The Week That Was: Pres Murmu's Speech to Leadership Shuffles

By: WE Staff | Sunday, 15 February 2026

India in 2026 is witnessing women take charge like never before. This week, their impact is visible across multiple fields, from cutting-edge fintech innovation and groundbreaking corporate appointments to exceptional athletic achievements and significant workforce advancements. Women have become leaders, decision-makers, and change-makers who establish new ways for the nation to operate, function, and govern.

Women across various fields, including finance, technology, sports, and governance, are creating inclusive development while achieving record-breaking success and transforming corporate environments, and strengthening workforce participation across the country. Each story reflects ambition with purpose and innovation with inclusivity and leadership with impact, which together create a future that women will shape through their transformational abilities.

Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine highlights the week’s top stories of women driving innovation, winning on global stages, and shaping a future of opportunity, equality, and leadership across India.

Women, Inclusion Central to India's Fintech Future: Pres Murmu

At the Black Swan Summit 2026, Droupadi Murmu delivered a speech by stating that India should develop its fintech sector through three main objectives which include achieving wider financial access and establishing gender equality and protecting fundamental human rights. She highlighted that over 570 million Jan-Dhan accounts have been opened, with 56% held by women, which improves welfare benefits access to people who need them. The President requested that entrepreneurs create solutions which prioritize ethical standards and citizen-centric innovation, addressing risks like cyber fraud and misinformation, and promoted digital and financial literacy. She mentioned the India AI Mission which aims to implement responsible AI adoption. Mohan Charan Majhi said Odisha aims to become a fintech and digital services hub.

India U-17 Clinch SAFF U-19 Title with 4-0 Final Win

India’s U-17 women's football team achieved victory in the SAFF U-19 Women's Championship 2026 after they defeated Bangladesh with a score of 4-0 during the final match which took place in Pokhara Nepal. The Young Tigresses under the coaching of Pamela Conti who started her first coaching assignment won their match after they suffered a loss to Bangladesh during the group stage. Julan Nongmaithem, Elizabed Lakra, Pearl Fernandes and Anwita Raghuraman scored the goals in the match. The victory which serves as a confidence booster before the AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup in China from April 30 and highlights India’s growing women’s football talent pipeline.

ISRO Chief Highlights Women Leadership at US-India Space Forum

The US-India Space Business Forum in Bengaluru received an address from ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan who demonstrated how women's participation in space activities has grown. He stated that almost 80 percent of main-stage participants were women which showed how women have moved from traditional male-dominated roles to actual leadership positions in space business and international cooperation. Narayanan showed that greater female presence in society represents both social development and women's empowerment progress. The forum brought together government officials and industry representatives and private sector leaders to enhance US-India partnerships within the growing space business ecosystem.

TVS Motor Announces Madhu Srivastava as President, Group HR

Madhu Manral Srivastava has been appointed President and Group Head of Human Resources at TVS Motor Company, effective February 7, 2026. Her appointment supports TVS’s global expansion across Mobility, Financial Services, and Real Estate sectors. She worked as Global CHRO at Vedanta where she oversaw employee strategy development and led programs for acquisitions integration and leadership growth and cultural transformation. Madhu has also held senior HR roles at Citibank, Genpact, Reliance Infocom, GE Capital, and Godrej. TVS Chairman Sudarshan Venu highlighted her expertise will strengthen organizational focus, uphold company values, and drive growth amid competitive global markets.

Female Labour Participation Hits 34.9% as Unemployment Eases

The labor market in India has improved during the period from October to December in the year 2025. The female labor force participation rate increased during the period while total workforce participation experienced growth when compared to the previous quarter.

The overall labor force participation rate (LFPR) for ages 15 and above increased to 55.8% from 55.1%, with rural LFPR rising to 58.4%. Female LFPR reached 34.9% because rural women showed a higher participation rate of 39.4%. The workforce participation rate (WPR) achieved 53.1% because of rural population participation. The unemployment rate decreased to 4.0% in rural areas and 6.7% in urban areas. The number of people working in self-employment increased together with the growth of agricultural and tertiary sector jobs. The total number of employed people reached 57.4 crore which included 17.2 crore women.