The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List features 117 honourees, up from 97 in 2025, marking a 21% year-on-year increase
| The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List features 117 honourees, up from 97 in 2025, marking a 21% year-on-year increase. | The list has widened its scope from nine categories in 2025 to twelve in 2026, capturing a broader spectrum of women’s leadership. |
| India’s best-known names share one list: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Falguni Nayar, Nisaba Godrej, Sudha Murty, Anita Dongre and Masaba Gupta, with P.V. Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu. | The women who shape India’s public conversation feature too: Faye D’Souza, Barkha Dutt, Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Twinkle Khanna, Namita Thapar, Kusha Kapila and Ananya Birla. |
| Together, the honourees represent a combined valuation of INR 39 lakh crore, surpassing Finland’s GDP. | The average honouree is 48 years old, with the list spanning seven decades, from 19 to 86. |
| At just 19, para-archer Sheetal Devi is the youngest woman featured on the list. | At 86, veteran entrepreneur Rajni Bector is the list’s oldest honouree. |
| Value creation contributes 19 honourees, followed by Wealth creation with 18 honourees, while Impact remains the most selective pillar with only 10. | With 20 honourees, Olympic and Paralympic Medallists is the single largest category on the list; 60% of the athletes are para-athletes. |
| Faye D’Souza (44), based in Mumbai, is the most-followed name in the Independent Journalists category, with more than 22 lakh Instagram followers. | Ananya Birla recorded the fastest growth at 277% year-on-year, while Shipra Khanna commands the largest Instagram following on the list with 6.29 million followers. |
| HCLTech chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44) tops the Wealth Multipliers category, with a net worth of INR 2,84,000 crore in the Hurun India Rich List 2025. | Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73) is the most-followed honouree on LinkedIn, with more than one million followers. |
| The University of Delhi leads in undergraduate representation with 22 alumni, followed by the University of Mumbai with 7. | Self-made women dominate the list: 98 honourees have built their own positions, outnumbering inheritors by more than five to one. |
| Mumbai retains its position as India’s leading hub for influential women for the second consecutive year, with 26 honourees. | The list features 33 individuals who relocated across state lines to advance their careers, as well as 2 who migrated internationally. |
| Scorpio remains the most common star sign, shared by 12 honourees. | Priya Nair (54), CEO and managing director of Hindustan Unilever, leads the Professional CEOs category, heading a company valued at INR 5,06,600 crore. |
| Apollo Hospitals’ Preetha Reddy (68) and Suneeta Reddy (67) jointly lead the Veterans category, backed by a group valuation exceeding INR 1,21,000 crore. | Vaishali Nigam Sinha (56), co-founder and chairperson – sustainability at ReNew Power, leads the New Economy category, with the company valued at INR 22,230 crore. |
| Rajni Bector (86), founder and chairperson emeritus of Bectors Food Specialities, tops the Heartland Founders category, with the company valued at INR 5,650 crore. | BIBA founder and chairperson Meena Bindra (83) leads the Indian Fashion & Lifestyle category, with annual revenue of INR 758 crore. |
| Tushara Shankar (46), head of corporate social responsibility at Lupin, ranks first among Social Change Makers on the sustainability score. | Para-shooter Avani Lekhara (24) leads the Olympic and Paralympic Medallists category with three medals. |
New Delhi, India | 30 July 2026: Candere by Kalyan Jewellers and Hurun India today unveiled the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, recognising 117 outstanding women in the following 12 categories:
This list is part of a broader effort to highlight women who are shaping India’s future through excellence in leadership, innovation, and social impact.
Mr Sanjay Raghuraman, Managing Director, Candere, said, “When we partnered with Hurun India to launch the Candere-Hurun India Women Leaders List last year, our goal was to establish an annual recognition celebrating women whose leadership, achievements and influence shape India in meaningful ways. We are delighted to present this second edition, recognising another remarkable group of leaders whose contributions continue to set new benchmarks across diverse fields. Together with Hurun India, we hope this recognition continues to grow in stature – bringing impactful stories to the forefront and honouring exceptional women whose achievements shape India today, while creating an enduring record of leadership for generations to come.”
Anas Rahman Junaid, Founder and Chief Researcher, Hurun India, said, “What defines this year’s list is not just its size, but its reach. Across 117 honourees and 12 categories, the 2026 edition spans seven decades of achievement, from 19-year-old para-archer Sheetal Devi to 86-year-old entrepreneur Rajni Bector and stretches well beyond the boardroom to include Olympic and Paralympic medallists, authors, independent journalists, and social change makers. Of these women, 98 are self-made, outnumbering inheritors by more than five to one, a ratio that tells us leadership in India is increasingly earned rather than handed down.”
“That breadth is the point. For too long, lists like this one have measured women’s success through a narrow lens: corporate valuation, family legacy, a handful of familiar cities. This year, we deliberately widened that lens, because influence in India today is just as likely to be built on a shooting range or in a newsroom as in a company headquarters. When a para-shooter with three medals and a chief executive running a company valued at over INR 5 lakh crore appear on the same list, we’re no longer asking women to fit one definition of leadership; we’re recognising the many forms it genuinely takes.”
“For Candere and Hurun India, this is a direction, not a destination. As India’s economy and society continue to diversify, our focus going forward is to keep reaching further into the quieter fields, emerging regions, and overlooked forms of achievement where the next generation of women leaders is already at work, waiting to be recognised.”, concluded Anas Rahman Junaid.
The Top Spot: India’s Leading Woman in Every Category
The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List identifies the top-ranked woman or pair of women (where a category has joint leaders) across 12 distinct categories, spanning business, finance, sport, literature, and media. This table details these leaders using category-specific metrics, including corporate valuations, revenues, athletic medals, and digital growth tracking, with the largest concentration residing in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Table 1: Top-Ranked Women Leaders Across Categories in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Top-Ranked Woman (Age) | Category | Company / Entity | Ranking Criteria | City of Residence |
| 1 | Meena Bindra (83) | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle | BIBA | Revenue (INR Cr): 758 | New Delhi |
| 2 | Tushara Shankar (46) | Social Change Makers | Lupin | Sustainability Score: 50.3 | Pune |
| 3 | Rajni Bector (86) | Heartland Founders | Bectors Food Specialities | Company Valuation (INR Cr): 5,650 | Ludhiana |
| 4 | Vaishali Nigam Sinha (56) | New Economy | ReNew Power | Company Valuation (INR Cr): 22,230 | Gurugram |
| 5 | Suneeta Reddy (67) & Preetha Reddy (68) | Veterans | Apollo Hospitals Enterprise | Company Valuation (INR Cr): 1,21,770 | Chennai |
| 6 | Avani Lekhara (24) | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists | – | Total Medals: 3 | Jaipur |
| 7 | Sudha Murty (75) | Authors | – | Readership Impact Score (in ‘000): 417 | Bengaluru |
| 8 | Ananya Birla (32) | Social Media Influencers | – | Instagram Follower Growth (1 yr): 276.8% | Mumbai |
| 9 | Faye D’Souza (44) | Independent Journalists | – | Total Instagram Followers (in ‘000): 2,238 | Mumbai |
| 10 | Kanika Gupta Shori (41) | Startup Founders | Square Yards | Valuation Growth: 3.33x | New Delhi |
| 11 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44) | Wealth Multipliers | HCLTech | Net-Worth Growth (2024 to 2025): New Entrant (2025)* | New Delhi |
| 12 | Priya Nair (54) | Professional CEOs | Hindustan Unilever | Company Valuation (INR Cr): 5,06,600 | Mumbai |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, *New Entrant in 2025 Hurun India Rich List
Youth in Focus: Youngest Leader in Each Category
The table lists the youngest woman leader selected within each of the 12 categories. The age distribution spans from 19-year-old Sheetal Devi in the Olympic and Paralympic Medallists category to 66-year-old Arshia A Lalljee in the Veterans category. Half of the listed individuals are in their 30s, while one is in her 20s, three are in their 40s, one is a teenager, and one is in her 60s.
