Forbes has unveiled its 21st annual list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, a ranking of influential figures from industries such as business, entertainment, politics, philanthropy and policymaking. Among these global changemakers are three Indian women who have made remarkable strides in their respective fields.
Here’s a closer look at their profiles and achievements.
Nirmala Sitharaman (#28)
The number 28 on the list is Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. In May 2019, Ms Sitharaman became the first woman to hold these roles full-time. She was reappointed after the general elections in June 2024. Tasked with managing India’s nearly $4 trillion economy — the fifth largest globally — Sitharaman projects that the nation’s GDP will soon surpass Japan and Germany, positioning India as the third-largest economy by 2027. An advocate for women’s financial empowerment, she has championed initiatives supporting entrepreneurship, access to credit and financial literacy among women. Before entering politics, Ms Sitharaman held positions at the Agricultural Engineers Association in the UK and BBC World Service. She also served as a member of India’s National Commission for Women.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra (#81)
Ranked 81st on the list, Roshni Nadar Malhotra is the Chairperson of HCL Technologies, one of India’s leading IT services firms, and CEO of HCL Corporation. She oversees strategic decisions for the $12 billion enterprise founded by her father, Shiv Nadar, in 1976. Apart from her corporate achievements, Ms Malhotra is a trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, focusing on transformative education and establishing some of India’s premier institutions. She also founded The Habitats Trust, an initiative dedicated to conserving natural habitats and indigenous species. She has a background in journalism and holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (#82)
Ranked 82nd in Forbes’ Power Women list and 91st among India’s richest individuals in 2024, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has earned her place as a trailblazer in biotechnology. She is the founder and chairperson of Biocon, a biopharmaceutical company she established in 1978. Over the years, Biocon has expanded into international markets, including the US, and operates one of Asia’s largest insulin manufacturing facilities in Malaysia. Mazumdar-Shaw’s accomplishments include Biocon Biologics’ acquisition of Viatris’ biosimilars business for $3.3 billion in 2022 and the IPO of Biocon-backed Bicara Therapeutics, which raised $362 million on Nasdaq in September 2024. Despite her initial aspiration to become a doctor, Ms Mazumdar-Shaw pursued a different path and emerged as one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs. In 2019, she and her late husband, John Shaw, donated $7.5 million to the University of Glasgow to advance cancer research. Her company is also collaborating on antibody therapy for coronavirus variants.
