Outlook Business Desk
Hurun India and Candere released the first-ever 2025 Women Leaders List on Wednesday, celebrating 97 exceptional and powerful Indian women driving change in business, art, philanthropy, startups and more.
Shanti Ekambaram, Deputy Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, topped the 2025 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List in the professionals category. She has played a pivotal role in the bank’s growth, which is currently valued at ₹3.82 lakh crore.
Radha Vembu, co-founder of Zoho, leads the first-generation wealth creators list with a net worth of ₹55,300 crore. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairperson of HCL Technologies, tops the next-generation women leaders list, with HCL valued at ₹4.87 lakh crore.
Rohini Nilekani leads in philanthropy with contributions of ₹154 crore, focusing on policy reform and civic engagement. Meanwhile, 28-year-old Devanshi Kejriwal, Co-founder of Skillmatics, is revolutionizing early learning with eco-friendly, screen-free educational games for young children.
Masoom Minawala, a global fashion influencer with 1.3M followers, blends Indian-Western styles and partners with luxury brands. Rachana Ranade, a CA and financial educator, leads India’s top finance YouTube channel with 5M+ subscribers. Arpita Singh, former banker turned modernist painter, made ₹22.9 crore in sales. Young entrepreneur Mrunal Panchal co-founded Mrucha Beauty and is a notable honoree at 26.
Falguni Nayar, Co-founder and CEO of Nykaa, ranks 4th with ₹29,000 crore, revolutionizing India’s beauty retail. Neha Narkhede, Co-founder of Confluent, ranks 5th with ₹6,800 crore as a self-made tech leader driving data streaming innovation.
Shraddha Kapoor leads celebrity investors with 94.1 million Instagram followers, followed by Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt. These women have invested in popular brands like MyGlamm (Shraddha), Anomaly (Priyanka), Kay Beauty (Katrina), and Ed-a-Mamma (Alia).
Dolly Jain (₹25cr) reinvents saree draping with 2.1M followers. Neha Nagar (₹8cr) drives financial literacy for 1.9M fans. Richa Gangani (₹6cr) leads in personalised nutrition with 1.6M followers. Ishita Saluja (₹12cr) empowers 10,000+ women in style and confidence through her image consultancy.
Mumbai leads with 38 women leaders, followed by Delhi with 12 and Bengaluru with 10. Most professionals on the list come from the Financial Services and Consumer Goods sectors.