W-Power 2021
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Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson & CEO, Salesforce India
Image Credit: Neha Mithbawkar for Forbes India
After
leading
the State Bank of India through its digital transformation, Bhattacharya has reinvented
herself
as she leads the charge for Salesforce in India.
Mantra - You cannot be cut
off
from customers, suppliers, dealers or employees.
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Matilda Kullu, ASHA worker
Earning only Rs 4,500 a month, Kullu has devoted her life to looking after 964 people in
the
Baragaon tehsil of Odisha's Sundargarh district. She's their Covid-19 warrior on the
ground.
Mantra - I feel proud of the work I do because I save people's
lives.
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Ashwini Asokan, Founder & CEO, Mad Street Den
Image Credit: Balaji Gangadharan for Forbes India
She
has led
Mad Street Den's multi-fold growth to change India's artificial intelligence landscape.
The
investor in her is empowering other women entrepreneurs.
Mantra - Women
entrepreneurs need more funding, support, and changes to keep them in the
workforce.
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Avani Lekhara, Para-shooter
Image Credit: Mayur Tekchandani for Forbes India
A
gold in
10m air rifle standing event and a bronze in 50m rifle 3 positions event at Tokyo 2020
makes her
the only Indian woman to win multiple Paralympic medals.
Mantra - Sometimes
things
look impossible; it doesn't mean the future won't be happier and brighter.
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Bhavina Patel, Para-athlete
Image Credit: Mayur D Bhat for Forbes India
This
para-athlete
surpassed numerous odds to clinch a historic silver in table tennis at the 2020 Tokyo
Paralympic
Games, and is now gearing up for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in
2022.
Mantra - Tough times don't last forever, so never give up.
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Disha Ravi, Climate activist
Image Credit: Nishant Ratnakar for Forbes India
She
is
leading Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement in India, and wants to work on
climate
education, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ community rights.
Mantra - To
mitigate the
impact of climate change, India needs to put climate action at the heart of all its
policies.
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Hardika Shah, Founder & CEO, Kinara Capital
Image Credit: Selvaprakash Lakshmanan for Forbes
India
Under
her leadership, Kinara Capital has secured incremental income generation of Rs 700 crore
for
small business entrepreneurs, and has created or sustained more than 250,000
jobs.
Mantra - Gotta get through the night because tomorrow is another day
to
fight.
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Dr Jayanthi Shastri, Professor & head, microbiology department, BYL Nair hospital; and director, molecular diagnostics lab, Kasturba Hospital
Image Credit: Neha Mithbawkar for Forbes India
She
has been
at the forefront of Covid-19 testing, research, and genome sequencing, with an aim to
improve
early diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Mantra - To make critical facilities
accessible to the poorest of people, give them hope and bring a smile on their
faces.
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Laina Emmanuel and Rimjhim Agrawal, CEO and CTO, BrainSightAI
Image Credit: Hemant Mishra for Forbes India
Their
deep tech
startup's neuro-informatics platform powered by AI can help neurosurgeons and
psychiatrists
create something like a Google Map of the brain.
Mantra - We turned
entrepreneurs
because we wanted greater impact from our work.
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Lizzie Chapman, CEO and co-founder, ZestMoney
Image Credit: Neha Mithbawkar for Forbes India
She
has been
in fintech before it was a rage. Pioneer of the Buy Now Pay Later model, which is just
gaining
momentum here, she has cracked the Indian market.
Mantra - If the ecosystem
understands your product, ethics and values, they don't care about your gender or
colour.
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Neha Satak, Co-founder and CEO, Astrome
Image Credit: Hemant Mishra for Forbes India
A
self-proclaimed innovator at heart, she develops creative high-bandwidth technologies to
bring
high-speed internet to the masses, including those in rural areas, at affordable
costs.
Mantra - We want to deliver affordable internet services to the
world.
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Pratima Joshi, Architect; founder and executive director, Shelter Associates
Image Credit: Nayan Shah for Forbes India
Her
distinct
alpha-numerical digital addresses aka 'plus codes' for slum dwellers can help inclusive
growth
by providing easy access to clean water, sanitation, and more.
Mantra - My
dream
is to try and give the most vulnerable in our cities a better quality of life.
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Dr Priya Abraham, Director, National Institute of Virology
Image Credit: Anirudha Karmakar for Forbes India
Her
team
handled India's first Covid-19 case; isolated and characterised the SARS-CoV-2 virus;
collaborated with pharma companies to conduct studies and clinical trials of Covid-19
vaccines.
Mantra - Virology is spectacular, and helps us find cures to
diseases
like cancer.
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Captain, Indian women's hockey team
Image Credit: Madhu Kapparath
She led the team that
secured
4th place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It was a historic moment for India and a golden
addition
to the legacy of Indian hockey. Rani Rampal is a household name now.
Mantra
- You
can't just say you want to win. You have to work hard for it.
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Rasika Dugal, Actor
Image Credit: Meetesh Taneja
The Mirzapur star
is a
shining product of FTII. By playing striking roles in indie movies like Kshay and
Chutney, she has indicated that she's an acting powerhouse.
Mantra -
Our
job is to be vulnerable, and the people we are working with have to respect that
vulnerability.
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Rema Rajeshwari, IPS Officer
Image Credit: Vikas Chandra Pureti for Forbes
India
With
anti-misinformation campaigns through storytelling and cultural performances, IPS officer
Rema
Rajeshwari is effectively tackling fake news in India's low-literacy
regions.
Mantra
- The crusade [against misinformation] will go on.
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Sanya Malhotra, Actor
Image Credit: Mexy Xavier
From performing in front of
a
mirror in her room to becoming a recognisable actor in Hindi cinema, Sanya Malhotra has
ticked
many boxes along the way.
Mantra - Being present is what works. I have
stopped
planning and simply go with the flow.
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Soumya Rajan, Founder & CEO, Waterfield Advisors
Image Credit: Nayan Shah for Forbes India
Rajan
always
intended to set up a business that offered a full suite of services for wealthy families
and
individuals. In its 10th year, Waterfield now manages assets worth $4.3
billion.
Mantra - Want to help women, who often come into wealth very late,
with
advice.
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Vineeta Singh, Co-founder & CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics
Image Credit: Mexy Xavier
Starting in 2015, she
developed an
omnichannel presence for SUGAR. It boasts of 2,500-plus outlets, Rs 750 crore valuation,
Rs 105
crore revenue in FY20.
Mantra - If you want to do something world-class, it
takes
consistently putting in the work, and being patient about the results.
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