurnani Daga
- Debadutta Upadhyaya
- Gurleen Kaur
- Jaya Jha
- Neha Behani
- Megha Malik
- Chitra Ravi
- Aparajita Amar
- Rati Batra
- Aditi Balbir
- Falguni Nayar
- Garima Satija
- Vandana Luthra
- Suchi Mukherjee
- Mansi Gupta
- Vani Kola
- Nisaba Godrej
- Ankita Vashistha
- Aditi Avasthi
- Gazal Kalra
- Manisha Raisinghani
- Sreelakshmi Suresh
- Richa Kar
- Tanvi Malik
- Vineeta Singh
- Neha Motwani
- Kanika Tekriwal
- Naiyya Saggi
- Sneha Choudhry
- Divya Gokulnath
- Swati Bhargava
- Radhika Ghai Aggarwal
- Indra Nooyi
- Ritu Kumar
- Roshni Nadar Malhotra
- Radhika Aggarwal
- Shahnaz Husain
- Khushboo Jain
- Sairee Chahal
- Ankiti Bose
1. Aditi Gupta
| Name | Aditi Gupta |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Menstraupedia |
| Founded | 2012 |
Aditi Gupta is a social-cause entrepreneur and the co-founder of Menstrupedia, which works on spreading awareness about menstruation. She is counted as one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in India. She started the venture along with her husband, Tuhin Paul.
The venture stemmed from her own experiences with this so-called taboo. Menstruation was often a painful time she had to go through without any help to alleviate the pain.
After finding out many women resonated with her on the same problem, she decided to create a website on menstruation, complete with illustrations and graphics, to educate women about periods. Menstrupedia has become extremely popular among girls and women seeking to gain awareness on the topic.
Aditi continues informing women about menstrual hygiene to eliminate certain misconceptions about this natural process. She is indeed among the gems who want to do something for society.
She aspires to create a future where menstruation is not seen as evil but as a welcoming change in a girl’s life. She hails from Garhwal in Jharkhand. Aditi is a post-graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
2. Anisha Singh
| Name | Anisha Singh |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder and CEO of mydala |
| Founded | 2009 |
Anisha Singh is no stranger to roller-coaster riders; she went through various ups and downs in life before achieving the success she enjoys today. She is the co-founder and CEO of India’s biggest deals platform, Mydala.
Anisha’s long journey started when she was working in Capitol Hill and helping entrepreneurs. She then joined a software company in Boston, where she designed e-learning ecosystems. Anisha Singh is known for openly supporting women’s causes and campaigns. She speaks her mind out and doesn’t cave into fear.
Anisha is from New Delhi, India. She pursued her master’s degree in political communication and then an MBA in Information Systems from American University, Washington DC. Anisha Singh is one of the top businesswomen in India. She was also the judge for an Indian reality show, MTV Dropout, that was based on entrepreneurship.
3. Shradha Sharma
| Name | Shradha Sharma |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of YourStory |
| Founded | 2008 |
Shradha was at the peak of her career while working with famous news media houses like the Times of India and CNBC in Mumbai. During that period, she interacted with many entrepreneurs and got to know about their success stories.
Her idea to feature these entrepreneurs, particularly young female entrepreneurs in India, was rejected by several channels. She figured out that there were millions of stories storming around but no platform to cover them. She decided to create an online portal to provide a platform for featuring such stories.
YourStory was launched in 2008 and has 70,000+ stories on its website today. Shradha Sharma leads a team of 100+ people who offer content in 11 local languages. The motive is to share the roller coaster of emotions an entrepreneur goes through.
She was awarded the L’Oreal Paris Femina Award and was included on the list of the world’s top 500 LinkedIn influencers Top 500 LinkedIn Influencers. Shraddha is one of the most successful and influential female entrepreneurs in India.
4. Upasana Taku
| Name | Upasana Taku |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Mobikwik |
| Founded | 2009 |
Upasana Taku co-founded Mobikwik with her husband, Bipin Preet Singh. Mobikwik is a fintech startup. It is a virtual wallet tied to a huge network of companies and services. People can recharge and pay at registered places through the Mobikwik wallet. Mobikwik also rewards its customers with cashback through a concept called “SuperCash”.
Upasana Taku has a strong fintech background, having worked as a senior product manager at PayPal (an eBay company) in Silicon Valley and with HSBC (San Diego) prior to that. She graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering from NIT Jalandhar and has a master’s degree in management science from Stanford University.
5. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
| Name | Kiran Mazumdar Shaw |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Biocon |
| Founded | 1978 |
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is one of the most revered female entrepreneurs in India. She is a billionaire entrepreneur of India who is hailed as the founder and Executive Chairman of the popular Bangalore-based biotechnology company Biocon. Kiran Shaw is responsible for the growth and the large-scale expansion that Biocon has seen to date, and it is her belief in “affordable innovation” that was the key here.
She had previously worked at the United Breweries and has also broken many stereotypes thereafter expanding into biopharmaceuticals. After completing her graduation from Bangalore University, Shaw went on to study brewing at Ballarat College, Melbourne University and topped in her classes, coming out successfully with a master’s brewer degree in 1975.
Abinaya Arangarajan
6. Ghazal Alagh
| Name | Ghazal Alagh |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Mamaearth |
| Founded | 2016 |
When it comes to the most successful female businesswomen in India, we ought to name the co-founder of Mamaearth, Ghazal Alagh. Along with being the head of Mamaearth with her husband, Varun Alagh, she is also known as one of the women entrepreneurs who sits on the judges’ panel of the celebrated Shark Tank India show. She is one of the most famous business women in India.