Table 2: Youngest Leaders Across Categories in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Name | Category | Age | Company |
| 1 | Sheetal Devi | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists | 19 | – |
| 2 | Noureen Aysha | Heartland Founders | 30 | FemiSafe |
| 3 | Parul Gulati | Social Media Influencers | 31 | – |
| 4 | Priyanka Sharma | Independent Journalists | 33 | – |
| 5 | Rithika Mohan | New Economy | 33 | Garuda Aerospace |
| 6 | Savi Sharma | Authors | 33 | – |
| 7 | Masaba Gupta | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle | 36 | House of Masaba |
| 8 | Shreya Mishra | Startup Founders | 37 | SolarSquare |
| 9 | Nishtha Gupta | Social Change Makers | 40 | Suzlon |
| 10 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra | Wealth Multipliers | 44 | HCLTech |
| 11 | Jasleen Kohli | Professional CEOs | 45 | Go Digit General Insurance |
| 12 | Arshia A Lalljee | Veterans | 66 | Sud-Chemie India |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Legacy in Focus: Oldest Leader in Each Category
At the other end of the spectrum, this table tracks the most senior leader in each of the 12 categories, compared with a full-list average age of 48 years. The age distribution among these veterans spans from 86-year-old entrepreneur Rajni Bector to 41-year-old Kanika Gupta Shori in the Startup Founders category. Four leaders are in their 80s, spanning the Heartland Founders, Indian Fashion & Lifestyle, Wealth Multipliers, and Veterans categories. Leaders in the remaining categories are aged between 41 and 78.
Table 3: Oldest Leaders Across Categories in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Oldest Leader | Category | Age | Company |
| 1 | Rajni Bector | Heartland Founders | 86 | Bectors Food Specialities |
| 2 | Meena Bindra | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle | 83 | BIBA |
| 3 | Manju D Gupta | Wealth Multipliers | 82 | Lupin |
| 4 | Bina Modi | Veterans | 81 | Godfrey Phillips India |
| 5 | Banu Mushtaq | Authors | 78 | – |
| 6 | Arundhati Bhattacharya | Professional CEOs | 70 | Salesforce India |
| 7 | Madhulika Sharma | Social Change Makers | 57 | ITC |
| 8 | Vaishali Nigam Sinha | New Economy | 56 | ReNew Power |
| 9 | Deepa Malik | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists | 55 | – |
| 10 | Barkha Dutt | Independent Journalists | 54 | Mojo Story |
| 11 | Rujuta Diwekar | Social Media Influencers | 52 | – |
| 12 | Kanika Gupta Shori | Startup Founders | 41 | Square Yards |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Regional Distribution: The Top 5 Leadership Hubs
The table shows the geographic distribution of the 117 individuals featured in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, highlighting the five most-represented cities. Mumbai retains the top position with 26 women, accounting for nearly 21% of the cohort. New Delhi records the largest increase, adding eight honourees to reach 21, followed by Bengaluru in third place with 16 honourees. Gurugram enters the top five for the first time with six women. Pune ranks fifth with five women after adding two individuals.
Table 4: Top 5 Most Represented Cities in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | City of Residence | No. of Women | Notable Entrants (Age) |
| 1- | Mumbai | 26 (-12) | Anita Dongre (62), Priya Nair (54), Faye D’Souza (44) |
| 2- | New Delhi | 21 (+8) | Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44), Barkha Dutt (54), Deepa Malik (55) |
| 3- | Bengaluru | 16 (+7) | Jasleen Kohli (45), Rithika Mohan (33), Anuja Chauhan (55) |
| 4* | Gurugram | 6* | Salila Pande (58), Ritu Kumar (81), Rashi Agarwal (55) |
| 5↓ | Pune | 5 (+2) | Namita Thapar (49), Kavita Kané (59), Tushara Shankar (46) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
↑ Rank increase Y-o-Y, ↓ Rank decrease Y-o-Y, – No Rank change Y-o-Y, * New to Top 5
Maharashtra retains the top position with 31 honourees and accounts for more than one-fourth of the list. Women leaders include Prabha Narasimhan (53), Masaba Gupta (36) and Kavita Kané (59). Delhi ranks second, recording the largest increase, adding eight women to reach a total of 21, while Karnataka rose by seven to 17 honourees. Haryana enters the top five with nine, and Tamil Nadu adds one to bring the total to six entrants.
Table 5: Top 5 Most Represented States in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | State of Residence | No. of Women | Notable Entrants (Age) |
| 1- | Maharashtra | 31 (-11) | Prabha Narasimhan (53), Masaba Gupta (36), Kavita Kané (59) |
| 2- | Delhi | 21 (+8) | Parminder Chopra (59), Pia Singh (55), Simran Sharma (26) |
| 3- | Karnataka | 17 (+7) | Lavanya Nalli (48), Chitra Gurnani Daga (43), Sudha Murty (75) |
| 4* | Haryana | 9* | Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (39), Saina Nehwal (36), Rashi Agarwal (55) |
| 5- | Tamil Nadu | 6 (+1) | Manisha Ramadass (21), Suneeta Reddy (67), Megha Asher (41) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
↑ Rank increase Y-o-Y, ↓ Rank decrease Y-o-Y, – No Rank change Y-o-Y, * New to Top 5
Zodiac Distribution: Top Star Signs Among the Leaders
The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List maps the top 10 zodiac signs represented among the leaders in the list. Scorpio leads with 12 women, followed by Pisces and Virgo with 11 each, collectively accounting for 37% of the entire cohort. Libra moves up to fourth position with nine women, and Aries and Gemini account for eight women each, followed by a three-way tie between Cancer, Capricorn, and Aquarius, each representing seven women. Leo completes the ranking with five women, indicating a relatively balanced distribution beyond the three leading signs.
Table 6: Top 10 Star Sign Representation Across the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Star Sign | No. of Women | Contribution |
| 1 – | Scorpio | 12 (-) | 13.0% |
| 2↑ | Pisces | 11 (+1) | 12.0% |
| 2 – | Virgo | 11 (-) | 12.0% |
| 4↑ | Libra | 9 (+2) | 9.8% |
| 5 – | Aries | 8 (+1) | 8.7% |
| 5* | Gemini | 8 (+4) | 8.7% |
| 7↓ | Cancer | 7 (-2) | 7.6% |
| 7* | Capricorn | 7 (+3) | 7.6% |
| 7↑ | Aquarius | 7 (+1) | 7.6% |
| 10↓ | Leo | 5(-) | 5.4% |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
↑ Rank increase Y-o-Y, ↓ Rank decrease Y-o-Y, – No Rank change Y-o-Y, * New to Top 10
Academic Profile: Alumni Distribution by University
The University of Delhi remains the most-represented undergraduate institution with 22 entrants, up 9 from 2025, including Shveta Arya (46) and Shivani Poddar (40). The University of Mumbai retains second place with 7 entrants, while the University of Madras moves up to third despite its count declining by two, down to a total of three. Six institutions enter the rankings in a tied fourth position with two entrants each: Bangalore University, Anna University, Panjab University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Rajasthan, and Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University. The University of Pennsylvania is the only international institution featured in this group.
