The Week That Was: Pooja Singh securing Gold, Shanti Ekambaram tops 2025 Candere Hurun list & More

By: WE Staff | Sunday, 8 June 2025

In the recent decade, the rise of women in the corporate world has been witnessed, indicating that they are moving in the right direction. India's women's empowerment movement is a dynamic one, driven by policy reforms, societal changes, and an increase in female entrepreneurs, political leaders, and activists. Breaking years of stereotypes, Indian women are proving they are excellent homemakers and businesswomen.

From corporate to politics, women can be seen everywhere, reclaiming their value by becoming decision-makers, with Pooja Singh securing gold in the women's high jump at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, NTPC Limited, launched its flagship corporate social responsibility program, the Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM) Summer Workshop 2025, Shanti Ekambaram tops 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders list of Women Professionals, Pratima Dhond to become First Woman President of GCCI in 117 Years, and more.

Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine has covered some similar stories this week, in which Indian women have showcased their pliability and power.

Pooja Singh Clinches Gold in Women's High Jump at 2025 Asian Athletics Championships; India's 1st Gold in 25 Years

Pooja Singh, an 18-year-old champion from Bosti village in Haryana, won gold in the women's high jump at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, marking India's first gold in 25 years. Despite financial hardships and torn shoes, Pooja outperformed seasoned competitors from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Her victory has been celebrated as a turning point for Indian athletics and a beacon of hope for grassroots sports.

Top Govt Officials Launch Support Progs for Women in Relief Centers in Manipur's Churachandpur Dist

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka visited two significant relief centers in Churachandpur district on Monday, June 2, as part of a high-level evaluation of relief measures for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Manipur's violence-affected areas.

Prashant Kumar Singh, the chief secretary of Manipur, Rajeev Singh, the director general of police, and other high-ranking representatives from the federal and state governments joined them. In order to assess rehabilitation efforts, the delegation interacted with displaced people and carried out a thorough examination of ongoing relief operations.

NTPC Conducts Girl Empowerment Workshop 2025 Under 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' Scheme

The largest integrated power company in India, NTPC Limited, has launched its flagship corporate social responsibility program, the Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM) Summer Workshop 2025, at 41 locations nationwide in support of the government's Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative.

This year's program will expand on its previous achievements by providing residential workshops to more than 2,600 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds who reside close to NTPC's power plants. About 10 percent of these girls will have enrolled in NTPC-run schools by the end of the workshop, and NTPC will cover all of their higher secondary education costs.

Shanti Ekambaram tops 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List of Women Professionals

Shanti Ekambaram, Deputy Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, has been named the top woman professional in the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, leading a company valued at Rs 3.82 lakh crore and advancing digital banking and financial inclusion.

Shanti is one of the longest-serving executives at Kotak Mahindra Bank, and recently announced her retirement plan on October 31, 2025. Joined the Kotak Group in 1991, she is among the few women currently holding top executive roles in the Indian banking sector. She has been instrumental in building the group from a financial services company into a top-class private sector bank. She is a seasoned executive with expertise in investment banking, capital markets, corporate banking, treasury, and consumer banking, and was promoted to Deputy MD in 2024.

Pratima Dhond to Become First Woman President of GCCI in 117 Years

In the 117-year history of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Pratima Dhond is poised to become the first female leader. Her appointment was recently confirmed by the chamber, which also announced that she will officially succeed current president Srinivas Dempo of the Dempo Group as president on July 1, 2025.

Pratima is a respected banker and successful entrepreneur who is well-known for her capable leadership and wealth of business acumen. Her appointment is being hailed as a turning point for the GCCI and the larger Goan business community, demonstrating the increasing presence of women in leadership roles in historically male-dominated fields.

Maharashtra Reserves 51% of New Forest Jobs for Women Under New Directive

Maharashtra has taken a decisive step toward workforce gender equity, with Forest Minister Ganesh Naik declaring that 51% of all future hires in the forest department will be allocated to women, setting a precedent for inclusive hiring practices in public sector governance.

At the launch of ‘Van Shakti 2025’, a national conference held in Chandrapur to spotlight the contributions of women in forest governance, Naik unveiled a landmark recruitment directive aimed at institutional gender inclusion.