Ghazal Alagh is a Panjab University BCA graduate in IT. She then enrolled in the School of Visual Arts for a Summer Intensive Course, and later on, Shaw went to the New York Academy of Art. She is currently serving as the Co-founder, Chief Mama and Chief Innovation Officer at Honasa Consumer Pvt. Ltd. (Mamaearth).
Rishabh Rathi
7. Neeru Sharma
| Name | Neeru Sharma |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Infibeam |
| Founded | 2007 |
Neeru Sharma is the co-founder and director of Infibeam, India’s leading e-commerce portal. Neeru is an expert in conducting market research and providing financial diligence for investments.
Neeru Sharma holds an MBA degree in Finance and Strategy from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. She has been a part of TCS, Nokia, and Amazon.
8. Sugandha
| Name | Sugandha Agarwal |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Docttocare |
| Founded | 2016 |
Sugandha is one of the youngest businesswomen in India and the founder of Docttocare. Docttocare is an online healthcare service provider that provides information to its users about the best doctors, clinics, hospitals, and diagnostic centres. Docttocare also offers virtual walkthroughs of the hospitals and their facilities.
Sugandha has worked with companies like Infosys, Oracle, and Google Maps before founding Docttocare. Sugandha is an electrical & communication engineer by qualification. She manages a team of 15 people who make Docttocare better every day.
9. Malika Sadani
| Name | Malika Sadani |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of The Moms Co. |
| Founded | 2016 |
A banker-turned-entrepreneur, Malika Sadani is the founder and CEO of The Moms Co., a leading homegrown brand for toxin-free, natural, and effective products for pre and postnatal care, babies, and conscious consumers seeking personal care solutions.
It was when Sadani had her first child and moved back to India from the UK that she experienced difficulties in finding chemical-free, quality products in the country. There was a huge gap in the baby-care market that was yet to be addressed. She is one of the top 20 women entrepreneurs in India.
With The Moms Co., she has embarked on a mission to help mothers in India and across the world make safe choices for themselves and their loved ones. The team works with experts from around the globe, and even though it’s a native brand, all the products under The Moms Co. have Australian certifications.
Arbaz Sayed
10. Ruchi Garg
| Name | Ruchi Garg |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of VenueLook |
| Founded | 2014 |
Ruchi Garg founded Venuelook in 2014. VenueLook is a Noida-based more than 15 years of professional experience O2O platform for venue aggregation, recommendation, and booking. Venuelook makes venue booking seamless and awesome across 16 cities in India. It helps organizations in managing and promoting events.
Ruchi has a bachelor’s degree in computer science. She has more than 15 years of professional experience building products and teams. Ruchi manages a team of 50 people in Venuelook. Even though she is in the event management industry, Ruchi still maintains a connection with technology—leveraging it to solve business problems.
11. Ankita Gaba
| Name | Ankita Gaba |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Social Samosa |
| Founded | 2011 |
Ankita Gaba is a consultant, lecturer, entrepreneur, and media strategist known for her multitasking prowess. She co-founded Social Samosa in 2011. However, she left the company in 2015 to start another venture.
Born on April 4, 1985, she hails from Mumbai. Ankita Gaba won “The Social Media Entrepreneur of the Year Award” at the Wat Awards in 2013. Her first venture was Superchooha, one of the first social media agencies in India. She is one of the top 20 women entrepreneurs in India.
12. Ashwini Asokan
| Name | Ashwini Asokan |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Mad Street Den |
| Founded | 2016 |
Ashwini Asokan had Anand Chandrasekaran, her husband, by her side in her entrepreneurial quest. She began by leading a mobile innovation team in Silicon Valley. This stint incited her interest in Artificial Intelligence.
After coming back to India, the husband-wife duo tasted success with their first offering—Mad Street Den. Mad Street Den is an AI platform that enables users to capture smiles and detect facial expressions and emotions through their smartphone cameras. The company is located in the Bay Area, California, with offices in Seattle and Chennai (India).
Ashwini and Anand also founded vue.ai, an image recognition platform for the retail industry. Vue.ai works with marquee retailers, brands, and marketplaces across the globe. It transforms operations in the fashion industry through intelligent automation. It won’t be wrong to label Ashwini as an innovative female tech entrepreneur!
13. Akanksha Anshu
| Name | Akanksha Anshu |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Refundme.in |
| Founded | 2012 |
Akanksha Anshu is the founder of refundme.in. Refundme.in offers a platform to travellers where they can easily claim compensation in the case of unfavourable circumstances such as flight delay, flight cancellation, overbooking, denied boarding, and so on. She is tech-savvy, a visionary, an entrepreneur, and the founder of 3 successful ventures. She comes from an enterprise technology background, holds an engineering degree, and has managed various roles in the international market, from IT services to business development.
Through refundme.in, she has given suggestions to the government, and the efforts have helped the government revise the Air Passenger Charter Act. Akanksha Anshu has been featured by many media platforms like ETWealth, BW Disrupt, Business Insider, and more for her contributions to the Aviation Industry.
Akanksha has expertise in technology, marketing, and automation. She has been mentoring various startups for their IT infrastructure and strategic planning. Besides consultancy, she is a traveller, storyteller, and motivational speaker. So far, she has been a speaker at various events where she has presented her ideas on distinct topics—technology, entrepreneurship, IT automation, motivation, and web security.