Table 7: Top Undergraduate Universities by Alumnae Representation in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Undergraduate University | No. of Women | Notable Entrants (Age) |
| 1- | University of Delhi | 22 (+9) | Shveta Arya (46), Shivani Poddar (40) |
| 2- | University of Mumbai | 7 (-2) | Vishakha Mulye (57), Masaba Gupta (36) |
| 3↑ | University of Madras | 3 (-2) | Mallika Srinivasan (66), Preetha Reddy (68) |
| 4* | Bangalore University | 2* | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73), Simran Lal (55) |
| 4* | Anna University | 2* | Praveena Rai (53), Lavanya Nalli (48) |
| 4* | Panjab University | 2* | Tushara Shankar (46), Anita Lal (78) |
| 4* | University of Pennsylvania | 2* | Pia Singh (55), Nisaba Godrej (48) |
| 4* | University of Rajasthan | 2* | Mona Agarwal (39), Avani Lekhara (24) |
| 4* | Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University | 2* | Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (39), Deepa Malik (55) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
↑ Rank increase Y-o-Y, ↓ Rank decrease Y-o-Y, – No Rank change Y-o-Y, * New to Top 5
Harvard University is the most represented postgraduate institution with 9 entrants, including Nisaba Godrej (48) and Swati Piramal (70), followed by IIM Ahmedabad with 4 entrants, including Praveena Rai (53), Falguni Nayar (63), and Shveta Arya (46) and a four-way tie for third rank with 2 entrants each between Panjab University, University of Delhi, University of Oxford, and ISB.
Table 8: Top Postgraduate Universities by Alumnae Representation in 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Postgraduate University | No. of Women | Notable Entrants (Age) |
| 1- | Harvard University | 9 (+4) | Nisaba Godrej (48), Swati Piramal (70) |
| 2↑ | IIM Ahmedabad | 4 (+1) | Praveena Rai (53), Shveta Arya (46), Falguni Nayar (63) |
| 3* | Panjab University | 2* | Manu Bhaker (24), Anita Lal (78) |
| 3* | University of Delhi | 2* | Anjalli Ravi Kumar (45), Shivani Poddar (40) |
| 3* | University of Oxford | 2* | Tanaya Naredra (33), Ananya Birla (32) |
| 3* | ISB | 2* | Laina Emmanuel (41), Chitra Gurnani Daga (43) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
↑ Rank increase Y-o-Y, ↓ Rank decrease Y-o-Y, – No Rank change Y-o-Y, * New to Top 5
Leaders Featured in More Than One Category
Six women are featured across multiple categories within the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List. The cohort splits into two functional concentrations. The first group consists of three corporate leaders: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Biocon) and Leena Gandhi Tewari (USV), both listed under the Veterans and Wealth Multipliers categories, and Arundhati Bhattacharya (Salesforce India), who appears in the Veterans and Professional CEOs categories. The second group includes athlete Mary Kom, under the Olympic and Paralympic Medallists and Social Media Influencers categories; Palki Sharma Upadhyay, under the Independent Journalists and Social Media Influencers categories; and author Rujuta Diwekar, under the Authors and Social Media Influencers categories.
Table 9: Women Featured in Multiple Categories of the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Name | Company | Categories Featured In |
| 1 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | Biocon | Veterans, Wealth Multipliers |
| 2 | Leena Gandhi Tewari | USV | Veterans, Wealth Multipliers |
| 3 | Arundhati Bhattacharya | Salesforce India | Veterans, Professional CEOs |
| 4 | Mary Kom | – | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists, Social Media Influencers |
| 5 | Rujuta Diwekar | – | Authors, Social Media Influencers |
| 6 | Palki Sharma Upadhyay | – | Social Media Influencers, Independent Journalist |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Recognised Across the Hurun Universe
A total of 19 unique individuals from the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List are also featured across other Hurun India publications, accumulating 22 total cross-list appearances. The India Rich List has the largest overlap, with 13 entrants, followed by the Uth Series with 6, and the Philanthropy List with 3. Industry veterans Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73), Leena Gandhi Tewari (69), and Renu Munjal (71) appear on the Philanthropy List. Founders Kanika Gupta Shori (41), Prukalpa Sankar (36) and Shreya Mishra (37) are represented in the Uth Series, while Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44), Jayshree Ullal (65), and Mahima Datla (49) are represented in the Rich List.
Table 10: Cross-List Presence of the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List Honourees in Other Hurun Lists
| Sr. No. | Hurun Lists | No. of Entrants | Notable Entrants (Age) |
| 1 | India Rich List | 13 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44), Jayshree Ullal (65), Mahima Datla (49) |
| 2 | Uth Series | 6 | Kanika Gupta Shori (41), Prukalpa Sankar (36), Shreya Mishra (37) |
| 3 | Philanthropy List | 3 | Renu Munjal (71), Leena Gandhi Tewari (69), Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Distribution of Self-Made vs Leaders Who Inherited
The pie chart displays the categorisation of the 117 women featured in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, dividing the cohort into self-made and inherited classifications. Self-made leaders constitute the substantial majority of the list, at 84% (98 individuals). The remaining 16% of the distribution consists of leaders with inherited profiles, accounting for 19 individuals.
Chart 1: Distribution of Self-Made and Inherited Leaders in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Category Distribution Across Pillars
The table breaks down the distribution of the 117 individuals across the five primary pillars of the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List. The top three pillars, Culture, Startup and Wealth Creation, collectively account for 76% of the cohort. Culture is the most represented pillar with 42 leaders (36%), followed by Startups with 28 leaders (24%) and Value Creation with 19 leaders (16%). The Wealth Creation pillar contains 18 individuals (15%) distributed across the Wealth Multipliers and Veterans categories. The Impact pillar makes up the remaining 9% of the cohort, consisting of 10 leaders from the Social Change Makers category.
Table 11: Distribution of Leaders Across Hurun Pillars in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Hurun Pillar | No. of Women | % of Total | Categories |
| 1 | Culture | 42 | 36% | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle, Authors, Olympic and Paralympic Medallists |
| 2 | Startups | 28 | 24% | Heartland Founders, Startup Founders, New Economy |
| 3 | Value Creation | 19 | 16% | Independent Journalists, Professional CEOs |
| 4 | Wealth Creation | 18 | 15% | Wealth Multipliers, Veterans |
| 5 | Impact | 10 | 9% | Social Change Makers |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Migration Profile: Relocation Pattern Across the Cohort
Karnataka and Maharashtra share the first rank, each home to eight leaders who moved from their birth states, including Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar (60), Madhumita Agrawal (43), and Chitra Gurnani Daga (43) in Karnataka, and Prabha Narasimhan (53), Shipra Khanna (44), and Masaba Gupta (36) in Maharashtra. Delhi ranks third with six migrant leaders, featuring Palki Sharma Upadhyay (44), Renu Munjal (71), and Karnam Malleswari (51). Uttar Pradesh follows with four leaders, including Richa Aniruddha (51), Nidhi Vasandani (38), and Tanvi Malik (40). Haryana takes the fifth rank with three leaders, featuring Rashi Agarwal (55), Priyanka Sharma (33), and Ritu Kumar (81).
