WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: A 2026 National Academy of Sciences, India, Young Scientist Award winner, Akanksha’s work on plant-microbe interactions opens up new avenues in sustainable agriculture
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Entering a profession long dominated by men, Aiswarya has mastered the controls of the Vande Bharat and emerged as one of India’s standout young loco pilots
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Suhasini transformed Yoga Bar from a single energy bar into one of India’s leading health food brands
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Fourteen years in uniform have seen Merin Joseph combine firm policing with compassion—from peacefully resolving labour unrest to pursuing justice in the most challenging criminal cases
A worthy ensemble of 50 young, self-made female icons whose achievements can serve as a template for women across India and a beacon of hope for the nation
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Ameera transformed Metropolis from a single laboratory in Mumbai into India’s second-largest diagnostics chain, and champions women entrepreneurs
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: From the time she took over in 2017, Radhika led Edelweiss from strength to strength, its assets under management touching over Rs 1.80 lakh crore as of Mar. 31, from around Rs 6,000 crore as of Mar. 31, 2017
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: A trailblazer in retail who transformed lingerie into fashion, Kar is one of India’s most successful female entrepreneurs and a mentor to newbies
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Upasana is one of India’s earliest women fintech entrepreneurs who helped build the country’s digital payments ecosystem
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Masaba launched her own label, House of Masaba, in 2009, at age 19. In 2022 came her beauty and wellness brand, Lovechild by Masaba. This year, she was India’s only representative on the international panel at the RLC Fashion Summit in Milan
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: In a market dominated by global companies, Vineeta changed how beauty products are designed and sold to Indian consumers
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: A mother to a young child then, Vaniitha quit corporate life in 2010 to plunge into entrepreneurship, becoming India’s first woman to own and build an alcoholic beverage distillery in the process
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: With no prior experience in real estate, Meghna co-founded a flexible workspaces company that now manages 10 million square feet of office space across India and which she took public in 2025
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Starting Le15 Patisserie at the age of 23, Dhingra, also a pastry chef and food influencer with over 6.6 million followers on Instagram, is credited with introducing French macarons to India, making them her retail chain’s signature product
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Supreme Court-appointed amicus curiae in the long-running M.C. Mehta air pollution case, Shibani Ghosh has shaped India’s environmental jurisprudence through litigation, scholarship and policy research
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Neeru has empowered village girls through hockey and ensured women are heard in the panchayat
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Over 16 years in the IAS, Hari Chandana has transformed everyday civic challenges into enduring public solutions, most recently spearheading Telangana's minimum wage reform benefiting 9.2 million workers
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: From being part of India’s first batch of women fighter pilots to becoming the first woman to complete IAF’s elite Fighter Combat Leader course, Bhawana Kanth has several historic firsts to her name
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Rejecting cookiecutter aesthetics, Shimona has built a thriving interior design practice that has brought her top awards, including the WADE prize for women in 2024 and a GeeVees award in 2025
WHAT MAKES HER A SHERO: Dolly turned her village’s gram kachahari into an effective grassroots justice system, helping resolve nearly 700 disputes over land claims, widows’ inheritance rights and family feuds