Nadeesh Kareemdathil
14. Chitra Gurnani Daga
| Name | Chitra Gurnani Daga |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder and CEO of Thrillophilia |
| Founded | 2009 |
Chitra Gurnani, a young female CEO in India, along with her husband, Abhishek Daga, commenced Thrillophilia in 2009. The venture was a manifestation of their passion for travelling. Thrillophilia is a travel company that provides the best local experiences and assures its customers of a trip they will cherish forever. Her aim is to make the people of India aware of the marvelous travel spots and tourist destinations within the country.
Chitra Gurnani hails from Bangalore. She has an MBA degree in Marketing from the Indian School of Business. Chitra previously worked at SAP and Infosys as a software engineer. She is focusing on building an organization that adds value to its customers and employees instead of solely focusing on revenue.
15. Debadutta Upadhyaya
| Name | Debadutta Upadhyaya |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of TImesaverz |
| Founded | 2012 |
Debadutta Upadhyaya believes in persistence, whether in hell or in high water. In fact, she always finds a solution to every problem. Debadutta founded Timesaverz, an online portal that helps people find solutions to their handyman problems. It assists homemakers with house repairs.
Debadutta was born in the city of Odisha, Rourkela. She has an MBA from IIM, Calcutta and worked for Yahoo India.
Life is as you would like to make of it. All of us have a choice and the easy or hard part is just a derivative of what one has chosen. – Debadutta Upadhyaya, Founder of Timesaverz
16. Gurleen Kaur
| Name | Gurleen Kaur |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Hareepatti |
| Founded | 2005 |
Gurleen Kaur Tikku is the CEO of Hareepatti. Hareepatti is a financial advisory firm imparting its customer’s financial wisdom. It is an extension of Trilok Singh & Associates that was started by Gurleen’s father, the late Shri Trilok Singh Jee.
Gurleen Kaur pursued a PGDBM in Finance from the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad. She has been recognized among the Top 30 Women Entrepreneurs from Delhi.
17. Jaya Jha
| Name | jaya Jha |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Pothi and InstaScribe |
| Founded | 2008 and 2013 |
Jaya Jha is another successful female entrepreneur in India. She is the brain behind two startups—InstaScribe and Pothi.com. These platforms enable users to create their own eBooks.
Jaya has enviable credentials with the IIT-IIM tag. She graduated from IIT, Kanpur in Computer Science and has a PGDM in Marketing and Strategy from IIM, Lucknow. She previously worked for Google as an Assistant Product Manager and with IBM as an Assistant Manager.
18. Neha Behani
| Name | Neha Behani |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Moojic |
| Founded | 2011 |
Neha Behani has done something really unique through Moojic. Moojic is like a radio/jukebox for restaurants and cafes. It allows customers to alter and customize playlists as per their interests. Neha is no stranger to failures, she has had a difficult journey but always emerged victorious.
Neha Behani hails from Mumbai. She pursued her MBA in Marketing from the Asian Institute of Management. She previously worked as an Assistant Product Manager at HP.
19. Megha Malik
| Name | Megha Malik |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of DesignerPeople |
| Founded | 2000 |
Megha Malik started her journey as an entrepreneur a decade back by starting DesignerPeople. Her vision is to transform the way product packaging, design, and positioning are perceived by young brands. As a creative director at Designer People, Megha’s responsibility is to provide proactive, practical and contemporary brand advertising solutions and support a futuristic brand presentation in tune with global trends.
She has worked with more than 500 brands over the last ten years and helped them build their branding portfolio. Megha holds an MBA degree in Marketing Strategies and a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.
20. Chitra Ravi
| Name | Chitra Ravi |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Chrysalis |
| Founded | 2001 |
Chitra Ravi is the founder of Chrysalis. A management graduate, Chitra has a strong desire to improve education. Chrysalis has innovated an academic program for the formative years (in the age group of 2-12) of a child’s education – “ThinkRoom”. Chitra deftly combines her skills in conceptualization, storyboarding, and instructional design to deliver products and services that are dynamic and on par with any international curriculum standards.
Chitra has traveled to the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Southeast Asia and has participated in many international training programs and conventions like Project Zero, which is conducted by Harvard University exclusively for educators. She also presented a program on the effective use of technology in the K-12 curriculum for one of the biggest satellite channels in India.
21. Aparajita Amar
| Name | Aparijitha Amar |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of SHLC |
| Founded | 2015 |
Leading women entrepreneurship in India, Aparajita Amar is the founder of SHLC-Sexual Harassment Law Compliance Advisory. She is a certified sexual harassment and workplace diversity advisor and an Advocate. At SHLC, Aparajita and her colleagues provide documentation, consultation, and advisory services to organizations to assist their clients in complying with sexual harassment laws.
The team works on drafting anti-sexual harassment policies, sensitization and awareness sessions, and ICC capacity building. She has designed and conducted training, sensitization, and awareness workshops for employees, supervisors and senior management. She has also designed and conducted capacity-building and strengthening programmes for the members of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
Aparajita is a Legal Development Programme (LDP) Member of the “Strengthening Road Safety in India” program organized by the Bloomberg Initiative and the World Health Organization (WHO) on global road safety. Aparajita has attended workshops held in Beijing and Geneva.
22. Rati Batra
| Name | rati Batra |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of YourHR |
| Founded | 2017 |
Rati Batra is an HR strategist and the founder of YourHR; the startup is known for rendering strategic consulting support to start-ups and SMEs. YourHR provides end-to-end human resource management (HRC) strategic consulting support to businesses. She brings HR and business development expertise to the table.