Table 12: Top States with Highest Immigrant Representation in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Current State | No. of Migrant Leaders | Notable Leaders (Age) |
| 1 | Karnataka | 8 | Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar (60), Madhumita Agrawal (43), Chitra Gurnani Daga (43) |
| 1 | Maharashtra | 8 | Prabha Narasimhan (53), Shipra Khanna (44), Masaba Gupta (36) |
| 3 | Delhi | 6 | Palki Sharma Upadhyay (44), Renu Munjal (71), Karnam Malleswari (51) |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 4 | Richa Aniruddha (51), Nidhi Vasandani (38), Tanvi Malik (40) |
| 5 | Haryana | 3 | Rashi Agarwal (55), Priyanka Sharma (33), Ritu Kumar (81) |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Turning Experience into Legacy
Manju D Gupta tops the table with 58 years at Lupin, followed by Ritu Kumar with 57 years in fashion. Across the 12 categories, the leaders collectively represent approximately 464 years of experience, with six having remained active in their respective fields for at least four decades. The active experience metrics across the remaining categories span from 12 years to 34 years.
Table 13: Category Breakdown of Leaders by Years of Experience in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Category | Name | Years Active (approx.) | Company |
| 1 | Wealth Multipliers | Manju D Gupta | 58 | Lupin |
| 2 | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle | Ritu Kumar | 57 | Label Ritu Kumar |
| 3 | Professional CEOs | Arundhati Bhattacharya | 49 | Salesforce India |
| 4 | Authors | Sudha Murty | 48 | – |
| 5 | Veterans | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | 48 | Biocon |
| 6 | Heartland Founders | Rajni Bector | 48 | Bectors Food Specialities |
| 7 | New Economy | Sulajja Firodia Motwani | 34 | Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions |
| 8 | Social Change Makers | Madhulika Sharma | 33 | ITC |
| 9 | Independent Journalists | Barkha Dutt | 31 | – |
| 10 | Social Media Influencers | Namita Thapar | 25 | – |
| 11 | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists | Mary Kom | 21 | – |
| 12 | Startup Founders | Kanika Gupta Shori | 12 | Square Yards |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Guardians of Heritage (Ranked by Annual Revenue)
Meena Bindra (83) of BIBA leads the segment with a revenue of INR 758 Cr, followed by Lavanya Nalli (48) of Nalli Silks at INR 622 Cr. Anita Dongre (62) and Ritu Kumar (81) occupy the third and fourth positions with INR 368 Cr and INR 269 Cr, respectively. The remaining entries include Simran Lal (55, Nicobar) at INR 200 Cr and Anita Lal (78, Good Earth) at INR 167 Cr. Shivani Poddar (40) and Tanvi Malik (40), both of Indya, share the seventh rank with a revenue of INR 122 Cr each, followed by a tie at rank nine between Masaba Gupta (36, House of Masaba) and Anamika Khanna (55) at INR 116 Cr each.
Table 14: Top 10 Leaders in Indian Fashion & Lifestyle from the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Company / Brand | Age | Revenue (INR Cr) | ||||
| 1 | Meena Bindra | BIBA | 83 | INR 758 Cr | ||||
| 2 | Lavanya Nalli | Nalli Silks | 48 | INR 622 Cr | ||||
| 3 | Anita Dongre | House of Anita Dongre | 62 | INR 368 Cr | ||||
| 4 | Ritu Kumar | Label Ritu Kumar | 81 | INR 269 Cr | ||||
| 5 | Simran Lal | Nicobar | 55 | INR 200 Cr | ||||
| 6 | Anita Lal | Good Earth | 78 | INR 167 Cr | ||||
| 7 | Shivani Poddar | Indya | 40 | INR 122 Cr | ||||
| 7 | Tanvi Malik | Indya | 40 | INR 122 Cr | ||||
| 9 | Masaba Gupta | House of Masaba | 36 | INR 116 Cr | ||||
| 9 | Anamika Khanna | Anamika Khanna | 55 | INR 116 Cr | ||||
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Women Driving Social Change (Ranked by Sustainability Score)
Tushara Shankar (46) from Lupin leads the Social Change Makers category with a company sustainability score of 50.3. Madhulika Sharma (57) of ITC and Archana Sahay (47) of LTIMindtree follow, jointly occupying second place with a sustainability score of 47.7. Further down the list, Chitra Byregowda (49, Persistent Systems) records a score of 44.7, Nishtha Gupta (40, Suzlon) with 40.3, and Anjalli Ravi Kumar (45, Eternal) with a sustainability score of 39.3, ranking fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively. Concluding the top 10 are corporate leaders Nisaba Godrej (48, Godrej Consumer Products), Binita Verdia (49, Zydus Lifesciences), Vaishali Surawar (Hindalco Industries), and Pia Singh (55, DLF), whose scores range from 37.9 to 34.3.
Table 15: Top 10 Social Change Makers in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Company | Sustainability Score | Age | Designation |
| 1 | Tushara Shankar | Lupin | 50.3 | 46 | Head – Corporate Social Responsibility |
| 2 | Madhulika Sharma | ITC | 47.7 | 57 | Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer |
| 2 | Archana Sahay | LTIMindtree | 47.7 | 47 | Global Head, ESG and CSR |
| 4 | Chitra Byregowda | Persistent Systems | 44.7 | 49 | SVP, Global Head of Sustainability & ESG |
| 5 | Nishtha Gupta | Suzlon | 40.3 | 40 | Group Head – Sustainability & ESG |
| 6 | Anjalli Ravi Kumar | Eternal | 39.3 | 45 | Chief Sustainability Officer |
| 7 | Nisaba Godrej | Godrej Consumer Products | 37.9 | 48 | Executive Chairperson |
| 8 | Binita Verdia | Zydus Lifesciences | 37.3 | 49 | Head – Corporate Social Responsibility |
| 9 | Vaishali Surawar | Hindalco Industries | 35.4 | – | Chief – Sustainability Officer |
| 10 | Pia Singh | DLF | 34.3 | 55 | Chairperson – Corporate Social Responsibility |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, Hurun India Impact 50 2026
Heartland Innovators (Ranked by Company Valuation)
Ludhiana-based Rajni Bector (86) of Bectors Food Specialities tops the list with a company valuation of INR 5,650 Cr. Following behind are Neha Marda Agrawal (40) of Phitku (Howrah) at INR 200 Cr and Megha Asher (41) of Juicy Chemistry (Coimbatore) at INR 190 Cr. Claiming the fourth rank are Shivani Soni (33) and Sakshi Soni of Beyoung (Udaipur) with a valuation of INR 150 Cr each. The remaining ranks feature Swati Juneja of Fuaark (Surat) at INR 140 Cr, Chitra Gurnani Daga (43) of Thrillophilia (Jaipur) at INR 130 Cr, and a tie at rank eight between Aditi Chaurasia of Supersourcing (Indore) and Noureen Aysha (30) of FemiSafe (Kochi) at INR 20 Cr each. Tage Rita (45) of Naara Aaba (Ziro) concludes the ranking with a valuation of INR 10 Cr.
