Women Leaders Powering Diversity In The Business World

By: Rachita Sharma, Managing Editor | Monday, 12 August 2024

According to a recent study by LinkedIn and The Quantum Hub, more women are indeed joining the workforce in India, contributing to a rise in overall representation.

India's female workforce representation has grown from 23.9 per cent in 2016 to 26.8 per cent in 2024, but leadership gaps persist, with women in senior leadership roles increasing from 16.6 per cent to 18.7 per cent in 2023, however, slightly declining to 18.3 per cent in 2024.

Women in India continue to face barriers in reaching top leadership roles. right from systemic challenges to gender bias at work and unequal division of household responsibilities etc are some of the key reasons that deter women from rising up the corporate ladder.

This makes existing women leaders all the more noteworthy. They face a host of unique challenges that their male counterparts are not burdened with. In such a scenario, every woman leader’s journey is worth celebrating.

The current edition of Women Entrepreneurs Review features such women leaders and their stories of success.

On the cover we have Kirthana Ramarapu, Founder & Director, Kinderdance India. Kirthana is pioneering educational dance programs for children. With a passion for holistic development, she empowers young minds through creative learning. Her innovative approach has transformed dance into a powerful tool for academics and personality enhancement.

Raji Vishwanathan, Group General Counsel, Centrum Group is another noteworthy woman leader featured in the magazine’s current edition. Raji holds a BSc in Microbiology, Diploma in Business Management and a Master's in Constitutional and International Law. At Birla Precision Technologies, Raji is an Independent Director on the Board, Chairperson of the Audit Committee and member of the NRC and Stakeholder Relationship Committee. She is a Whole-time Director on the Board of Centrum Finverse Limited.

We also shine the spotlight on Manasi Mulasi, Head of Marketing at cFIRST. An IIM-A alumnus with a Masters in Journalism, she is an expert in customer engagement, and brand building with 15 years of diverse experience under her kitty. With a philosophy of continuous improvement, Manasi believes in setting incremental goals, ensuring both professional success and personal growth.

In this magazine edition, also read about Kamalini Paul, Managing Director, De Sovrani. A young entrepreneur with around a decade long experience in the Hospitality and Real estate sector, Kamalini Paul, as the Managing Director of Kolkata-based hotel De Sovrani, has been instrumental in helping the loss-making venture become one of the leading hotels in Kolkata. An inspiring leader as well as a strong advocate of women empowerment, she has done her undergraduate from Lancaster University in Business & Marketing.

These women leaders are testament to the persistent spirit of women across the globe. Not only are they succeeding in their respective fields of work but are also helping foster an inclusive business world.

Do let us know your thoughts.