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India is home to a diverse range of leading successful women who have broken barriers of hardships and patriarchy. These successful women in India shattered stereotypes and achieved milestones of success in their respective fields. However, the stories of these inspirational women are often left unsung. They do not get enough credit for their achievements.
A McKinsey report suggested that empowering women and promoting equality can improve India’s GDP by add $700 billion in 2025. This blog covers stories of inspirational women to motivate the female workforce today to never underestimate themselves and aim to achieve great heights.
Read on to know more about the leading women of India. The article also discusses how these famous women’s personalities overcame hardships and made their lives worthwhile.
Most Successful Women Politicians in India
Politics, especially in India, has always been male-dominated. Very few great women of India have chosen this not so traveled road. Despite this, those who chose this career path have successfully made some remarkable changes.
History has indeed seen some excellent women politicians. The ambitions and political moves of these leading women have been subject to criticism. Yet, no one can overlook their contributions and determination.
Indira Gandhi
She is counted among the most successful politicians in India. Indira Gandhi was India’s first and to date only female prime minister. She was named Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi by Rabindranath Tagore. She has also been the second-longest serving prime minister in the history of Independent India’s politics.
Congress witnessed its peak of popularity under the leadership of Indira Gandhi. She was widely popular among women. Her charisma and powerful character made her one of the most successful women in India.
Sushma Swaraj
At the age of 25 years, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest-ever cabinet minister of India. She was an all-rounder with an interest in music, culture, and drama. A three-time best NCC Cadet, she was known for her excellent political career.
Her achievements include being the first-ever woman Chief Minister of Delhi. She was also the first woman spokesperson for any national political party.
Her work as an External Affairs Minister was praised worldwide. She was extremely popular among the youth. Foreign students admired her for the various evacuation missions she carried out in times of crisis.
Her Twitter account had more than 11 million followers. this makes her the world’s most followed woman leader and most followed foreign minister.
Mamta Banerjee
She is credited as the founder of All India Trinamool Congress. Mamta Banerjee is the first woman Chief Minister of West Bengal. She was also the first-ever woman to serve as the railway minister twice. Under her leadership, Trinamool Congress won the elections in West Bengal without any alliance.
She is largely credited with the empowerment of women in the state. Her efforts for the beautification of Kolkata are also widely admired. She was named in Forbes’ List of 100 Most Influential People in the World. Her name is also registered in Bloomberg Market’s list of 50 Most Influential People in the World of Finance.
3 Top Successful Women in Business & Entrepreneurship
Business and entrepreneurship were traditionally understood to be removed from women’s realm. However, in recent times, women are engaging in all scales of business. This especially includes women from rural and disadvantaged groups.
A report was published by the National Association of Software and Services Companies. It showed that 18% of start-ups in India are led by at least one woman founder or co-founder. Explore our list highlighting the achievements of the most successful women in business, showcasing their impact on India’s entrepreneurial landscape.Here is a list of the most successful women in business.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
She is the Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon India. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is recognized as the first self-made woman billionaire in India. She is a true inspiration to many. She did not let skepticism and discrimination stop her from achieving great heights.
She has been awarded Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree for her excellent work. She was also honored with the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020. She had to face many obstacles including financial difficulties, gender discrimination, and a lack of resources. Yet she did not give up on her dreams.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra
She is the CEO of HCL Technologies. Roshni Malhotra is the first woman to head a publicly traded IT company in India. She is counted among the most influential women entrepreneurs in India. She is ranked 54th on the Forbes 100 Most Powerful Influential Women list in 2019.
She was also awarded The World’s Most Innovative People Award in 2015 and gained unmatched popularity for her excellent leadership skills during Covid-19. Her lesser-known interests include yoga and classical music. She also served as a trustee in a non-profit engineering college and wildlife conservationist.
Falguni Nayar
The mere fact that she quit her job to start a business venture from scratch shows how courageous Falguni Nayar is. She is recognized as the Founder and CEO of Nykaa. Falguni Nayar represents the perfect blend of commitment and faith.
She was busy with her job and family. Yet she decided to make her dreams a priority. Today Nykaa is the most preferred brand when it comes to makeup and cosmetics.
Due to her sheer perseverance and determination, she was named the EY Entrepreneur of the Year for 2021. She truly is an answer to those who feel age is a restriction to pursuing dreams.
Most Successful Women in Sports
Many preconceived notions and stereotypes exist around women and sports. However, like all the other domains, women are breaking these prejudices and excelling in sports. Read about some famous women in sports.