Table 16: Top 10 Heartland Founders in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Company | Company Valuation (INR Cr) | Inception City |
| 1 | Rajni Bector | 86 | Bectors Food Specialities | INR 5,650 Cr | Ludhiana |
| 2 | Neha Marda Agrawal | 40 | Phitku | INR 200 Cr | Howrah |
| 3 | Megha Asher | 41 | Juicy Chemistry | INR 190 Cr | Coimbatore |
| 4 | Shivani Soni | 33 | Beyoung | INR 150 Cr | Udaipur |
| 4 | Sakshi Soni | – | Beyoung | INR 150 Cr | Udaipur |
| 6 | Swati Juneja | – | Fuaark | INR 140 Cr | Surat |
| 7 | Chitra Gurnani Daga | 43 | Thrillophilia | INR 130 Cr | Jaipur |
| 8 | Aditi Chaurasia | – | Supersourcing | INR 20 Cr | Indore |
| 8 | Noureen Aysha | 30 | FemiSafe | INR 20 Cr | Kochi |
| 10 | Tage Rita | 45 | Naara Aaba | INR 10 Cr | Ziro |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Women Leading New-Age Industry (Ranked by Company Valuation)
Vaishali Nigam Sinha (56) of ReNew Power tops the ranking in the Solar Energy sector with a valuation of INR 22,230 Cr. Rajoshi Ghosh (39) of Hasura ranks second in Cloud Computing at INR 9,500 Cr, and Prukalpa Sankar (36) of Atlan is third in Data Analytics & BI at INR 7,120 Cr. The mid-tier includes Rashi Agarwal (55) of Zypp Electric at INR 3,150 Cr, Rithika Mohan (33) of Garuda Aerospace at INR 2,380 Cr, Sulajja Firodia Motwani (55) of Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions at INR 1,480 Cr, Sarita Ahlawat of BotLab Dynamics at INR 490 Cr, and Madhumita Agrawal (43) of Oben Electric at INR 370 Cr. Concluding the list tied at ninth rank in AI Software & Platforms are Laina Emmanuel (41) and Rimjhim Agrawal (41) of Brainsight AI, each with a valuation of INR 190 Cr.
Table 17: Top 10 New Economy Leaders in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Company | Company Valuation (INR Cr) | Industry |
| 1 | Vaishali Nigam Sinha | 56 | ReNew Power | INR 22,230 Cr | Solar Energy |
| 2 | Rajoshi Ghosh | 39 | Hasura | INR 9,500 Cr | Cloud Computing |
| 3 | Prukalpa Sankar | 36 | Atlan | INR 7,120 Cr | Data Analytics & BI |
| 4 | Rashi Agarwal | 55 | Zypp Electric | INR 3,150 Cr | Urban Mobility & Ride-Hailing |
| 5 | Rithika Mohan | 33 | Garuda Aerospace | INR 2,380 Cr | Drones & Unmanned Aerial Vehicles |
| 6 | Sulajja Firodia Motwani | 55 | Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions | INR 1,480 Cr | Electric Vehicles (EV) |
| 7 | Sarita Ahlawat | – | BotLab Dynamics | INR 490 Cr | Drones & Unmanned Aerial Vehicles |
| 8 | Madhumita Agrawal | 43 | Oben Electric | INR 370 Cr | Electric Vehicles (EV) |
| 9 | Laina Emmanuel | 41 | Brainsight AI | INR 190 Cr | AI Software & Platforms |
| 9 | Rimjhim Agrawal | 41 | Brainsight AI | INR 190 Cr | AI Software & Platforms |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Senior Leadership: 65+ Veterans (Ranked by Company Valuation)
The ten corporate leaders in this category manage companies with a cumulative valuation of INR 4.3 Lakh Cr. Apollo Hospitals’ Preetha Reddy (68) and Suneeta Reddy (67) at a valuation of INR 1,21,770 Cr lead the Veterans category. Swati Piramal (70) of Piramal Group follows in third place at INR 85,850 Cr, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73) of Biocon ranks fourth at INR 67,440 Cr, and Arundhati Bhattacharya (70) of Salesforce India is fifth at INR 45,940 Cr. The remaining ranks include Bina Modi (81) of Godfrey Phillips India at INR 34,930 Cr, Leena Gandhi Tewari (69) of USV at INR 32,460 Cr, Mallika Srinivasan (66) of TAFE – Tractors and Farm Equipment at INR 22,900 Cr, Arshia A Lalljee (66) of Sud-Chemie India at INR 9,470 Cr, and Vinita Singhania (74) of JK Lakshmi Cement at INR 7,410 Cr.
Table 18: Top 10 Leaders in the Veterans Category from the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Company | Age | Company Valuation (INR Cr) |
| 1 | Preetha Reddy | Apollo Hospitals Enterprise | 68 | INR 1,21,770 Cr |
| 1 | Suneeta Reddy | Apollo Hospitals Enterprise | 67 | INR 1,21,770 Cr |
| 3 | Swati Piramal | Piramal Group | 70 | INR 85,850 Cr |
| 4 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | Biocon | 73 | INR 67,440 Cr |
| 5 | Arundhati Bhattacharya | Salesforce India | 70 | INR 45,940 Cr |
| 6 | Bina Modi | Godfrey Phillips India | 81 | INR 34,930 Cr |
| 7 | Leena Gandhi Tewari | USV | 69 | INR 32,460 Cr |
| 8 | Mallika Srinivasan | TAFE – Tractors and Farm Equipment | 66 | INR 22,900 Cr |
| 9 | Arshia A Lalljee | Sud-Chemie India | 66 | INR 9,470 Cr |
| 10 | Vinita Singhania | JK Lakshmi Cement | 74 | INR 7,410 Cr |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Olympic Podium Achievers (Ranked by Total Olympic/Paralympic Medals Won)
Avani Lekhara (Aged 24 years) leads the cohort of Olympic and Paralympic medallists with a total of 3 medals, consisting of 2 gold and 1 bronze in shooting. Following her are three athletes with 2 medals each: P.V. Sindhu (31) in badminton (1 silver, 1 bronze), Manu Bhaker (24) in shooting, and para-athlete Preethi Pal (25) in athletics (track), both of whom secured 2 bronze medals. The remaining 16 athletes on the list each hold 1 medal. Within this group, Mirabai Chanu (31), Thulasimathi Murugesan (24), Deepa Malik (55), and Bhavina Patel (39) each secured 1 silver medal. Concluding the list, 12 athletes: Saina Nehwal (36), Lovlina Borgohain (28), Karnam Malleswari (51), Mary Kom (43), Sakshi Malik (33), Mona Agarwal (39), Rubina Francis (27), Manisha Ramadass (21), Deepthi Jeevanji (22), Sheetal Devi (19), Simran Sharma (26), and Nithya Sre Sivan (21), each recorded 1 bronze medal in their respective events.
Table 19: Top Olympic and Paralympic Medallists in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Sport / Event | Total Medals | Medals (G-S-B) |
| 1 | Avani Lekhara | 24 | Shooting | 3 | 2-0-1 |
| 2 | P.V. Sindhu | 31 | Badminton | 2 | 0-1-1 |
| 2 | Manu Bhaker | 24 | Shooting | 2 | 0-0-2 |
| 2 | Preethi Pal | 25 | Athletics (Track) | 2 | 0-0-2 |
| 5 | Saina Nehwal | 36 | Badminton | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Mirabai Chanu | 31 | Weightlifting | 1 | 0-1-0 |
| 5 | Lovlina Borgohain | 28 | Boxing | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Thulasimathi Murugesan | 24 | Badminton | 1 | 0-1-0 |
| 5 | Karnam Malleswari | 51 | Weightlifting | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Mary Kom | 43 | Boxing | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Sakshi Malik | 33 | Wrestling | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Deepa Malik | 55 | Athletics (Shot Put) | 1 | 0-1-0 |
| 5 | Bhavina Patel | 39 | Table Tennis | 1 | 0-1-0 |
| 5 | Mona Agarwal | 39 | Shooting | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Rubina Francis | 27 | Shooting | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Manisha Ramadass | 21 | Badminton | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Deepthi Jeevanji | 22 | Athletics (400m) | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Sheetal Devi | 19 | Archery | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Simran Sharma | 26 | Athletics (200m) | 1 | 0-0-1 |
| 5 | Nithya Sre Sivan | 21 | Badminton | 1 | 0-0-1 |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Literary Footprint: Reach of Featured Authors (Ranked by Readership Impact Score)
The table details the leading 10 individuals in the Authors category from the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, ranked by Readership Impact Score (in thousands). Sudha Murty (75) of Bengaluru leads the category with a score of 417 in the fiction, children’s, and young adult genre. Rashmi Bansal (41) of Mumbai follows in second place with a score of 99 in non-fiction. Twinkle Khanna (52) of Mumbai occupies the third rank, registering a score of 98 for her work in humour, fiction and non-fiction. The remaining positions feature Anuja Chauhan (55) with a score of 82, Rujuta Diwekar (52) with 79, Savi Sharma (33) with 75, Kavita Kané (59) with 61, Anita Nair (60) with 58, and K. R. Meera (56) with 44. Banu Mushtaq (78) concludes the list at rank 10 with a score of 43.
