Role Models of Woman Entrepreneurs
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Profiles of successful Women Entrepreneurs
1. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (born 23 March 1953) is an Indian entrepreneur.She is the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company based in Bangalore (Bengaluru), India and the current chairperson of IIM-Bangalore. She is on the Financial Times’ top 50 women in business list. As of 2015, she is listed as the 85th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
2. Vidya Chhabria
Vidya Chhabria was thrust into the spotlight after the 2002 death of her husband, Indian business tycoon Manu Chhabria. She became chairman of Jumbo Group, whose flagship company, Jumbo Electronics, is one of the largest distributors of consumer electronics, IT and telecom in the Middle East. It has partnerships with companies like Sony, IBM and Microsoft
3. Priya Paul
Priya Paul (born 1967) is a prominent woman entrepreneur of India, and currently the Chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels The Park Hotels chain of boutique hotels. She joined the company after finishing her studies at the Wellesley College (US) working under her father, as Marketing Manager at The Park New Delhi, at the age of 21.
After the death of Surrendra Paul, she succeeded him in 1990 as the Chairperson of the Hospitality Division of the Apeejay Surendra Group.
Her contributions to industry and commerce, particularly in the field of hospitality, have been repeatedly recognized and she has received several awards and citations, including the following:
- The Federation of Hotels and Restaurants Association of India conferred on her Young Entrepreneur of the Year award (1999–2000),
- She was nominated for The Economic Times Awards as the Businessperson of the Year (2002–2003), and
- Tatler magazine rated The Park Bangalore, a part of her Group, as one of the 101 Best Hotels Worldwide in 2003.
- Paul has been conferred with Padam Shriaward by Government of India on eve of the Republic Day, January 2012
4. Swati Piramal
Swati Piramal is one of India’s leading scientists and industrialists, and is involved in healthcare, focusing on public health and innovation. Her contributions in innovations in new medicines and public health services have touched thousands of lives. She is the Vice Chairperson of Piramal Enterprises Ltd (formerly known as Piramal Healthcare), a leading drug discovery company which aims to bring affordable medicines to reduce the burden of disease globally.Born on 28 March 1956, Piramal earned her medical degree, an M.B.B.S from Mumbai University in 1980. She is an alumnus of the Harvard School of Public Health where she received her Master’s degree in 1992.
Awards and Honours
2004–05 – BMA Management Woman Achiever of the Year Award
2007 – Rajiv Gandhi Award for Outstanding Woman Achiever by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
2012 – One of India’s high civilian honours, the Padma Shri award, by the President of India, Ms. Pratibha Patil
2014 – Received the Kelvinator Stree Shakti Award
5. Lalita D. Gupte
Lalita Gupte, Joint Managing Director of ICICI Bank (India’s second largest commercial bank), until 31 October 2006, is an important figure in India’s banking and financial services sector. An INSEAD alumnus, Gupte was listed by the Fortune “as one of the fifty most powerful women in international business.” She is currently the Chairperson on the Board of ICICI Venture and a board member of Nokia Corporation.On 22 June 2010 she was appointed as member of Alstom’s Board of directors.
Her contributions have been widely recognized, and the awards conferred on her include the following:
- The twenty First Century for Banking Finance and Banking award (1997) by Ladies Wing of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber
- The Women Achievers Award (2001) from the Women graduates’ Association.
- Women of the Year Award (2002) by the International Women’s’ Association.
6. Ekta Kapoor
Ekta Kapoor is an Indian TV and film producer. She is the Joint Managing Director and Creative Director of Balaji Telefilms, her production company.
Awards and Honours
- 2012 Asia’s Social Empowerment Award-Freedom Through Education
7. Shehnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain is the CEO of Shahnaz Herbals Inc. She is a prominent Indian female entrepreneur, who is best known for her herbal cosmetics, particularly care products. In 2006 she was awarded the, Padam Shreea civilian award by the Government of India in 2006,and in 1996 Success Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur” award.
8. Ritu Kumar
Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer. Kumar began her fashion business in Kolkata, using two small tables and hand-block printing techniques. Beginning with bridal wear and evening clothes in the 1960s and 70s, she eventually moved into the international market in the subsequent two decades. As well as shops in India, Kumar’s company has also opened branches in Paris, London and New York. The London branch closed after three years, in 1999. Her company’s annual turnover at the time was the highest of any Indian fashion outlet, estimated at around ₹10 billion. In 2002 she launched the “Label” line in partnership with her son Amrish. In 2013 she was given the Padma Shri award by the Government of India. In addition, she was recently featured in the Creating Emerging Markets project at the Harvard Business School, which includes interviews with long-time leaders of firms and NGOs in Latin America, South Asia, Turkey and Africa.