She attended the GEC Conference 2019 held in Bahrain as part of the Indian delegation, deliberating ways to sustain the entrepreneurial and startup culture. Rati is also working to build a network that celebrates and encourages strong, independent female entrepreneurs.
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23. Aditi Balbir
| Name | Aditi Balbir |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder and CEO of V Resorts |
| Founded | 2011 |
Aditi Balbir, a young female CEO in India is the founder and CEO of V Resorts – an organization that provides holiday experiences that showcase the real India.
She graduated from ISB (Hyderabad) and the Fuqua School, Duke University. Aditi started her career in finance before establishing V Resorts. V Resorts was her first venture outside of finance in 2014. She received $9 million in two successive rounds of funding from Bedrock Ventures, Seedfund, and RB Investments. She has contributed to building the business from the ground up to carefully curate, develop, and manage unique resort properties in India.
She received the Young Women Business Award for Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs by CNBC TV 18 in 2017, Exceptional Women of Excellence by the Women Economic Forum in 2017, Fortune 100 Most Powerful Women Asia in 2017, and Dell Foundation’s 200 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in the world in 2016.
24. Falguni Nayar
| Name | Falguni Nayar |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Nykaa |
| Founded | 2012 |
Falguni Nayar is one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in India and the founder of Nykaa, India’s beauty product retailer. After serving 20 years as a venture investor and merchant with Kotak Mahindra, she suddenly announced her departure to pursue her dream. Nykaa has over 850 brands along with robust content through videos, blogs, and dynamic social media engagement. Running an online business successfully, Nykaa has also introduced 35 physical stores. She is one of the most famous business women in India.
Nykaa has also been a front-runner in bringing international luxury brands to India, giving Indian customers all-encompassing products and services to choose from.
PV Vyshnavi
25. Garima Satija
| Name | Garima Satija |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of PoshVine |
| Founded | 2011 |
Garima Satija, along with other young women entrepreneurs, founded PoshVine. Before embarking on her journey with PoshVine, Garima gained valuable experience working with Naukri.com and Ozone Media. PoshVine, an online destination curated by young women entrepreneurs, serves as a platform for discovering and booking dining and travel experiences. The venture commenced by bringing together premium restaurants and experimental chefs, all eager to craft distinctive activities for users to enjoy.
PoshVine enables individuals and companies to create experiential packages directly on its site. PoshVine recently adopted a B2B2C approach in its business model. It works with large clients like HDFC Bank, Citibank, Axis Bank, Jaguar, etc. and manages their experiential engagement for affluent customers.
26. Vandana Luthra
| Name | vandana Luthra |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of VLCC |
| Founded | 1989 |
Mrs Vandana Luthra is the founder of VLCC. VLCC is a globally recognized name in the beauty, health, and fitness industry. Mrs. Luthra had humble beginnings in 1989 with the opening of a beauty and slimming services center in New Delhi. This center ran weight management programs along with cutting-edge skin and hair treatments.
In the year 2013, she was awarded one of India’s topmost honors, the Padma Shri, for her immense contribution to Trade & Industry. She won the Asian Business Leaders Forum Trailblazer Award in 2012, the Enterprise Asia Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010, and the Rajiv Gandhi Award in 2008. She has been featured in the Forbes Asia 2016 list of 50 Power Businesswomen in the APAC region. She has been featured in Fortune magazine’s annual listing of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in India for six years in a row – from 2011 to 2016. She is one of the most successful businesswomen in India. She is one of the top 50 women entrepreneurs in India.
27. Suchi Mukherjee
| Name | Suchi Mukherjee |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of LimeRoad |
| Founded | 2012 |
Suchi Mukherjee founded LimeRoad in 2012. LimeRoad is a social commerce site where products are shared and sold. These offerings are targeted directly toward the women’s community. LimeRoad is the fastest-growing fashion platform today. Suchi Mukherjee studied economics at the School of Cambridge and completed her master’s degree in economics and finance in London. She was part of the early team building out the UK business for eBay, an executive management team member at Skype, and a managing director at Gumtree.
She was among the 15 women voted for ‘Rising Talent – Global Leaders Under 40’ at the World Women’s Forum in Paris in 2010 for her contributions to scaling businesses encompassing consumer technology.
28. Mansi Gupta
| Name | Mansi Gupta |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Tijori |
| Founded | 2013 |
Mansi Gupta is the co-founder of the lifestyle brand ‘Tjori’. Tjori was launched in India in 2013. Tjori is a lifestyle brand with products in the apparel, home, wellness, jewelry, shoes, and bags categories; it recently introduced a mother-and-child catalog. All of these categories follow the richness of Indian handicrafts and the quality of international standards.
She created this brand with the idea of promoting traditional Indian handicrafts imbued with a touch of modernism to fetch them much-needed global recognition. A plan built on the whiteboard of a room in the Wharton University housing complex has now become a global e-commerce website with ever-expanding future plans.
The daughter of an elite clothing tycoon in Jammu, Mansi completed her MBA from the Business School of Cardiff University and has a specialization in the field of finance from the University of Wharton.
The brand is a spitting image of her style and aura. The art and the details of the handicraft are kept intact and enhanced with a modern touch. The products are well-thought-out and only then sold to customers.
Mansi and her employees are determined to build the brand and are dedicated to taking Tjori to global imminence. Mansi Gupta says, “If we don’t have any battles to fight, then the war is lost. A battle will only be won once we stand true to our aims and goals.”