Table 20: Top 10 Leading Authors in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Primary Genre | Readership Impact Score (in ‘000)* | City of Residence |
| 1 | Sudha Murty | 75 | Fiction, Children’s, Young Adult | 417 | Bengaluru |
| 2 | Rashmi Bansal | 41 | Non-Fiction | 99 | Mumbai |
| 3 | Twinkle Khanna | 52 | Humour, Non-Fiction, Fiction | 98 | Mumbai |
| 4 | Anuja Chauhan | 55 | Fiction, Romance | 82 | Bengaluru |
| 5 | Rujuta Diwekar | 52 | Health, Mind & Body | 79 | Mumbai |
| 6 | Savi Sharma | 33 | Fiction, Spirituality, Self Help | 75 | Surat |
| 7 | Kavita Kané | 59 | Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance | 61 | Pune |
| 8 | Anita Nair | 60 | Fiction, Contemporary | 58 | Bengaluru |
| 9 | K. R. Meera | 56 | Fiction | 44 | Kottayam |
| 10 | Banu Mushtaq | 78 | Fiction | 43 | Hassan |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, * Readership Impact Score = Avg. Rating X Volume of Ratings from goodreads.com
Follower Magnets: Featured Content Creators (Ranked by Y-o-Y Instagram Follower Growth)
The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List records Year-over-Year follower growth across several category representations. Ananya Birla (32) leads in the Startup Founder category with 277.0% growth, ahead of Mary Kom (43) in Olympic Podium Achievers at 193.0% and Palki Sharma Upadhyay (44) in Independent Journalist at 35.0%. Diipa Büller-Khosla (34) and Namita Thapar (49) follow in the Startup Founder category at 33.0% and 15.0%, while Tanaya Naredra (33), Rujuta Diwekar (52) and Shipra Khanna (44) represent the Author category at 11.0%, 5.0% and 4.0% respectively. Parul Gulati (31) and Kusha Kapila (36) conclude the list at rank nine with 3.0% each. Six individuals on the list exceed 2 million total followers, led by Shipra Khanna with 6.29 million.
Table 21: Top 10 Social Media Influencers in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Category Representation | Follower Growth Y-o-Y% | Followers 2026 (Mn) |
| 1 | Ananya Birla | 32 | Startup Founder | 277.0% | 3.51 |
| 2 | Mary Kom | 43 | Olympic Podium Achievers | 193.0% | 2.05 |
| 3 | Palki Sharma Upadhyay | 44 | Independent Journalist | 35.0% | 2.03 |
| 4 | Diipa Büller-Khosla | 34 | Startup Founder | 33.0% | 3.13 |
| 5 | Namita Thapar | 49 | Startup Founder | 15.0% | 1.56 |
| 6 | Tanaya Naredra | 33 | Author | 11.0% | 1.98 |
| 7 | Rujuta Diwekar | 52 | Author | 5.0% | 1.83 |
| 8 | Shipra Khanna | 44 | Author | 4.0% | 6.29 |
| 9 | Parul Gulati | 31 | Startup Founder | 3.0% | 1.78 |
| 9 | Kusha Kapila | 36 | Startup Founder | 3.0% | 4.40 |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
Voice of India: Independent Journalists (Ranked by Total Instagram Followers)
Faye D’Souza (44) of Mumbai leads the category with 2,238K followers, followed by Palki Sharma Upadhyay (44) of New Delhi with 2,047K, and Priyanka Sharma (33) of Gurugram with 1,735K followers. The mid-tier includes Nidhi Vasandani (38) of Noida with 965K followers, Richa Aniruddha (51) of Noida with 328K, Barkha Dutt (54) of New Delhi with 292K, Dhanya Rajendran (44) of Bengaluru with 230K, and Sakshi Joshi (40) of New Delhi with 218K followers.
Concluding the ranking are Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (39) of Gurugram with 127K followers and Meena Kotwal (36) of New Delhi with 119K followers. Together, these ten individuals account for a combined total of 8.3 Mn followers.
Table 22: Top 10 Independent Journalists in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Instagram Followers (in ‘000)* | Age | City of Residence |
| 1 | Faye D’Souza | 2,238K | 44 | Mumbai |
| 2 | Palki Sharma Upadhyay | 2,047K | 44 | New Delhi |
| 3 | Priyanka Sharma | 1,735K | 33 | Gurugram |
| 4 | Nidhi Vasandani | 965K | 38 | Noida |
| 5 | Richa Aniruddha | 328K | 51 | Noida |
| 6 | Barkha Dutt | 292K | 54 | New Delhi |
| 7 | Dhanya Rajendran | 230K | 44 | Bengaluru |
| 8 | Sakshi Joshi | 218K | 40 | New Delhi |
| 9 | Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj | 127K | 39 | Gurugram |
| 10 | Meena Kotwal | 119K | 36 | New Delhi |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List *Highest of Personal or Own Digital News Channel
Market Shapers: Featured Startup Founders (Ranked by Valuation-Growth Multiple)
Kanika Gupta Shori (41) ranks first among the startup founders, with Square Yards recording 3.33 times valuation growth compared with its valuation in the Future Unicorn Index. The growth was supported by the company’s recent INR 900 Cr equity-and-debt funding round. Shreya Mishra (37) follows with SolarSquare, registering 2.25 times valuation growth, while Rachna Aggarwal’s The Whole Truth recorded growth of 1.57 times.
Table 23: Top Startup Founders in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Company | Valuation Growth | City |
| 1 | Kanika Gupta Shori | 41 | Square Yards | 3.33x | New Delhi |
| 2 | Shreya Mishra | 37 | SolarSquare | 2.25x | Mumbai |
| 3 | Rachna Aggarwal | – | The Whole Truth | 1.57x | Mumbai |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, Hurun India Future Unicorn Index
India Rich List’s Wealth Multipliers (Ranked by % Growth in Net Worth)
Roshni Nadar Malhotra (44) of HCLTech holds the first position as a 2025 new entrant with a net worth of INR 2,84,120 Cr. Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar (60) of Toyota Kirloskar Motor follows at second place with a growth rate of 305.9% and a net worth of INR 12,990 Cr. The remaining rankings include Renu Munjal (71) of Hero FinCorp with 50.3% growth (INR 22,540 Cr), Jayshree Ullal (65) of Arista Networks with 39.7% growth (INR 50,170 Cr), and Falguni Nayar (63) of Nykaa with 23.6% growth (INR 39,810 Cr). The other half of the list features Mahima Datla (49) of Biological E at 8.7%, Manju D Gupta (82) of Lupin at 6.0%, Uma Devi Prasad (73) of Aristo Pharmaceuticals at 3.1%, Leena Gandhi Tewari (69) of USV at 1.4%, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (73) of Biocon at 1.1% growth.
