Most Powerful Women - 2021

In 2021, power took on a whole new meaning as leaders navigated unprecedented challenges. Having faced their own trials by fire, India’s most illustrious women in business and the economy have secured their place in Fortune India’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, proving resilience, vision, and strength in a year like no other.
Nirmala Sitharaman - Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs
1
Nirmala Sitharaman
Nita Ambani - Founder and Chairperson, Reliance Foundation
2
Nita Ambani
Soumya Swaminathan - Chief Scientist, World Health Organization (WHO)
3
Soumya Swaminathan
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw - Executive Chairperson, Biocon
4
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Suchitra Ella - Co-founder and Joint MD, Bharat Biotech International Ltd
5
Suchitra Ella
Arundhati Bhattacharya - Chairperson & CEO, Salesforce India
6
Arundhati Bhattacharya
Gita Gopinath - Chief Economist, International Monetary Fund
7
Gita Gopinath
Tessy Thomas - Distinguished Scientist and Director General, Aeronautical Systems, DRDO
8
Tessy Thomas
Rekha M. Menon - Chairperson and Senior MD, Accenture in India
9
Rekha M. Menon
Reddy Sisters: Shobana Kamineni; Sangita Reddy; Preetha Reddy; Suneeta Reddy
10
Reddy Sisters: Shobana Kamineni; Sangita Reddy; Preetha Reddy; Suneeta Reddy
Anshula Kant - MD and CFO, World Bank
11
Anshula Kant
Renu Sud Karnad - Managing Director, HDFC Ltd
12
Renu Sud Karnad
Shobhana Bhartia - Chairperson and Editorial Director, HT Media
13
Shobhana Bhartia
Kalli Purie - Vice Chairperson, India Today Group
14
Kalli Purie
Revathi Advaithi - CEO, Flex
15
Revathi Advaithi
Leena Nair - Chief Human Resources Officer, Unilever
16
Leena Nair
Mallika Srinivasan - Chairman and MD, Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE)
17
Mallika Srinivasan
Swati Piramal - Vice Chairperson, Piramal Group
18
Swati Piramal
Vishakha Mulye - Executive Director, ICICI Bank
19
Vishakha Mulye
Vibha Padalkar - MD and CEO, HDFC Life
20
Vibha Padalkar
Isha Ambani - Director, Reliance Jio and Reliance Retail
21
Isha Ambani
Bela Bajaria - Head of Global TV, Netflix
22
Bela Bajaria
Falguni Nayar - Founder and CEO, Nykaa
23
Falguni Nayar
Aparna Bawa - COO and Interim Chief Legal Officer, Zoom Video Communications
24
Aparna Bawa
Zia J. Mody - Co-founder, AZB & Partners
25
Zia J. Mody
Soma Mondal - Chairperson, SAIL
26
Soma Mondal
Vinita Gupta - CEO, Lupin Laboratories
27
Vinita Gupta
Priya Nair - Executive Director, Beauty and Personal care, HUL
28
Priya Nair
Sindhu Gangadharan - MD and Senior Vice President, SAP Labs India
29
Sindhu Gangadharan
Pallavi Shroff - Managing Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.
30
Pallavi Shroff
Anjali Bansal - Founder, Avaana Capital
31
Anjali Bansal
Kaku Nakhate - President and Country Head, India, Bank of America
32
Kaku Nakhate
Divya Gokulnath - Co-founder, Byju's
33
Divya Gokulnath
Samina Hamied - Executive Vice Chairperson, Cipla
34
Samina Hamied
Ameera Shah - Promoter and MD, Metropolis Healthcare
35
Ameera Shah
Zarin Daruwala - Cluster CEO, India and South Asia markets, Standard Chartered Bank
36
Zarin Daruwala
Geetha Manjunath - Founder and CEO, NIRAMAI Health Analytix
37
Geetha Manjunath
Priyanka Chopra Jonas - Founder and Investor, Purple Pebble Pictures, Anomaly Haircare; Bumble India
38
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Meena Ganesh - MD, Co-founder and Chairperson, Portea Medical
39
Meena Ganesh
Mira Kulkarni - Chairman and MD, Mountain Valley Springs
40
Mira Kulkarni
Nivruti Rai - Country Head, Intel India
41
Nivruti Rai
Neerja Birla - Founder and Chairperson, Mpower
42
Neerja Birla
Aruna Jayanthi - MD, Latam and Canada, Capgemini
43
Aruna Jayanthi
Aparna Purohit - Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video
44
Aparna Purohit
Renuka Ramnath - Founder and CEO, Multiples Alternate Asset Management
45
Renuka Ramnath
Monika Shergill - Vice President, Content, Netflix India
46
Monika Shergill