“The transition from an e-commerce website to a walk-in store is Tjori’s next goal, and we aim to win this battle by spreading our stores worldwide. The end goal would be to be the best-selling Indian lifestyle brand on a global platform,” she adds.
29. Vani Kola
| Name | Vani Kola |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Kalaari Capital |
| Founded | 2012 |
Vani Kola is the founder and Managing Director of Kalaari Capital. Kalaari Capital is one of India’s leading early-stage venture capital firms. Vani has successfully led more than 30 investments at Kalaari in e-commerce, gaming, digital content, healthcare, and more. Some of her successes include Dream11, Myntra, Cure.fit, and Snapdeal. Vani is on the board of several companies that are redefining the landscape of Indian business.
Vani Kola has been profiled in numerous books and has been identified as one of Fortune India’s ‘Most Powerful Women in Business.’ She is also supporting various organizations fostering entrepreneurship and women’s leadership.
30. Nisaba Godrej
| Name | Nisaba Godrej |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Godrej Consumer Products |
| Founded | 2001 |
Nisaba is the executive chairperson of Godrej Consumer Products. Nisaba has a bachelor’s in science degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is the key architect of GCPL’s strategy and transformation in the last decade.
Over the last ten years, GCPL’s market capitalization has increased twenty-fold, and GCPL has developed a strong, engaged, and ambitious team. It is consistently ranked among the best places to work.
She has transformed Godrej into a more meritocratic and highly performance-driven organization while retaining the group’s values front and centre. She spearheads the Godrej group’s “good & green” agenda to drive inclusive and sustainable growth.
Manav Makhija
31. Ankita Vashistha
| Name | Ankita Vashistha |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Saha Fund |
| Founded | 2016 |
Ankita Vashistha is the founder and chief executive officer of India’s (and Asia’s) first venture capital fund, Saha Fund. Saha Fund promotes and invests in women-led ventures and firms making strides in technology and innovation. Saha Funds has made investments in India, Asia, the UK, and the US.
Ankita, recognized as one of the top businesswomen in India, also collaborates closely with multiple domain experts, industry leaders, and a custom investment team that advises and chairs ventures to help them grow.
32. Aditi Avasthi
| Name | Aditi Avasthi |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Embibe |
| Founded | 2012 |
Aditi Avasthi, one of the successful women in India, is the founder and CEO of Embibe, an educational technology company based in Bangalore. Aditi, who holds an MBA in finance and marketing from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, leads Embibe with a vision to revolutionize the educational landscape.
Aditi Avasthi, a notable women entrepreneur in India, was awarded ‘Accenture Vaahini Innovator of the Year’ at the inaugural edition of the ETPrime Women Leadership Awards (ETPWLA).
33. Gazal Kalra
| Name | Gazal Kalra |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of Rivigo |
| Founded | 2014 |
Gazal Kalra co-founded Rivigo, a Gurugram-based logistics startup. Gazal Kalra has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Rivigo, spearheaded by Indian women entrepreneurs, operates on a relay truck model, ensuring that no driver would drive for more than four hours at a stretch, returning home the same day. Recently, Rivigo secured $65 million in funding from Warburg Pincus and SAIF Partners, bringing its total raised capital to $180 million.
34. Manisha Raisinghani
| Name | Manisha Raisinghani |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of LogiNext |
| Founded | 2014 |
Manisha co-founded LogiNext, which helps SaaS companies to manage and optimize logistics and field service operations. Manisha Raisinghani did her master’s in information systems from Carnegie Mellon University. She then worked with Warner Brothers as part of the data analytics team for iTunes. She also worked with IBM in the US before deciding to start LogiNext.
LogiNext is backed by Alibaba-funded Paytm and the Indian Angel Network; it has raised more than $10 Million as an investment to date. LogiNext has achieved exponential success in a very short span of time and is set to exceed 300% in growth by the end of 2020.
35. Sreelakshmi Suresh
| Name | Sreelakshmi SUresh |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of eDesign |
| Founded | 2014 |
Sreelakshmi is the youngest woman entrepreneur in India. Sreelakshmi became the youngest web designer-cum-CEO in the world in 2020 at the age of 21. She designed and developed the official website of her school located in Kozhikode (Kerala) when she was only 8 years old. She has many accolades to her name. Sreelakshmi has received many national and international awards.
At the age of 10, she designed and established eDesign, a web designing company that offers SEO, design, and other related services. Sreelakshmi Suresh has developed over 100 websites for renowned institutions and organizations across India.
36. Richa Kar
| Name | Akanksha Anshu |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Zivame |
| Founded | 2011 |
Richa Kar commenced her professional journey in the information technology sector. However, upon completion of her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the esteemed Narsee Monte Institute of Management Studies, she joined the retailer Spencer’s, where the seed for Zivame, a women’s apparel company, was sown. Through her work, Richa identified a gap in the market for an e-commerce lingerie brand and made the decision to invest her personal savings into the establishment of Zivame in 2011.
In May 2012, Richa secured her first investment of US$3 million for Zivame. Subsequently, the company has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its operations to include brick-and-mortar stores alongside its e-commerce business. Presently, Zivame is valued at US$13.6 million and has played an instrumental role in dismantling taboos associated with lingerie shopping in India, ensuring that every woman has access to comfortable products.
37. Tanvi Malik
| Name | Tani Malik |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of FabAlley |
| Founded | 2012 |
Tanvi Malik is a highly successful entrepreneur who completed her MBA specializing in brand management at MICA, Ahmedabad, back in 2009. She started her career as an assistant brand manager at Titan Industries after graduation. However, in 2012, she took the bold step of leaving her corporate job to launch FabAlley and Indya, two online platforms catering to women’s fashion needs.