Table 24: Top 10 Wealth Multipliers from Hurun India Rich List 2025 Featured in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Company | Y-o-Y % Growth | 2025 Net Worth (INR Cr) |
| 1 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra | 44 | HCLTech | New entrant (2025) | INR 2,84,120 Cr |
| 2 | Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar | 60 | Toyota Kirloskar Motor | 305.9% | INR 12,990 Cr |
| 3 | Renu Munjal | 71 | Hero FinCorp | 50.3% | INR 22,540 Cr |
| 4 | Jayshree Ullal | 65 | Arista Networks | 39.7% | INR 50,170 Cr |
| 5 | Falguni Nayar | 63 | Nykaa | 23.6% | INR 39,810 Cr |
| 6 | Mahima Datla | 49 | Biological E | 8.7% | INR 14,700 Cr |
| 7 | Manju D Gupta | 82 | Lupin | 6.0% | INR 45,270 Cr |
| 8 | Uma Devi Prasad | 73 | Aristo Pharmaceuticals | 3.1% | INR 35,350 Cr |
| 9 | Leena Gandhi Tewari | 69 | USV | 1.4% | INR 29,760 Cr |
| 10 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | 73 | Biocon | 1.1% | INR 29,330 Cr |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List, Hurun India Rich List 2025
Professional Leadership Behind the Numbers (Ranked by Value of the Business)
The category recognises professional, non-promoter women CEOs based on the value of the businesses they lead, with Priya Nair (54) of Hindustan Unilever placed first at INR 5,06,600 Cr, followed by Shveta Arya (46) of Cummins India (INR 1,59,510 Cr) and Parminder Chopra (59) of Power Finance Corporation (INR 1,40,090 Cr). Financial services account for six of the ten positions, including leaders from HDFC Life Insurance, Aditya Birla Capital, Multi Commodity Exchange of India and SBI Cards & Payment Services. The combined valuation of these six companies is approximately INR 5,20,610 Cr, which is slightly higher than Hindustan Unilever’s standalone valuation of INR 5,06,600 Cr.
Table 25: Top 10 Professional CEOs in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Rank | Name | Age | Company | Company Valuation (INR Cr) | Industry |
| 1 | Priya Nair | 54 | Hindustan Unilever | INR 5,06,600 Cr | Consumer Goods |
| 2 | Shveta Arya | 46 | Cummins India | INR 1,59,510 Cr | Capital Goods & Heavy Engineering |
| 3 | Parminder Chopra | 59 | Power Finance Corporation | INR 1,40,090 Cr | Financial Services |
| 4 | Vibha Padalkar | 58 | HDFC Life Insurance | INR 1,25,410 Cr | Financial Services |
| 5 | Vishakha Mulye | 57 | Aditya Birla Capital | INR 96,450 Cr | Financial Services |
| 6 | Praveena Rai | 53 | Multi Commodity Exchange of India | INR 73,840 Cr | Financial Services |
| 7 | Salila Pande | 58 | SBI Cards & Payment Services | INR 57,190 Cr | Financial Services |
| 8 | Prabha Narasimhan | 53 | Colgate-Palmolive (India) | INR 55,970 Cr | Consumer Goods |
| 9 | Arundhati Bhattacharya | 70 | Salesforce India | INR 45,940 Cr | Software Products & Services |
| 10 | Jasleen Kohli | 45 | Go Digit General Insurance | INR 27,630 Cr | Financial Services |
Source: Hurun Research Institute, 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
The Full 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
The 117 women leaders featured in this list represent the five pillars covered in the 2026 list: Culture, Wealth Creation, Value Creation, Startups and Impact.
Table 26: Full List of the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List
| Sr. No. | Name | Age | City of Residence | Hurun Pillars |
| 1 | Aditi Chaurasia | – | Indore | Startups |
| 2 | Anamika Khanna | 54 | Kolkata | Culture |
| 3 | Ananya Birla | 32 | Mumbai | Startups |
| 4 | Anita Dongre | 62 | Mumbai | Culture |
| 5 | Anita Lal | 78 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 6 | Anita Nair | 60 | Bengaluru | Culture |
| 7 | Anjalli Ravi Kumar | 45 | Bengaluru | Impact |
| 8 | Anuja Chauhan | 55 | Bengaluru | Culture |
| 9 | Archana Sahay | 47 | Bengaluru | Impact |
| 10 | Arshia A Lalljee | 66 | New Delhi | Wealth Creation |
| 11 | Arundhati Bhattacharya | 70 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation, Value Creation |
| 12 | Avani Lekhara | 24 | Jaipur | Culture |
| 13 | Banu Mushtaq | 78 | Hassan | Culture |
| 14 | Barkha Dutt | 54 | New Delhi | Value Creation |
| 15 | Bhavina Patel | 39 | Mehsana | Culture |
| 16 | Bina Modi | 81 | New Delhi | Wealth Creation |
| 17 | Binita Verdia | 49 | Ahmedabad | Impact |
| 18 | Chitra Byregowda | 49 | Bengaluru | Impact |
| 19 | Chitra Gurnani Daga | 43 | Bengaluru | Startups |
| 20 | Deepa Malik | 55 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 21 | Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj | 39 | Gurugram | Value Creation |
| 22 | Deepthi Jeevanji | 22 | Warangal | Culture |
| 23 | Dhanya Rajendran | 44 | Bengaluru | Value Creation |
| 24 | Diipa Büller-Khosla | 34 | Mumbai | Startups |
| 25 | Falguni Nayar | 63 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation |
| 26 | Faye D’Souza | 44 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 27 | Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar | 60 | Bengaluru | Wealth Creation |
| 28 | Jasleen Kohli | 45 | Bengaluru | Value Creation |
| 29 | Jayshree Ullal | 65 | San Francisco | Wealth Creation |
| 30 | K. R. Meera | 61 | Kottayam | Culture |
| 31 | Kanika Gupta Shori | 41 | New Delhi | Startups |
| 32 | Karnam Malleswari | 51 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 33 | Kavita Kané | 59 | Pune | Culture |
| 34 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | 73 | Bengaluru | Wealth Creation, Wealth Creation |
| 35 | Kusha Kapila | 36 | New Delhi | Startups |
| 36 | Laina Emmanuel | 41 | Bengaluru | Startups |
| 37 | Lavanya Nalli | 48 | Bengaluru | Culture |
| 38 | Leena Gandhi Tewari | 69 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation, Wealth Creation |
| 39 | Lovlina Borgohain | 28 | Golaghat | Culture |
| 40 | Madhulika Sharma | 57 | Kolkata | Impact |
| 41 | Madhumita Agrawal | 43 | Bengaluru | Startups |
| 42 | Mahima Datla | 49 | Hyderabad | Wealth Creation |
| 43 | Mallika Srinivasan | 66 | Chennai | Wealth Creation |
| 44 | Manisha Ramadass | 21 | Chennai | Culture |
| 45 | Manju D Gupta | 82 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation |
| 46 | Manu Bhaker | 24 | Jhajjar | Culture |
| 47 | Mary Kom | 43 | Churachandpur | Culture, Culture |
| 48 | Masaba Gupta | 36 | Mumbai | Culture |
| 49 | Meena Bindra | 83 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 50 | Meena Kotwal | 36 | New Delhi | Value Creation |
| 51 | Megha Asher | 41 | Coimbatore | Startups |
| 52 | Mirabai Chanu | 31 | Imphal | Culture |
| 53 | Mona Agarwal | 39 | Jaipur | Culture |
| 54 | Namita Thapar | 49 | Pune | Startups |