Suparna Mitra - CEO, Watches and Wearables Division, Titan Company
47
Suparna Mitra
Ashu Suyash - MD and CEO, CRISIL
48
Ashu Suyash
Harshbeena Zaveri - Vice Chairman and MD, NRB Bearings
49
Harshbeena Zaveri
Padmaja Ruparel - Co-founder, Indian Angel Network
50
Padmaja Ruparel
RANKNAMETITLEAFFILIATIONAGE
1Nirmala SitharamanUnion Minister for Finance and Corporate AffairsGovernment of India62
2Nita AmbaniFounder and Chairperson, Reliance FoundationReliance Foundation58
3Soumya SwaminathanChief Scientist, World Health Organization (WHO)World Health Organization (WHO)62
4Kiran Mazumdar-ShawExecutive Chairperson, BioconBiocon68
5Suchitra EllaCo-founder and Joint MD, Bharat Biotech International LtdBharat Biotech International Ltd58
6Arundhati BhattacharyaChairperson & CEO, Salesforce IndiaSalesforce India65
7Gita GopinathChief Economist, International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund49
8Tessy ThomasDistinguished Scientist and Director General, Aeronautical Systems, DRDODRDO58
9Rekha M. MenonChairperson and Senior MD, Accenture in IndiaAccenture in India62
10Reddy Sisters: Shobana Kamineni; Sangita Reddy; Preetha Reddy; Suneeta ReddyN/AApollo Hospitals60, 58, 63, 61
11Anshula KantMD and CFO, World BankWorld Bank62
12Renu Sud KarnadManaging Director, HDFC LtdHDFC Ltd69
13Shobhana BhartiaChairperson and Editorial Director, HT MediaHT Media64
14Kalli PurieVice Chairperson, India Today GroupIndia Today Group47
15Revathi AdvaithiCEO, FlexFlex54
16Leena NairChief Human Resources Officer, UnileverUnilever52
17Mallika SrinivasanChairman and MD, Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE)Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE)61
18Swati PiramalVice Chairperson, Piramal GroupPiramal Group65
19Vishakha MulyeExecutive Director, ICICI BankICICI Bank52
20Vibha PadalkarMD and CEO, HDFC LifeHDFC Life53
21Isha AmbaniDirector, Reliance Jio and Reliance RetailReliance Jio and Reliance Retail30
22Bela BajariaHead of Global TV, NetflixNetflix50
23Falguni NayarFounder and CEO, NykaaNykaa58
24Aparna BawaCOO and Interim Chief Legal Officer, Zoom Video CommunicationsZoom Video Communications43
25Zia J. ModyCo-founder, AZB & PartnersAZB & Partners65
26Soma MondalChairperson, SAILSAIL58
27Vinita GuptaCEO, Lupin LaboratoriesLupin Laboratories53
28Priya NairExecutive Director, Beauty and Personal care, HULHUL49
29Sindhu GangadharanMD and Senior Vice President, SAP Labs IndiaSAP Labs India45
30Pallavi ShroffManaging Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co.65
31Anjali BansalFounder, Avaana CapitalAvaana Capital50
32Kaku NakhatePresident and Country Head, India, Bank of AmericaBank of America54
33Divya GokulnathCo-founder, Byju'sByju's35
34Samina HamiedExecutive Vice Chairperson, CiplaCipla46
35Ameera ShahPromoter and MD, Metropolis HealthcareMetropolis Healthcare42
36Zarin DaruwalaCluster CEO, India and South Asia markets, Standard Chartered BankStandard Chartered Bank56
37Geetha ManjunathFounder and CEO, NIRAMAI Health AnalytixNIRAMAI Health Analytix54
38Priyanka Chopra JonasFounder and Investor, Purple Pebble Pictures, Anomaly Haircare; Bumble IndiaPurple Pebble Pictures# Anomaly Haircare; Bumble India39
39Meena GaneshMD, Co-founder and Chairperson, Portea MedicalPortea Medical58
40Mira KulkarniChairman and MD, Mountain Valley SpringsMountain Valley Springs66
41Nivruti RaiCountry Head, Intel IndiaIntel India51
42Neerja BirlaFounder and Chairperson, MpowerMpower50
43Aruna JayanthiMD, Latam and Canada, CapgeminiCapgemini58
44Aparna PurohitHead of India Originals, Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime Video42
45Renuka RamnathFounder and CEO, Multiples Alternate Asset ManagementMultiples Alternate Asset Management59
46Monika ShergillVice President, Content, Netflix IndiaNetflix India47
47Suparna MitraCEO, Watches and Wearables Division, Titan CompanyTitan Company53
48Ashu SuyashMD and CEO, CRISILCRISIL54
49Harshbeena ZaveriVice Chairman and MD, NRB BearingsNRB Bearings61
50Padmaja RuparelCo-founder, Indian Angel NetworkIndian Angel Network58