Tanvi’s visionary leadership has recently led FabAlley to secure a substantial investment of US$8.54 million from SAIF Partners, enabling the brand’s expansion into offline retail. Her outstanding accomplishments have earned her recognition on several prestigious lists, including Entrepreneur India’s 35 Under 35 in 2019 and Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 in 2021. Tanvi is widely admired for her commitment to promoting inclusivity in Indian women’s fashion and for blending traditional Indian aesthetics with modern styles for the millennial woman. Her impact on the industry is profound, serving as an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs everywhere.
38. Vineeta Singh
| Name | Vineeta Singh |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics |
| Founded | 2015 |
Vineeta Singh‘s professional journey began with internships at ITC and Deutsche Bank, followed by the completion of an MBA at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. Transitioning into senior roles spanning e-learning and HR, she honed her skills across diverse industries. In 2015, Singh took a bold step into entrepreneurship with the establishment of Sugar Cosmetics, which rapidly evolved into a formidable beauty empire. She is one of the top 50 women entrepreneurs in India.
Today, Singh’s entrepreneurial acumen has propelled her to a net worth estimated at $36 million. Her influence extends beyond her business ventures as she takes on the role of an investor on Shark Tank India, where she actively encourages and mentors young Indian women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams, igniting a new era of female empowerment in the Indian business landscape.
Muskaan Kapoor
39. Neha Motwani
| Name | Neha Motwani |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder and CEO of Fitternity |
| Founded | 2013 |
Neha’s frustration with choosing the right fitness classes sparked the creation of Fitternity in 2013. With a background spanning finance, risk, and HR, coupled with an MBA from the Wellingkar Institute of Management and Research, Neha saw an opportunity to simplify the fitness journey for others. Today, Fitternity stands as a prominent online booking platform with over 10 million users across its website and app, generating an estimated yearly revenue of $16 million. It has evolved into one of India’s leading fitness search engines, offering a seamless experience for individuals embarking on their fitness endeavours and fostering a sense of community along the way.
Subham Agrawal
40. Kanika Tekriwal
| Name | Kanika Tekriwal |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder and CEO of JetSetGo |
| Founded | 2014 |
Kanika became India’s youngest self-made entrepreneur when she established her aviation startup at just 22. Despite facing significant challenges, including battling cancer just as she was launching JetSetGo, an online platform for booking chartered planes and helicopters, her determination never wavered. Her journey took an unexpected turn when illness struck, setting back her startup plans by a year. However, after overcoming cancer, Kanika poured all her efforts into realizing her vision for JetSetGo. Now, a decade later, her perseverance has paid off handsomely, with a net worth of around US$50 million and recognition on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list.
Kanika’s story exemplifies resilience and ambition, propelled by her educational background with an MBA in finance from Coventry University in 2011, laying the foundation for her entrepreneurial journey. Despite facing setbacks early on, her unwavering determination and focus propelled her towards success. Today, her startup stands as a testament to her tenacity, marking her as a shining example in the world of entrepreneurship and inspiring others to overcome obstacles on their path to achievement.
41. Naiyya Saggi
| Name | Naiyaa Saggi |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder of BabyChakra and Co-Founder of The Good Glamm Group |
| Founded | 2015 and 2021 |
Naiyya Saggi pursued her MBA at Harvard Business School in 2012 through a Fulbright Scholarship, shifting gears from her role as a business analyst at McKinsey to delve into entrepreneurship. She kickstarted her journey with BabyChakra, an online community catering to mothers, in 2015, followed by the establishment of The Good Glamm Group in 2021. The Good Glamm Group swiftly ascended to unicorn status in the Indian beauty commerce sector the same year, boasting a valuation of $1.2 billion. Today, both of Naiyya’s ventures thrive in synergy, with The Good Glamm Group exhibiting an impressive annual growth rate of 12% while BabyChakra stands as a prominent platform offering invaluable parenting resources and support in India.
Sejal Raval
42. Sneha Choudhry
| Name | Sneha Choudhry |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of Zolo |
| Founded | 2015 |
Finding decent, safe, and budget-friendly accommodation in India can often be a daunting task, particularly for students and professionals. Recognizing this common struggle, Sneha Choudary, along with her partners Dr. Nikhil Sikri and Akhil Sikri, seized the opportunity to address this need. They founded ZoloStays, a platform dedicated to providing hassle-free, long-term stay options that are both affordable and professionally managed.
ZoloStays has transformed the landscape of accommodation in India for young individuals, experiencing remarkable success in just nine years of operation. By offering fully managed accommodations that are easy to book, the platform has become a million-dollar enterprise, catering to the needs of students and professionals alike and significantly simplifying the process of finding quality housing in the country.
43. Divya Gokulnath
| Name | Divya Gokulnath |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of BYJU’S |
| Founded | 2011 |
Divya Gokulnath, alongside her husband Byju Raveendran, co-founded BYJU’S, a prominent educational technology company in India. Their shared passion for education and technology led them to develop an innovative learning app that offers personalized online learning experiences for students of various ages. Through their dedication, BYJU’S has emerged as a global leader in ed-tech, transforming traditional learning methods and reaching millions of students worldwide.
Divya’s unwavering vision and tireless efforts have propelled BYJU’S to international acclaim, establishing it as a powerhouse in education technology. Her commitment to providing accessible and effective learning solutions has garnered widespread recognition, contributing to BYJU’S substantial user base and global impact. Through their collaborative efforts, Divya and Byju continue to revolutionize education, empowering students with engaging and personalized learning experiences.
