Affirmative Action Strengthening Women's Representation in Directorshi

By: Rachita Sharma, Managing Editor | Monday, 22 December 2025

Representation is crucial, especially in the corporate. Not only does is it ethically the right thing to do, but also makes great business sense. This has prompted various countries to actively work towards enforcing policy change and mandate companies to onboard female board-members.

Despite the proactive measures, women’s representation remains rather low. The good news is that, some steps in the right direction have been made. Enacted in 2013 in India, the Companies Act says that listed companies must have on its board at least one woman serving as an independent director.

This move has prompted a positive shift in women’s representation in company boards. From six percent representation in 2014, the number jumped to 18 percent in 2022. Women’s representation is independent directorship roles is higher than over all director roles. Data from primeinfobase.com showcases that women make up 24.7% of all independent directors as compared to 19.7 percent of overall directorship roles.

Celebrating this move in the right direction, we highlight some of India’s most renowned women independent directors.

In this edition meet Anou Singhvi, a visionary leader whose career seamlessly bridges heritage luxury, creative design, and corporate governance. A ninth-generation jeweller, she carries forward her family’s 300-year-old legacy, managing the renowned luxury brand P.C. Lunia, celebrated for bejewelled textiles, gemstone-studded chandeliers, and fine silver sculptures. Trained in Applied Arts at the University of Rajasthan and Interior Design at Parsons School of Design, New York, Anou blends formal design thinking with a deep appreciation for classical artistry.

We also feature an interaction with Rashmi Urdhwareshe, a distinguished technocrat and leader in India’s automotive industry with over four decades of experience in R&D, safety, and sustainable mobility. An electronics engineer with a master’s in Electronics & Telecommunication, she began her career at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in 1983, rising to become its Director in 2014.

Read more about these women leaders and the secrets to their professional success.

Your thoughts are welcome.