25 LEADING WOMEN

They're the 25 power women of the country, the physical manifestation of will, power, grace, dedication, hard work and extraordinary brilliance. With each step they take, whether it's business, politics, arts, films, banking, hospitality or sports, they keep raising the bar and breaking untouched barriers. These are the women who have made India shine on a global platform. NAINA LAL KIDWAI, 52 GROUP CHAIRMAN & COUNTRY HEAD HSBC INDIA She took HSBC India to startling new heights even during the recession. The company reported an increase in profit by over 40 percent at the beginning of last year. Under her leadership they launched a Life Insurance Joint Venture company in India, in association with Canada Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce that reported a premium income close to Rs.300 crore. Under her guidance, they have taken corporate sustainability to the next level that has won her and the bank accolades for their contribution to the environment.

TANYA DUBASH, 41 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT (MARKETING) GODREJ GROUP After taking over a key position in the company, she has changed the way people look at Godrej as a. brand She has given the company a fresh, youthful makeover whether it's through reality television or product-based incentives. She introduced the concept of experience marketing with Godrej Nature's Basket, a world food store with seven major companies, Godrej's turnover crosses Rs.1,100 crore.

CHANDA KOCHHAR, 47 CEO& MD, ICICI BANK

She heads India's largest private banks with an asset base of Rs.3.8 lakh crores. She is ranked number 20 on the Forbes list of the 100 most powerful women in the world. In a year fraught with financial upheaval post recession, her bank emerged stronger on all parameters recording an operating profit of 22 per cent minus treasury income. Because this is just the beginning, as she says, "2009 made us emerge stronger but 2010 is the year of growth opportunity."

PREETHA REDDY, 52 MANAGING DIRECTOR APOLLO HOSPITALS GROUP She has constantly innovated and revamped the Rs.1, 800 crore Apollo Hospitals Group. Through her efforts the Government of India honored the group with the release of a postage stamp for its role in India's health care sector. She belongs to a group of 10 business heads that form the Indo-US CEOs Forum this year. She is the first woman advisor on health care to the Indian government. She is also the director of Kalakshetra, the legendary dance school in Chennai. AKSHATA MURTY, 30 ENTREPRENEUR

She gave up a job in venture capital and decided to listen to her heart. She launched a contemporary clothing line with traditional Indian roots. She chose a path that no one in her family had. Her clothing line, made in consultation with design students, aims to give artisans of this country a platform in the West.

NIRUPAMA RAO, 59 FOREIGN SECRETARY She is the first woman full-term foreign secretary in India's history. She has brought in a new diplomatic style with her out-of-the-box thinking. She is known to be a tough negotiator and is handling the ongoing dialogue with Pakistan. She has served at key diplomatic assignments like China and Sri Lanka. She was also the first woman spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs. SHILPA GUPTA, 33 INSTALLATION ARTIST She has three solo shows lined up this year, the first of which is currently being showcased at The Contemporary Art Center in Cincinnati. Her work is already a part of art school books in the UK. She is one of the few Indian artists to have showcased her work at the Yvonne Lambert, France and Gallery Continua, Italy. She has been interviewed by veteran German artist and intellectual Peter Weibel.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA, 27 ACTOR This former Miss World made a clean sweep at the award ceremonies last year. She won the National Award, a first for a person in her 20s, after her brilliant performance in Fashion. She is on top of the Bollywood game with four back-to-back successes from Fashion, Dostana and Kaminey to whats your Rashee. She is being talked about, not for her link-ups with co-actors but her work, a welcome change in an industry obsessed with gossip. Every director worth his weight wants to work with her. Her forthcoming films include Siddharth Anand's Anjana Anjani, Vishal Bharathwaj untitled next and Farhan Akhtar's Don 2. She is also UNICEF's National Celebrity working for children's rights.

