Uma Reddy Becomes First Woman President of 108-Year-Old FKCCI

By: WE Staff | Monday, 29 September 2025

• Uma Reddy was elected the first female president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI).
• Uma is committed towards making MSMEs her first priority, to energizing start-up-industry linkages.

On September 27, 2025, Uma Reddy acquired the position of president at Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), becoming the first woman to take such a post in the 108 years history of the organisation.

In a statement, the chamber said, “Since its founding by Sir M Visvesvaraya in 1916, FKCCI has been traditionally led by men. This is a landmark achievement.”

FKCCI acknowledged that the Hitech Magnetics and Electronics Pvt Ltd Managing Director, Uma, has over 30 years of power electronic manufacturing twisted components experience, a sector severely under female workers. Besides, she is identified for her involvement in policy advocacy as a social innovator, particularly supporting MSMEs and women enterprises.

The chamber said that her vote is the “historic milestone” of the female business ecosystem in Karnataka, going from the business community to women leaders.

Besides 5,000 direct members and 200 trade and industry associations, FKCCI has an indirect membership of around two lakh, said that her leadership comes at a time when Karnataka accounts for 8–9 per cent of the Indian GDP and hosts more than 400 Fortune 500 companies.

Reddy is likely to focus on policy advocacy for MSMEs as his first priority. He is also expected to energise start-up and industry connections, raise the level of skilling in new sectors such as AI and robotics, lead the sustainability movement in agri-tech, and practice the use of advanced technologies for agriculture.

FKCCI stated, “Her leadership is not just symbolic but represents a progressive shift towards inclusivity in trade chambers, reflecting the evolving mindset of India’s business community.”