44. Swati Bhargava
| Name | Swati Bhargava |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of CashKaro |
| Founded | 2013 |
Swati Bhargava, co-founder of CashKaro, has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape in India. The inception of CashKaro stemmed from Swati and her husband’s personal experience of saving money while booking their honeymoon tickets through a cashback website. Motivated by this, they embarked on the journey to establish a similar platform tailored for the Indian market in 2013.
Under the astute leadership of Swati, one of the leading women entrepreneurs of India, CashKaro has flourished into India’s premier cashback and coupon site. Their platform offers users the opportunity to earn cashback on a diverse array of online purchases from partnered retailers. This innovative approach to saving money has resonated with both men and women, making CashKaro a go-to money-saving solution for millions of users, and further solidifying Swati’s reputation as a trailblazer in the business world. Through her leadership, CashKaro has empowered countless individuals to make smarter financial decisions while indulging in online shopping.
Jeenal Jain
45. Radhika Ghai Aggarwal
| Name | Radhika Ghai Aggarwal |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-Founder of ShopClues and Kindlife |
| Founded | 2011 and 2021 |
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal is a prominent female entrepreneur whose innovative ventures have garnered her recognition as one of India’s top 10 women entrepreneurs. Among her notable successes is ShopClues, an online marketplace launched in 2011 to serve the varied requirements of Indian consumers. Initially comprising a modest team of 10 individuals, the company steadily expanded its workforce and customer base. Presently valued at $1.1 billion, ShopClues stands as one of India’s most prosperous indigenous online marketplaces.
In addition to her accomplishments with ShopClues, Radhika Ghai Aggarwal ventured into establishing Kindlife in 2021. Kindlife is an online platform specializing in organic products that is gaining significant traction within the market. Radhika’s entrepreneurial acumen has not only fueled the success of her ventures but has also contributed to the advancement of e-commerce in India, solidifying her status as one of the most famous women entrepreneurs in India and a trailblazer in the business world.
46. Indra Nooyi
| Name | Indra Nooyi |
|---|---|
| Designation | Chairperson and CRO of PepsiCo |
| Founded | 2006 |
Indra Nooyi is an Indo-American businesswoman who served as the Chairperson and CRO of PepsiCo from 2006-2018. It was under her leadership that PepsiCo’s revenue shot up by 80%. She was the focal point in shifting the company’s focus towards healthier products with sustainable initiatives. Her reclassification of PepsiCo’s products into categories of – ‘fun for you’ (regular soda and potato chips), ‘better for you’ (low-fat versions of drinks and snacks), and ‘good for you’ (healthier items such as oatmeal) helped create a positive impact of the brand in the minds of people.
Nooyi consistently ranks among the world’s most powerful and influential women. She was ranked 13 on the Forbes list in 2014 and the second most powerful woman on the Fortune list both in 2015 and 2017. Indra also sits on the board of Amazon Inc. and the International Cricket Council.
47. Ritu Kumar
| Name | Ritu Kumar |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder, Ritu Kumar |
| Founded | 1969 |
Considered to be one of the pioneers of Indian fashion, Ritu Kumar launched her label in 1969 in Kolkata. She began her fashion business using two small tables and hand-block printing techniques. Initially, she started with bridal wear and evening clothes and later moved into the international market. Renowned for using traditional textiles and craftsmanship, she blends the modern with the old. She has been one of the pivotal figures in reviving India’s rich artisanal heritage and bringing it to the global limelight. Her company’s annual turnover was estimated to be around INR 10 billion. Her clothes have been worn by celebrities such as Late Princess Diana, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Jemima Goldsmith, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Deepika Padukone, and more.
Manav Makhija
48. Roshni Nadar Malhotra
| Name | Roshni Nadar Malhotra |
|---|---|
| Designation | Chairperson, HCL Technologies |
| Founded | 2019 |
The current Chairperson of HCL Technologies, she is the first woman to lead a listed IT company in India. She is the only child of Shiv Nadar, the HCL Group Founder and billionaire. In 2019, and 2024, she was ranked 54th and 60th on the Forbes World’s 100 Most Powerful Women. According to the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List (2019), she is the wealthiest woman in India, with an estimated net worth of $42 billion as of October 2024. In 2023, she was ranked as the 60th of the World’s Most Powerful Women per Forbes.
In addition to her corporate prowess, she is involved in multiple philanthropic initiatives, including the conservation and education of children across India.
Kanimozhi Sivakumar
49. Radhika Aggarwal
| Name | Radhika Aggarwal |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-founder and CHief Business Officer, ShopClues |
| Founded | 2011 |
Radhika Aggarwal is one of the first female co-founders of a unicorn startup, ShopClues, an online marketplace. Aggarwal was a part of the marketing teams for brands such as Nordstrom and Goldman Sachs. She has over 14 years of experience in diverse sectors such as retail, lifestyle, fashion, and eCommerce in the USA. Some awards she has won over the years are Outlook Business Woman of Worth at Outlook Business Awards, Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at Entrepreneur India Awards, Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at CMO Asia Awards, and CEO of the Year Award at CEO India Awards in 2016 alone.
Radhika has been a trailblazer in the eCommerce sector and has empowered both small and medium businesses with a platform to reach out to a broader customer base.