ROOPA KUDVA, 46 REGION HEAD, SOUTH ASIA, STANDARD & POORS MD & CEO, CRISIL She is the MD and CEO of India's first credit rating agency. Crisil's rating coverage has grown nearly eight times siren the financial meltdown in the US put rating firms under the scanner Kudva and her team promptly stepped up communication with the users of its ratings by sending out rating alerts to investors and general public even before a company was downgraded or upgraded. SWATI PIRAMAL, 53 DIRECTOR , PIRAMAL HEALTH CARE & PRESIDENT ASSOCHAM She has truly been able to break the glass ceiling after becoming the first woman to head an apex business chamber in India. Since her appointment, she has invited 100 women to chair all the national committees of ASSOCHAM this year. Because Primal Life Sciences, where she is vice chairperson, is gearing up to deliver the first drug developed by an Indian research company.

RAJSHREE PATHY, 53 CHAIRPERSON RAJSHREE SUGARS AND CHEMICALS She is Chairperson of Rajshree Sugars and Chemicals, a company with interests across integrated fields such as sugar, power cogeneration and biotechnology. In 2009, she completely reorganized Rajshree Sugars and inducted new top-class professionals, to move on to the next growth phase. The turnover of her company and its subsidiaries is expected to exceed Rs.600 crore in March 2010. Because she was elected the President of SISM (South India Sugar Mills) for the second term 2007-2009.

VINITA BALI, 53 MANAGING DIRECTOR BRITANNIAGROUP She took charge of a near rudderless firm and turned its fortunes around making its top line profit double in four years between 2005-09. Her company has been growing at 20 per cent annually. Its market share, in the Rs.6,000-crore biscuit market has stabilized around 35 per cent. Because money making is not the only thing she cares about. Britannia's work with Global Alliance for improved nutrition got her international acclaim at the Clinton Global Initiative.

AGATHA SANGMA, 29 UNION MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT At the age of 28, she became the youngest MP. She is the youngest minister in the current council of ministers. This former lawyer is the face of the youth in a country where politics is the domain of the old and the wise. Despite being the daughter of former Lok Sabah Speaker P.S. Sangma and sister to James and Conrad who are in Meghalaya state politics, she has managed to carve out her own identity. Earth Calling A Master's in environmental management from the University of Nottingham, she also dabbles in nature photography.
MALLIKA SRINIVASAN, 50 DIRECTOR TAFE

She rose above the stereotypes and made a mark in the macho tractor business. Her great delegation and communication skills worked very well during the downturn when TAFE grew despite the gloom in the environment. It is the first tractor company to be recognized for strong commitment to excel at the 15th Quality Summit conducted by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Bangalore. Power She is a serious votary of woman power and feels women's contribution to society has often been underestimated.

PRIYA PAUL, 43 CHAIRPERSON, APEEJAY SURRENDRA PARK HOTELS She has revamped the concept of a boutique hotel and given it a chic, edgy identity. Despite the downturn, the group has successfully expanded to include a 10-room land property and an eight-room boutique cruiser in Kerala and a hotel in Hyderabad. The group also opened Italia, a stand-alone restaurant in Delhi and launched its own spa brand, Aura. The turnover for 2009-2010 is expected to be around Rs.250 crore. She is also one of India's foremost art collectors with an eclectic taste that ranges from the traditional to the contemporary. She is also the founding member of the World Travel and Tourism Council-India Initiative and chairperson of South Asia Women's Fund. LOVELEEN TANDAN, 36 FILM DIRECTOR She brought home the Oscars as casting director and codirector of the eight-time Oscar winning Slum dog Millionaire, directed by Danny Boyle. She belongs to that category of young women directors who defy convention and bravely venture into new frontiers. The slum dog moment, The infamous potty scene. It was actually dollops of peanut butter chocolate sauce that we had used to soak little Jamal. He would keep licking it off", she says. Passion turns career From Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair and The Namesake to Steven Spielberg's Terminal and Sarah Gavron's Brick Lane, it has been a long and fulfilling road. PADMASREE WARRIOR, 48 CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER CISCO SYSTEMS INC Her company's revenue for 2009 was Rs.1,65,000 crore. Under her leadership, Cisco took huge strides in the realm of cloud computing, virtualization, connected life and TelePresence and the new and emerging opportunities they present. Recently, the United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce recognized her with its prestigious Excellence Award. Creative Energy She is an artist at heart. She has channeled her creative energies through her favorite mediums of clay and acrylics. She finds dance fun and creative.