| 55 | Neha Marda Agrawal | 40 | Kolkata | Startups |
| 56 | Nidhi Vasandani | 38 | Noida | Value Creation |
| 57 | Nisaba Godrej | 48 | Mumbai | Impact |
| 58 | Nishtha Gupta | 40 | Pune | Impact |
| 59 | Nithya Sre Sivan | 21 | Lucknow | Culture |
| 60 | Noureen Aysha | 30 | Kochi | Startups |
| 61 | P.V. Sindhu | 31 | Hyderabad | Culture |
| 62 | Palki Sharma Upadhyay | 44 | New Delhi | Value Creation, Value Creation |
| 63 | Parminder Chopra | 59 | New Delhi | Value Creation |
| 64 | Parul Gulati | 31 | Mumbai | Startups |
| 65 | Pia Singh | 55 | New Delhi | Impact |
| 66 | Prabha Narasimhan | 53 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 67 | Praveena Rai | 53 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 68 | Preetha Reddy | 68 | Chennai | Wealth Creation |
| 69 | Preethi Pal | 25 | Meerut | Culture |
| 70 | Priya Nair | 54 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 71 | Priyanka Sharma | 33 | Gurugram | Value Creation |
| 72 | Prukalpa Sankar | 36 | San Francisco | Startups |
| 73 | Rachna Aggarwal | – | Mumbai | Startups |
| 74 | Rajni Bector | 86 | Ludhiana | Startups |
| 75 | Rajoshi Ghosh | 39 | San Francisco | Startups |
| 76 | Rashi Agarwal | 55 | Gurugram | Startups |
| 77 | Rashmi Bansal | 41 | Mumbai | Culture |
| 78 | Renu Munjal | 71 | New Delhi | Wealth Creation |
| 79 | Richa Aniruddha | 51 | Noida | Value Creation |
| 80 | Rimjhim Agrawal | 41 | Bengaluru | Startups |
| 81 | Rithika Mohan | 33 | Bengaluru | Startups |
| 82 | Ritu Kumar | 81 | Gurugram | Culture |
| 83 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra | 44 | New Delhi | Wealth Creation |
| 84 | Rubina Francis | 27 | Jabalpur | Culture |
| 85 | Rujuta Diwekar | 52 | Mumbai | Culture, Culture |
| 86 | Saina Nehwal | 36 | Hisar | Culture |
| 87 | Sakshi Joshi | 40 | New Delhi | Value Creation |
| 88 | Sakshi Malik | 33 | Rohtak | Culture |
| 89 | Sakshi Soni | – | Udaipur | Startups |
| 90 | Salila Pande | 58 | Gurugram | Value Creation |
| 91 | Sarita Ahlawat | – | New Delhi | Startups |
| 92 | Savi Sharma | 33 | Surat | Culture |
| 93 | Sheetal Devi | 19 | Kishtwar | Culture |
| 94 | Shipra Khanna | 44 | Mumbai | Culture |
| 95 | Shivani Poddar | 40 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 96 | Shivani Soni | 33 | Udaipur | Startups |
| 97 | Shreya Mishra | 37 | Mumbai | Startups |
| 98 | Shveta Arya | 46 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 99 | Simran Lal | 55 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 100 | Simran Sharma | 26 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 101 | Sudha Murty | 75 | Bengaluru | Culture |
| 102 | Sulajja Firodia Motwani | 55 | Pune | Startups |
| 103 | Suneeta Reddy | 67 | Chennai | Wealth Creation |
| 104 | Swati Juneja | – | Surat | Startups |
| 105 | Swati Piramal | 70 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation |
| 106 | Tage Rita | 45 | Ziro Valley | Startups |
| 107 | Tanaya Naredra | 33 | New Delhi | Culture |
| 108 | Tanvi Malik | 40 | Noida | Culture |
| 109 | Thulasimathi Murugesan | 24 | Kanchipuram | Culture |
| 110 | Tushara Shankar | 46 | Pune | Impact |
| 111 | Twinkle Khanna | 52 | Mumbai | Culture |
| 112 | Uma Devi Prasad | 73 | Mumbai | Wealth Creation |
| 113 | Vaishali Nigam Sinha | 56 | Gurugram | Startups |
| 114 | Vaishali Surawar | – | Mumbai | Impact |
| 115 | Vibha Padalkar | 58 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
| 116 | Vinita Singhania | 74 | Barakar | Wealth Creation |
| 117 | Vishakha Mulye | 57 | Mumbai | Value Creation |
Methodology
The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List recognises 117 women across 12 categories, researched and compiled by the Hurun Research Institute. Company valuations and revenues are as of the cut-off date of 15 June 2026.
| Sr. No. | Category | Methodology | |||
| 1 | Indian Fashion & Lifestyle | Female founders or leaders whose ventures connect traditional Indian crafts, textiles, or heritage skills with retail or e-commerce. Ranked by annual revenue. | |||
| 2 | Social Change Makers | Internal changemakers leading corporate sustainability initiatives, sourced from the Hurun India Impact50 list 2026. | |||
| 3 | Heartland Founders | Founders who started their business in Tier 2/3 cities or rural India. Ranked on company valuation as of the cutoff date, 15th June 2026. | |||
| 4 | New Economy | Recognises women founders and executives leading businesses in emerging sectors such as AI, EVs, DeepTech, HealthTech, Clean Energy and ClimateTech. Entrants are ranked by company valuation as of 15 June 2026. | |||
| 5 | Veterans | Recognises women above the age of 65 who continue to lead their enterprises in top executive roles. Entrants are ranked by company valuation as of 15 June 2026. | |||
| 6 | Olympic and Paralympic Medallists | Indian Athletes who have won at least one medal at the Olympic or Paralympic Games. Entrants are ranked by their total number of medals at these Games, reflecting sustained achievement at the highest level of sport. | |||
| 7 | Authors | Indian authors residing in the country and whose work has achieved significant readership and engagement. Entrants are ranked by the Readership Impact Score, calculated by multiplying the average rating by the total number of ratings from goodreads.com | |||
| 8 | Social Media Influencers | Women with a minimum of 1 million Instagram followers and a connection to one of the 11 categories. Ranked on % growth in Instagram followers over the preceding 12 months. | |||
| 9 | Independent Journalists | Women working as independent journalists across broadcast or digital media in India. Ranked on total Instagram followers as of the cutoff date, 15th June 2026. | |||
| 10 | Startup Founders | Women founders featured in the Future Unicorn Index 2025 whose startups have increased in valuation. Ranked based on the multiple of valuation growth. | |||
| 11 | Wealth Multipliers | Women featured in the Hurun India Rich List whose net worth increased in 2025 compared with 2024 or are new entrants. Entrants are ranked by the growth in their net worth during this period. | |||
| 12 | Professional CEOs | Indian women serving as CEOs in a professional capacity, without any relation to the promoter or promoter group. Entrants are ranked by the value of the business they lead, reflecting the scale of the enterprise under their leadership. | |||
(Disclaimer: The information provided here is investment advice only. Investing in the markets is subject to risks and please consult your advisor before investing.)
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