Ankita Ahluwalia is a seasoned banking professional with over 24 years of experience across leading institutions, driving excellence in digitization, client onboarding, and service innovation. She combines strategic insight, multilingual fluency, and Buddhist values with a deep commitment to both career and motherhood.
In an insightful interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Ankita talks about mentorship for igniting women’s leadership growth. She shares her insights on designing impactful mentoring relationships that empower women, strategies to overcome self-doubt, fostering transformative growth, and guiding future women mentors in creating safe, honest spaces for leadership development.
To know more about how effective mentorship can transform women’s leadership journey, read Ankita Ahluwalia’s interview below.
In your experience, how have you designed mentoring relationships that empower women to overcome self-doubt and take bold career steps?
I’ve always believed that mentorship is about creating a safe space not to fix or direct, but to listen, reflect, and gently guide. Many women carry silent self-doubt, often mistaking it for humility. In mentoring conversations, we slow down, pause, and untangle those doubts together.
I’ve found that when women are encouraged to lead with both head and heart, something powerful emerges clarity. Every step, even the quiet ones, counts. There is no such thing as a small learning.
As a mentor, I continue to learn every single day. I keep my mind open, absorb what’s necessary, and observe what I must—because growth is always mutual.
Can you share a powerful mentoring moment when you saw a woman leader transform her mindset or capabilities? What strategies helped ignite that change?
I remember mentoring a woman who was capable, yet hesitant to apply for a leadership role because she felt she didn’t meet every criterion. We sat down and walked through all she had already achieved—what she had built, led, and overcome. When she heard her own words aloud, there was a visible shift in her confidence.
Sometimes, people just need someone to reflect their worth back to them.
I’ve learned that transformation rarely comes from big gestures—it’s in the quiet realisation of “I am enough.” That moment stayed with me because I didn’t just witness her change; I changed a little too.
What common barriers exist among women leaders during mentoring, and how do you tailor your approach to break through these challenges?
One common barrier is the internalised pressure to be perfect. I’ve met many women who hesitate to speak up unless they’re absolutely certain or worry about how they’ll be perceived. In those moments, I don’t rush into solutions. I listen. We explore what’s holding them back and unlearn outdated beliefs together. No reflection is too small to honour.
I tailor my approach by staying curious and grounded, not assuming I know everything. And honestly, I grow through these interactions too. Every mentee brings new insight. Mentorship, for me, is never about hierarchy—it’s about shared growth and a willingness to evolve.
In your journey mentoring women, how have you helped them develop resilience to handle setbacks and leverage failures as growth opportunities?
Setbacks are part of every meaningful journey. I’ve sat with women through career disappointments, difficult transitions, and moments of deep self-doubt. My first step is always to acknowledge the pain—without rushing to reframe it.
Sometimes, we just need someone to say, “It’s okay to not be okay right now.”
With time and space, we start looking at what the experience is teaching, not just what it took away.
I often share my own failures too—because strength doesn’t come from never falling, but from rising again with grace and insight. Even a crack lets the light in. And in those cracks, we grow.
How do you balance providing guidance while encouraging independence in the women you mentor?
I see mentoring as walking alongside, not in front. I share my experiences honestly, but I’m mindful not to offer them as templates. I ask questions that help them tune into their own voice. Some women lead with bold conviction, others with calm clarity—both are equally impactful.
I encourage them to try, reflect, and trust their own pace.
Authentic leadership comes from within, not imitation.
I always tell them: absorb what resonates, observe what feels true, and discard what doesn’t. It’s a process. And watching someone step into their own version of leadership is one of the most fulfilling parts of this journey.
LAST WORD: Advice For Women Leaders on Mentorship
Mentorship doesn’t have to be formal, and it certainly doesn’t have to follow a hierarchy. A mentor can be anyone you lean on, learn from, and grow with. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors—some in expected roles, others in quiet moments of conversation. I hold deep gratitude for each of them. To those stepping into the mentor role: lead with empathy, not ego. You don’t need to have all the answers. What matters more is being present, curious, and consistent. Create spaces where women feel safe being raw, honest, and imperfect. And always remember: observe deeply, absorb meaningfully, and never stop learning because every mentorship is a two-way gift.
