India has seen a rise in the number of women entrepreneur in recent years. They are making a significant contribution to the country’s economy. The Indian government has launched several schemes and initiatives to promote and support women entrepreneurs, such as the Annapurna Scheme, the Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme, and the Trade-Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development (TREAD) Scheme. Here are some women entrepreneurs in India:
1. Falguni Nayar: Nykaa
Falguni Nayar is an one of the Indian woman entrepreneur. She is the founder of Nykaa, an e-commerce platform that specializes in beauty and wellness products. She was born on June 27, 1963, in Mumbai, India. Graduated from Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics with a degree in commerce. She then earned an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.
Nayar began her career as a management trainee at the consulting firm A.F. Ferguson & Co. She later worked at the investment banking firm Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, where she rose to the position of Managing Director. In 2012, Nayar founded Nykaa, which has since become one of the most successful e-commerce platforms in India.
Nykaa started as an online retailer of beauty and wellness products, but has since expanded to include its own line of cosmetics, as well as a chain of brick-and-mortar stores across India. In 2020, Nykaa was valued at over $1.2 billion and raised $13.6 million in funding from investors including Steadview Capital and TPG Growth.
Nayar has been recognized for her contributions to the business world. She was named one of Fortune India’s Most Powerful Women in Business in 2019 and 2020. She has also been recognized by Forbes Asia as one of the region’s most powerful women entrepreneurs.
2. Vineeta Singh: Sugar Cosmetics
Vineeta Singh is an Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics. A makeup brand that she launched in 2015 with co-founder Kaushik Mukherjee. She was born in Kanpur, India and graduated with a degree in economics from Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi.
After graduation, Singh worked in marketing and brand management roles for companies like ITC and the global cosmetics brand L’Oréal, where she gained experience in the cosmetics industry. In 2015, she co-founded Sugar Cosmetics with the aim of creating high-quality and affordable makeup products for Indian consumers.
Sugar Cosmetics has since become one of the most popular makeup brands in India. That is known for its bold colors, innovative products, and cruelty-free and vegan formulations. The brand has expanded to include a wide range of makeup products including lipsticks, eyeliners, mascaras, and foundations. This is available both online and in brick-and-mortar stores across India.
3. Aditi Gupta: Menstrupedia
Aditi Gupta is an Indian social entrepreneur and the co-founder of Menstrupedia. An online platform and comic book that provides education about menstruation to young girls in India. She was born on December 22, 1988, in Garhwa, Jharkhand, India. She studied engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka.
Gupta became interested in menstrual health and hygiene after experiencing shame and stigma around menstruation in her own life. Along with her husband Tuhin Paul, she founded Menstrupedia in 2012 to provide accurate and accessible information about menstruation to young girls in India. Where menstruation is often considered a taboo subject.
Menstrupedia’s comic book, which is available in both English and Hindi, uses simple language and illustrations to explain the menstrual cycle, menstrual hygiene, and other related topics. The organization also offers workshops and training sessions for educators, parents, and healthcare professionals.
Through Menstrupedia, Gupta has been recognized as a leader in menstrual health and hygiene education. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the Women Deliver Social Entrepreneurship Challenge in 2013, the Indiafrica Young Visionary Fellowship in 2014, and the Ashoka Fellowship in 2015. In 2016, she was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in the social entrepreneurs category.
4. Vandana Luthra: VLCC Health Care Ltd
Vandana Luthra is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of VLCC Health Care Ltd, a leading wellness and beauty services company headquartered in India. She was born on July 14, 1959, in New Delhi, India, and studied sociology at Delhi University.
Luthra founded VLCC in 1989 with the goal of promoting wellness and healthy living through natural and holistic approaches. The company offers a wide range of services including weight management, beauty treatments, and skin and hair care. VLCC has since expanded to become a global brand, with operations in over 20 countries.
Under Luthra’s leadership, VLCC has received numerous awards and accolades for its contributions to the wellness and beauty industry. In 2016, she was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, for her contributions to the fields of trade and industry.
Luthra is also a vocal advocate for women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. She serves as the Chairperson of the Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council, a government initiative to improve vocational training in the beauty and wellness industry. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for the All India Management Association and the Indian School of Business.
In addition to her business ventures, Luthra is involved in various philanthropic initiatives. She founded the Vandana Luthra Foundation, which supports education and healthcare programs for underprivileged children and women in India.
5. Suchi Mukherjee: Limeroad
Suchi Mukherjee is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of LimeRoad, an online fashion marketplace based in India. She was born on November 24, 1973, in India. She studied economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Mukherjee founded LimeRoad in 2012 with the aim of creating an online platform for women to discover and purchase affordable fashion products from small and medium-sized businesses across India. The platform offers a wide range of products including clothing, accessories, and home decor.
Under Mukherjee’s leadership, LimeRoad has become one of the fastest-growing e-commerce companies in India. The company has raised significant funding from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Tiger Global Management, and Matrix Partners. It has expanded its operations to include over 20,000 sellers across India.