NAMRITA JHANGIANI, 55 PARTNER EGON ZEHNDER INTERNATIONAL She is a partner with Egan Zenger International which is the world's largest executive search firm. Because in 2009, despite the recession, Egan Zenger not only refrained from laying people off like other firms, in the domestic and international market, but also opened a new office in Bangalore and continued recruiting. She has worked extensively in recruitment for CEO board levels in the finance, pharmaceutical and BPO sectors. Their revenues are close to Rs.2,000 crores.
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BHAIRAVI JANI, 30 DIRECTOR SCA GROUP OF COMPANIES At 30 she is the Director of the SCA group of Companies which specializes in shipping, warehousing, logistics and many more. She is the Chairperson of CII's Young Indians. With her fresh ideas she ventured into unchartered territories. Despite the recession they launched Tran smart India Pvt. Ltd, the first modern warehousing company with state of the art technology, causing a big shift in the industry. There are projects with over Rs.1,000 crore investment in warehousing.
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DEVITA SARAF, 28 CEO VU TECHNOLOGIES Besides being CEO, Vu technologies, she is an executive committee member of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She is a part of Mensa, an international society of people whose IQ ranks in the top two per cent of the world's population. She is the founder and chairperson of the young Bombay forum of the Bombay chamber, part of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Art fetish She has taken classes in pottery, jewelry designing at the Indo American Institute where she received a diploma in it, graphic designing and Ikebana. NEELAM DHAWAN, 49

MANAGING DIRECTOR HEWLETTPACKARD, INDIA She is the Managing Director of Hewlett Packard, India. Despite the recession, HP remained at the number one spot in domestic companies as well as multinationals in India. She pioneered philanthropic drives where close to Rs.130 crore was pumped into the sectors of education, entrepreneurship development, environment and disaster relief.

CHITRA RAMAKRISHNA, 46 JOINT MANAGING DIRECTOR NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE She is the Joint Managing Director of the National Stock Exchange. She has been a part of the founding committee of NSE and has grown with the institution to hold such a senior position. Playing with her a key role in the decision making process, the network of NSE has strengthened with offices in 1,500 cities across the country. Honesty is her best policy She believes that the best road to success, personal and professional, is by being honest in whatever one does.

MEERA SHANKAR, 59 INDIA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES She is the only woman to be appointed Indian Ambassador to the United States, since Vijaylakshmi Pandit has been deputed to the job to give momentum to the transforming Indo-US ties under a new administration in Washington DC. She is the lady-in charge when it comes to negotiating the civil nuke deal, counter-terrorism cooperation and outsourcing with the US. Power Duo She and foreign secretary Nirupama Rae, two of the most powerful diplomats in India, are from the 1973 batch of IAS officers and served as part of the strong female diplomatic contingent under former Ambassador S.S. Ray, in Washington DC from 1991 to 1995.

ROHINI IYER, 28 OWNER RAINDROP MEDIA She runs one of the biggest brand and image management companies for celebrities. Her client list reads like a who's who, from Salmon Khan, Karina Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Saif Ali Khan, Nadiadwala Grandsons, Eros International, and Venus to Hari Om Productions. She handles everything from press meets to film screenings, outdoor shoots, brand endorsements and building their brand image. Tuning In Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head was the inspiration behind her company name.

MEHER PUDUMJEE, 43 CHAIRPERSON THERMAX LIMITED After completing her degree in chemical engineering from London, she decided to come back to India and start as a trainee in Thermos Limited, now aRs.3,000 crore company. Because under her, the company's global influence is increasing by technology partnerships and business alliances with German organizations and the recent visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Horst Koehler to the Thermos Limited's factory in Chinch wad, Pune. The love for music she is passionate about western classical music and is a part of The Chamber Singers, a pune-based western classical choir. They meet every Tuesday to practice and hold concerts once or twice a year in Mumbai and Pune. She loves family first, spending time with her husband, Pheroze and her two children. Her family is her biggest safety net, a source of unconditional love.