The Week that Was: Women Leaders Rise; Accelerator Support & More

By: WE staff | Saturday, 28 March 2026

The Week that Was: Women Leaders Rise; Accelerator Support & More

India’s growth is witnessing a significant shift, with women making a significant impact in areas like entrepreneurship, leadership, sports, and social movements. From global movements calling for support for women entrepreneurs to leadership roles and their presence on corporate boards, it is all part of a larger ecosystem of inclusion and value creation.

At the same time, focused efforts, industry initiatives, and research findings are only adding strength to this movement, whether it is promoting women in sports, recognizing grassroots leaders, or measuring leadership diversity.

The Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine presents this week’s key stories, capturing all this and more, as women continue to make India a more inclusive and progressive nation.

Women Leadership Surges in India: AIMA & KPMG Study

According to the latest Women Leadership in Corporate India Report 2026 by All India Management Association and KPMG, there has been a massive improvement in gender diversity, with 44% of organisations stating more than 30% of women in leadership, as compared to 35 years ago, and those with more than 50% increased by 12 to 20. The report, revealed by Smriti Zubi Erani, highlights difficulties in the pipeline of leadership and demands multi-sector, inclusive efforts. Shikha Kamboj noted declining satisfaction in leadership development, stressing stronger support systems. T. V. Narendra emphasized data-driven tracking, with flexibility and structured frameworks identified as key to sustaining women’s leadership growth in corporate India.

Smriti Irani Supports Diaspora Investment in Women-Led Businesses

Smriti Irani has called on the global Indian diaspora to invest in small-scale businesses, which have been instrumental in innovation, economic development, and inclusive development. In her speech at Indiaspora Forum 2026, she noted that small traders have difficulties with access to capital and emphasized the importance of addressing innovators. She also highlighted on the entrepreneurship of women by SPARK initiative which is to empower one lakh women-led businesses in 300 cities in partnership with other organizations such as the British Council which emphasizes on skill training and access to global markets. Irani reported that there is a multiplier impact of the financial independence of women as a significant portion of their income is used in education, health, and general family and social welfare.

Maria M Named CFO & WTD at Schneider Electric President Systems

Maria Myloth has been appointed Chief Financial Officer and Whole-Time Director at Schneider Electric President Systems Limited, marking a key milestone in her 20+ year career in finance and business transformation. She will lead financial strategy, governance, and growth initiatives in India, while strengthening the company’s presence in energy technology and digital innovation. With over 13 years at Schneider Electric, she has held senior roles including Director–Finance Business Partner, collaborating with global technology teams on investments and transformation. She has also led FP&A across regions, enhanced governance frameworks, and served as Finance Controller for its India R&D centre. Earlier, she worked at EXL Services and SOUKYA Holistic Health Centre, building expertise in audit, compliance, and financial control.

GIFT City Launches Women in Fintech Accelerator Program

GIFT City has launched the Women in Fintech Accelerator Programme under the GIFT International Fintech Innovation Hub (GIFT IFIH) to boost participation of women-led startups in India’s IFSC ecosystem. The initiative has been created with the purpose of enhancing business capabilities, access to institutional funding, and fostering growth. The initiative includes a one-week in-person immersion at GIFT City and then virtual engagements with investors according to the startup's stage. There are also mentoring opportunities for the participants. Sanjay Kaul emphasized the initiative for creating an inclusive and innovation-led financial ecosystem. During the last year, GIFT IFIH has supported 37 fintech startups, including those in digital banking and RegTech.

Desi Dhaakad Awards Honour Grassroots Women Leaders in India

The inaugural Desi Dhaakad Social Impact Awards 2025–26 (DDSIA) was held at the NSE Atrium, BKC, Mumbai, celebrating grassroots women leaders across India. Hosted by Etherwire.AI in association with RB Foundation and co-hosted by NSE Social Stock Exchange, the event honored 20 women across 11 categories, with support from major organizations. Rajyashree Birla received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Diana Edulji was honored with the Lifetime Legend in Sports. Kanchan Puri and Rouble Nagi were also recognized. Key sessions featured Harish Ahuja and Mukund Rajan, alongside the launch of Shakti Credits 2047 by Sarita Bahl and Rajiv Indimath. The event concluded with “Navdurgas™ - Song of Shakti” by Nityarupam.