Mukherjee has received numerous accolades for her work in the fashion and e-commerce industries. In 2016, she was named to Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 list. She was also recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year at the Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence in 2018. Mukherjee is also a vocal advocate for women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. She has spoken on the topic at various events and forums, and recognized as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India
6. Radhika Ghai: ShopClues
Radhika Ghai is an Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder and Chief Business Officer of the online marketplace, ShopClues. She was born on July 5, 1980, in India and studied engineering at the University of Minnesota.
Ghai co-founded ShopClues in 2011 with the aim of creating a platform for small and medium-sized businesses in India to sell their products online. The marketplace offers a wide range of products including electronics, fashion, home and kitchen, and sports and fitness.
Under Ghai’s leadership, ShopClues has become one of the leading e-commerce companies in India. The company has raised significant funding from investors including Tiger Global Management, Nexus Venture Partners, and GIC, and has expanded its operations to include over 8 million products from over 7 lakh merchants across India.
Ghai has been recognized as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India. In 2018, she was named to Fortune India’s 40 Under 40 list. She was recognized as the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women Asia Pacific class of 2018.
7. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw: Biocon India
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is an Indian entrepreneur and the founder of Biocon India, a biopharmaceutical company based in India. She was born on March 23, 1953, in Bangalore, India, and studied biology and zoology at Bangalore University.
Mazumdar-Shaw founded Biocon India in 1978 with the aim of developing affordable and accessible healthcare solutions. The company focuses on research, development, and manufacturing of biosimilars, novel biologics, and small molecules for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.
Under her leadership, Biocon has become one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies in India, with operations in over 120 countries. The company has received numerous awards and accolades for its contributions to the healthcare industry, including the prestigious Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards from the Indian government.
Mazumdar-Shaw is also a vocal advocate for women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. She is involved in various philanthropic initiatives, including the Biocon Foundation, which focuses on healthcare, education, and community development programs in India. She has also been recognized as one of the world’s most powerful women by Forbes magazine and has been named to TIME magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the world.
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8. Ghazal Alagh: Mamaearth
Ghazal Alagh is an Indian entrepreneur and the co-founder of Mamaeart. A startup that creates and sells natural and toxin-free baby care and personal care products. She was born and raised in India and completed her undergraduate studies in business management from the Singapore Management University.
Alagh co-founded Mamaearth in 2016 with her husband Varun Alagh, with the aim of providing natural, organic, and toxin-free products . The company offers a wide range of products, including baby shampoo, moisturizer, sunscreen, and more.
Under Alagh’s leadership, Mamaearth has become one of the fastest-growing startups in India, with products available in over 5000 stores across India and abroad. The company has also raised significant funding from investors, including Sequoia Capital India and Fireside Ventures.
Alagh has been recognized as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India. In 2020, she was named to Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 list. She was also recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year at the Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence.
Alagh is also a vocal advocate for sustainable and eco-friendly practices in the beauty industry. Mamaearth products are made with natural and organic ingredients and are packaged in recyclable materials.
9. Vani Kola: Kalaari Capital
Vani Kola is an Indian entrepreneur and venture capitalist, and the founder of Kalaari Capital. A venture capital firm based in Bangalore, India. She was born on November 2, 1958, in Andhra Pradesh, India, and studied engineering at Osmania University in Hyderabad.
Kola founded Kalaari Capital in 2006 with the aim of investing in early-stage startups in India. The firm has since invested in numerous successful startups, including Myntra, Urban Ladder, and CureFit, among others. Kalaari Capital focuses on investing in technology-based startups in India, with a particular focus on e-commerce, healthcare, and education.
Under Kola’s leadership, Kalaari Capital has become one of the leading venture capital firms in India, with a portfolio of over 70 companies. She is also a mentor and advisor to many startups, helping them to scale and grow their businesses.
Kola is a vocal advocate for women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment. She has been recognized as one of the top women entrepreneurs in India. She has been named to Forbes India’s list of most powerful women in business. Kola is also involved in various philanthropic initiatives, including the Kalaari Capital Foundation, which focuses on education and healthcare initiatives in India.
10. Ritu Kumar, the Fashion Designer
Ritu Kumar is an Indian fashion designer known for her work in reviving traditional Indian textiles and crafts. She was born on November 11, 1944, in Amritsar, India. She completed her education in art history from Lady Irwin College in Delhi.
Kumar began her career in fashion in the 1960s, at a time when the Indian fashion industry was still in its infancy. She started with a small boutique in Kolkata, where she sold hand-block printed textiles and garments. Over time, she began to incorporate traditional Indian textiles and crafts into her designs, and her work soon gained recognition for its unique blend of traditional and modern elements.
Today, Ritu Kumar is one of the most respected fashion designers in India, with a presence in over 35 stores across India and abroad. She has also received numerous awards for her contributions to the fashion industry, including the Padma Shri.
Kumar is a vocal advocate for preserving and promoting India’s rich textile heritage. She has worked with numerous artisans and craftspeople across India to revive traditional techniques and promote sustainable and ethical fashion practices. She is involved in various philanthropic initiatives, including the Ritu Kumar Foundation, which focuses on promoting education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability in India.
