Shanti Ekambaram of Kotak Mahindra Bank leads list of top women professionals in India
The 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List features 97 women leaders across nine categories.
Candere and Hurun India on Wednesday unveiled the inaugural edition of the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List.
The list recognises 97 outstanding women making a significant impact across key sectors of the Indian economy. It features women leaders in nine categories: professionals, first-generation wealth creators, next-generation leaders, investors, philanthropists, young women leaders, artists, most-followed influencer founders, and most-followed celebrity investors.
This list is part of a broader effort to highlight women shaping India’s future through excellence in leadership, innovation, and social impact, said a press statement.
The top-ranked/notable women leaders across multiple categories include:
Professionals - Shanti Ekambaram, Kotak Mahindra Bank
First-generation women wealth creators - Radha Vembu, Zoho Corporation
Next-generation women - Roshni Nadar Malhotra, HCL Technologies
Investors - Shweta Jalan, Advent International
Philanthropists - Rohini Nilekani, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies
Young Women Leaders - Devanshi Kejriwal, Skillmatics
Women Artists - Arpita Singh
Most Followed Influencer Founders - Mrunal Panchal, Mrucha Beauty
Most followed Celebrity Investors - Shraddha Kapoor, MyGlamm, Shunya, Koo, ChargeUp
Here is a look at the top achievers in some of the categories.
Top professionals
Shanti Ekambaram, Deputy Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, valued at Rs 3.82 lakh crore, is at the forefront of driving digital banking innovation and expanding financial inclusion.
Close behind is Parminder Chopra, Chairperson and Managing Director of Power Finance Corporation (PFC), which is valued at Rs 1.44 lakh crore.
Vibha Padalkar, Managing Director and CEO of HDFC Life Insurance, valued at Rs 1.37 lakh crore, has propelled the company to a prominent position in the life insurance sector.
Shaping the future of India’s beverage industry, Hina Nagarajan, Managing Director and CEO of United Spirits (Diageo India), who oversees a Rs 1.06 lakh crore enterprise.
Bringing innovation in banking, A Manimekhalai, Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India, leads an Rs 85,300 crore company.
The commitment to clean energy takes centre stage with Shveta Arya, Managing Director of Cummins India, an enterprise worth Rs 81,600 crore.
Prabha Narasimhan, the Managing Director and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India, valued at Rs 73,700 crore, is driving the expansion of premium products and market growth.
Swati Dalal, the Managing Director of Abbott India, is leading healthcare accessibility with a company valued at Rs 58,800 crore. Eranti Sumithasri, the Chairperson of Schaeffler India, heads a Rs 50,700 crore enterprise. Vishakha Mulye, the CEO of Aditya Birla Capital, valued at Rs 46,400 crore, has played a key role in the company’s growth and success in the financial services industry.
Top 10 first-generation women wealth creators
Leading in technology, Radha Vembu, Co-founder of Zoho, tops the list with a wealth of Rs 55,300 crore.
Jayshree V Ullal follows closely with Rs 48,900 crore, shaping the future of cloud networking as the CEO of Arista Networks. Ranked third is Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and family, with a wealth of Rs 32,000 crore, has revolutionised global healthcare with Biocon.
Ranked fourth is Falguni Nayar and family. Nayar is the co-founder, chairperson, and CEO of Nykaa, which has a wealth of Rs 29,000 crore and has reshaped India’s beauty and retail landscape.
Ranked fifth, Neha Narkhede and family. The co-founder of Confluent oversees a total wealth of Rs 6,800 crore. Kavitha Subramanian, Co-founder of Upstox, boasts a wealth of Rs 6,500 crore and oversees the company's growth, strategy, finance, and customer experience.
Neha Bansal, the Co-founder of Lenskart, has played a pivotal role in disrupting India’s eyewear market, holding Rs 5,100 crore in wealth. Indra K Nooyi, the former CEO of Pepsico, remains a key figure with a total wealth of Rs 4,800 crore.
Juhi Chawla and family, the co-owner of Knight Riders Sports (KKR), has successfully transitioned from Bollywood to sports entrepreneurship, securing Rs 4,600 crore in wealth. At 80 years old, Meena Sethi continues to lead the textiles and apparel sector with Orient Fashion Exports.
Top 10 next-generation women leaders
Ranked first, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, the Chairperson of HCL Technologies, aged 43, leads the company, valued at Rs 4.87 lakh crore. Followed by Priya Agarwal Hebbar, 35, who serves as the Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc, valued at INR 1.97 lakh crore.
Ranked third, Nisaba Godrej, the Executive Chairperson of Godrej Consumer Products, 46, has modernised the company, valued at Rs 1.19 lakh crore, by expanding sustainable product lines and digitising operations.
Second-generation leaders, including Preetha Reddy, Shobana Kamineni, Suneeta Reddy, and Sangita Reddy, are from Apollo Hospitals Enterprise, a company valued at Rs 97,600 crore.
Vinita Gupta, the CEO of Lupin, aged 56, has strengthened Lupin, valued at Rs 97,300 crore. Rishma Kaur, 52, the Chairperson of Berger Paints India, valued at Rs 54,600 crore, continues to drive the company towards achieving its long-term objectives.
Meher Pudumjee, 58, the Chairperson of Thermax, valued at Rs 47,300 crore, is a leader in industrial and renewable energy solutions. Farah Malik Bhanji, 48, serves as the Managing Director of Metro Brands, valued at Rs 32,800 crore, through nationwide expansion and digital transformation.
Nandini Piramal, 44, serves as the Chairperson of Piramal Pharma, valued at Rs 32,100 crore, overseeing the company’s strategic direction and performance. Tanya Dubash, 56, serves as the Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer of Godrej Industries, valued at Rs 31,300 crore.
Top 10 women philanthropists
Rohini Nilekani has contributed Rs 154 crore, focusing on policy reform, civic engagement, and systemic change to drive lasting institutional impact. Susmita Bagchi, Co-founder of Mindtree, ranks second among women philanthropists, with an impressive donation of Rs 90 crore.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Founder and Chairperson of Biocon, ranks third, with donations of Rs 85 crore, primarily supporting science, research, and education.
Anu Aga and family ranked fourth, with a total donation of Rs 48 crore.
Leena Gandhi Tewari, the Chairperson of USV, donated Rs 25 crore towards education, healthcare, and social development. Sara George Muthoot from Muthoot Finance has contributed Rs 18 crore. Manju D Gupta and family of Lupin donated Rs 12 crore towards rural development, focusing on infrastructure, livelihoods, healthcare, and disaster relief.
Archana Chandra donated Rs 11 crore through the A.T.E. Chandra Foundation. Radha Vembu, the Co-founder of Zoho, donated Rs 11 crore towards women's empowerment, rural development, and education.
Shabana Faizal, the Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings, ranks tenth among women with a donation of Rs 10 crore.
Sanjay Raghuraman, Managing Director of Candere, said, "At Candere, we celebrate the spirit of today’s woman—self-made, driven, and defining success on her own terms. This initiative honours those who lead with resilience, creativity, and impact. It’s a celebration of substance, style, and strength."
Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder and Chief Researcher of Hurun India, said, “Indian women are no longer waiting to lead—they are driving India’s economic, social, and cultural renaissance. With 15 million women-led enterprises and transformative contributions across wealth, value, start-ups, culture, and philanthropy, the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List shines a spotlight on the extraordinary force women represent in India’s inclusive growth story.”
(Feature image credit: Shanti Ekambaram from Kotak Mahindra Bank website.)
Edited by Kanishk Singh