PV Sindhu
This badminton player is regarded as one of India’s most accomplished athletes. She is the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the Olympics. She has been honored with Padma Bhushan and Padma Shree. She was also ranked seventh in Forbes’ list of highest-paid female athletes in 2018.
She displayed an absolute sense of determination, consistency, hard work, and perseverance to achieve such heights. She is a role model for anyone who thinks it is difficult to establish a career in sports.
Mithali Raj
Mithali Raj is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket. She is recognized as one of the world’s best female cricket players. She is the only female cricket cricketer who surpassed the 7,000 run mark in women’s one-day international matches. She has bagged many awards including Padma Shree, Vogue Sportsperson of the Year at Vogue’s 10th Anniversary in 2017, Arjuna Award, Khel Ratna, etc.
A biopic named ‘Shabash Mithu’ was also made based on her life in 2017.
Mary Kom
Nicknamed ‘Magnificient Mary’, this boxing player has managed to achieve the impossible, despite the hardships in her life. Even after marriage and family responsibilities, she chose not to compromise on her dreams.
She created history by becoming the first woman to achieve 6 World Championships at the 10th AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi, India.
She belonged to a humble background where no one could imagine a woman making a career in boxing. Her determination, dedication, and passion made her one of the most successful women on a global platform.
A biopic titled ‘Mary Kom’ was made in Bollywood based on her life.
Most Successful Women in Entertainment
Entertainment is one domain where males and females are employed alike. However, discrimination comes in the form of casting couch, pay scale, and lead roles. Despite these difficulties, the entertainment sector has been able to produce some of the most influential women in India.
Priyanka Chopra
This Indian actor, who has now become an international sensation, is famous for following her dreams against all odds. Starting her career as a model, she won the Miss India World Pageant as early as high school. Today, she is a singer, a philanthropist, and one of India’s highest-paid actresses.
Her journey was full of ups and downs. In her biography ‘Priyanka Chopra: The Dark Horse’, she has given a detailed account of how she had to undergo surgery and how she faced discrimination due to her skin tone.
For her hard work and unmatchable achievements, Forbes listed her among the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, Padma Shree, and five Film fare Awards. Her qualities of being ambitious and headstrong make her one of the most inspirational women in India.
Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut has single-handedly reconstructed the image of an Indian actress. She is known for being bold and genuine and for revealing the not-so-glamorous side of Bollywood.
She never fails to break problematic societal norms and speak on issues of women’s empowerment and even religion.
Her strong opinions and work in the film industry have bought her many awards including the Filmfare Awards, National Awards, and IIFA Awards. She continues to inspire many young actresses to take a stand for themselves.
Lata Mangeshkar
Known as The Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar was one of the most accomplished singers in India. From a very young age, Lata worked in her father’s musical plays and dramas.
She gave her voice to more than 50,000 songs in 14 different Indian languages. However, she had a very difficult start majorly due to a lack of financial resources. As the eldest child she was left with the responsibility of her family at 13 years of age after her father died.
She often struggled to get opportunities to playback due to her Maharashtrain accent. Her breakthrough came with the song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo’ in 1963 which left the then Prime Minister in tears.
Each time a Woman Stands Up for Herself, She Stands Up for All Women
The above quote by Maya Angelou precisely captures the importance of women being vocal about their goals and the kind of impact it has on society. It creates a sense of immense inspiration and gives confidence to others. Hence, the stories of these successful women must reach those who need them.
India has witnessed the rise of women in various spheres, be it business, technology, politics, sports, or entertainment. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate the lives of these leading women of India, as they have managed to create an impact in society despite hardships and setbacks.
Each of the women mentioned in the article has some important life lessons to offer. These women continue to inspire and encourage people to chase their dreams regardless of the shackles created by society.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Most successful women in India include notable figures like Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon. These women have achieved significant success in the world of business and have made a substantial impact in India and beyond.
Numerous inspiring women in India have made remarkable contributions in their fields. Some notable names include Mother Teresa, who dedicated her life to helping the underprivileged, and Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born female astronaut. Each of these women has left a lasting impact and serves as an inspiration to many.
One of the most widely recognized and iconic figures is Priyanka Chopra, an actress, singer, and former Miss World. She has achieved international recognition through her work in Bollywood and Hollywood, becoming a global icon and serving as a representative of Indian talent on the world stage.
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