Sarika Anand
50. Shahnaz Husain
| Name | Shahnaz Husain |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder, Shahnaz Husain Group |
| Founded | 1970 |
The prominent Indian entrepreneur, Shahnaz Husain, is known for her herbal cosmetics brand, Shahnaz Husain Group. Founded by her in 1970, Shahnaz has dedicated her life to popularizing Ayurvedic beauty treatments globally. She has received international recognition for reviving Herbal beauty care and taking the Indian heritage of Ayurveda global. In 2006, she received the Padma Shri from the Government of India for her contribution to the field of trade and commerce. In 2012, she won the Outstanding Ayurvedic Innovation Award in London and the Olympia Asia Award for Outstanding Contribution in Ayurveda and Plant Cosmetics in London.
Husain’s commitment to natural products has made her a household name and a pioneer in the Indian beauty industry.
Nitin Konde
51. Khushboo Jain
| Name | Khushboo Jain |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-founder and COO, ImpactGuru |
| Founded | 2014 |
Khushboo Jain, one of the youngest business woman in India is the co-founder and COO of ImpactGuru, a crowdfunding platform launched in 2014. The platform focuses on the healthcare sector and raises funds for medical issues and social causes. She has been crucial in providing funding to those in need by making healthcare easily accessible to all. Khushboo has received recognition from multiple organizations, such as the Fortune 40 uner 40 list and the National Commission for Minorities in India. In 2019, she was among the Top 15 women entrepreneurs at the United Nations Women Transforming India Award & Niti Aayog. Her idea for ImpactGuru came at a time when 65%-70% of the middle-class population did not have insurance. She was driven by the idea of making healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone in India.
Shubham Kumar
52. Sairee Chahal
| Name | Sairee Chahal |
|---|---|
| Designation | Founder and CEO, Sheroes |
| Founded | 2014 |
Sairee Chahal founded and is the CEO of the women-only social network Sheroes in 2014. The platform is a support group, opportunity provider, and resource finder for women at multiple stages of their careers. Founded in 2014 as a helpline, SHEROES has since emerged as a social network dedicated to women. Users can bridge the gender gap, interact, and grow. Sairee created the platform as a safe space for women to share, connect, and grow professionally and personally.
Sairee also founded Mahila Money, a small loans agency for women micro-entrepreneurs. Women can receive funding from INR 10,000 to INR 2,00,000 and get approval within 48 hours. Even if they are rejected, they can stay in the community to learn more about their financial abilities. Currently, Mahila Money has partnered with over 60 women-focused organizations to help them gain more trust.
Vidhi Punamiya
53. Ankiti Bose
| Name | Ankiti Bose |
|---|---|
| Designation | Co-founder and CEO |
| Founded | Zilingo |
Ankiti Bose is the CEO and co-founder of Zilingo, the fashion and lifestyle eCommerce platform launched in 2015. She is considered to be one of the youngest female CEOs who leads a startup worth over a billion dollars. Ankiti was featured in Forbes Asia as 30 under 30 in 2018 and as 40 over 40 in 2019. The idea for Zilingo was born after she visited Chatuchak Weekend Market, where Ankiti noticed immense room for penetration and growth. She realized that while people were slowly moving online, retailers were not trained financially or digitally to compete with global players. In 2019, Zilingo raised $226 million in Series D funding. She is one of the most successful women in India.
Ankiti’s vision has changed Zilingo into a global platform that empowers small manufacturers and retailers in the fashion industry.
Sarika Anand
Conclusion
Indians need to learn from these role models. Their ventures and initiatives are more than just a source of profit. The ladies covered in this post are some of the most successful women entrepreneurs in India and demonstrate the results of creativity and innovation. Gender is not a deterrent to achieving success.
Hope this post has incited the hidden entrepreneur in you!
FAQs
Who is the first youngest woman entrepreneur in India?
Sreelakshmi Suresh is the first youngest woman entrepreneur in India.
Who is the first woman entrepreneur in India?
Kalpana Saroj is the first woman entrepreneur in India. She is the Chairman of Kamani Tubes.
How to become a businesswoman in India?
If you are wondering to stand as a successful businesswoman in India, then these are a few tips that you can keep handy:
- Research about your field
- Be confident
- Be organized
- Network with people
- Find a mentor
- Analyze your customers
- Stay updated always
- Be positive
Who are the top 10 female entrepreneurs in India?
The top 10 young female entrepreneurs in India are:
- Anisha Singh
- Shradha Sharma
- Upasana Taku
- Falguni Nayar
- Vandana Luthra
- Ghazal Alagh
- Suchi Mukherjee
- Kiran Shaw
- Neeru Sharma
- Nisaba Godrej
Who is the richest female entrepreneur in India?
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the founder of Biocon is the richest female entrepreneur in India.
Who are the most popular female entrepreneurs in India?
Some of the most popular female entrepreneurs in India are:
- Falguni Nayar
- Vandana Luthra
- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
- Ghazal Alagh
- Indra Nooyi
- Suchi Mukherjee
- Aditi Gupta
- Vani Kola
- Radhika Ghai Aggarwal
- Supriya Paul
- Malini Agarwal
Who are the most powerful women in India today?
According to the 2021 list, the most powerful women of India list consists of:
- Nirmala Sitharaman
- Nita Ambani
- Soumya Swaminathan
- Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
- Suchitra Ella
Who are the top female entrepreneurs in the world?
Here’s the list of the top female entrepreneurs in the world:
- Angela Merkel
- Sofia Vergara
- Arianna Huffington
- Debbie Fields
- Susan Wojcicki
- Indra Nooyi
- Beyonce
- Sheryl Sandberg