Women Making Impact - India

Chetna, a seasoned Communication Strategist and Business & Leadership Coach, is renowned for her expertise in establishing processes and crafting strategic plans tailored to meet diverse business needs. With a wealth of experience spanning 15 years, she excels in building both systems and people to successfully accomplish business objectivesAn accomplished academic, Chetna emerged as a university topper in Mass Media and further honed her skills as an Executive Alumna of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. Throughout her career, she has made significant contributions across various segments such as branding, research, advertising, design, communication, PR, and media.As the Co-founder of Morning Star Brandcom, Chetna actively shapes the company's vision and leads day- to-day operations, playing a pivotal role in its success. With a focus on new business development and talent acquisition, Chetna complements her partner Gaurav's expertise in media relations and client servicing. This dynamic partnership ensures a well-balanced approach, allowing the firm to stay true to its purpose.In her previous role, she led a strategic business unit for a prominent real estate company, overseeing sales, marketing, and corporate communication, with a focus on driving revenue and profitability.

Esha Bhambri is the Co-Founder of House of Fett, a luxury women's wear brand based in Noida, India. Established in 2018, House of Fett offers a diverse range of apparel, including dresses, gowns, co-ord sets, jumpsuits, and tunics, catering to various occasions such as resort wear, party wear, and casual wear. The brand has expanded significantly, with multiple retail outlets across India​

Dr. Prachi Benara, IVF Specialist, Birla Fertility and IVF is a highly skilled fertility specialist with over 16 years of experience in reproductive medicine. A Gold Medalist in MBBS, she has expertise in advanced laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgeries, successfully addressing complex conditions such as endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage, menstrual disorders, and uterine anomalies, including uterine septum.With a rich global experience, Dr. Benara has performed over 3,500 IVF cycles and is recognized for her specialized care in fertility preservation, including egg freezing and cancer fertility preservation. She has worked with renowned institutions like Max Hospital, Artemis Hospital, and Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, further enhancing her proficiency in the field.Dr. Benara is also an active member of the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) and has earned certifications in IUI and IVF from the British Fertility Society, UK, adding to her credentials in providing cutting-edge fertility treatments.

Dr. Sruthi Balammagary is a highly motivated IT professional with over 13 years of experience in software development, full-stack engineering, and functional programming. With a Ph.D. in Information Technology, my research focused on addressing IT failures in autonomous cars using machine learning and cybersecurity strategies. Currently, I work as a Senior Software Engineer at Comcast, where I develop scalable, high-performance applications using Java, Scala, and modern frameworks. I have a deep passion for AI, particularly in applying machine learning and deep learning to cybersecurity, anomaly detection, and intelligent automation. My expertise spans backend and frontend development, system design, and agile methodologies. Constantly driven by innovation, I am eager to explore AI-driven solutions that enhance software development, security, and autonomous systems.

Pragya Priyali is the visionary Founder and Creative Director of Unrush, a slow fashion brand born out of her deep commitment to craftsmanship. With over 16 years of experience in the fashion industry, her journey began as a design graduate from NIFT Delhi and evolved into leadership roles in content, social, and brand marketing at India's top fashion e-commerce platforms, including Myntra.Unrush was founded in response to the "fast everything" culture dominating fashion. It is Pragya’s mission to inspire conscious consumption and embrace timeless elegance. Her personal aesthetic—minimalist, thoughtful, and subtle—drives the brand’s identity. Unrush’s designs are crafted for the modern, mature working woman who seeks both style and substance in her wardrobe.Pragya ensures that Unrush not only stands out for its fashion but also for its values. The brand operates as a women-only organization, committed to hiring and partnering with women-led enterprises. Fabrics are ethically sourced from India, and garments are produced in facilities that meet international standards for worker safety and hygiene. In keeping with the slow fashion philosophy, each style is produced in small batches, avoiding wastage and ensuring the uniqueness of every piece.

Radhika Koolwal is the co-founder of Urban Space, and her role in transforming her husband Rohit Agarwal’s family textile business from Ahmedabad into one of India’s leading home decor brands. Urban Space is a great example of how a fresh perspective can take a traditional business to new heights. Rohit, with his deep expertise in textiles and production, laid the foundation for the brand’s quality-first approach. However, it was Radhika’s entry into the business that truly propelled its growth in the digital age. When Radhika joined the business in 2018, she had no prior experience in textiles or home decor. Yet, she brought her background in engineering and marketing to the table, setting up Urban Space’s e-commerce and digital strategies from scratch. Her ability to quickly adapt and understand market trends has been instrumental in Urban Space’s growth, particularly in the highly competitive online market. Today, the brand boasts INR 6 crore in monthly sales and a strong digital presence, which she has helped build from the ground up.

As the cofounder of ZFunds, Vidhi is on a mission to make purchase of financial products and decision making Sahi* (Right) and Asaan* (Easy) in the 500 bottom districts of India. ZFunds enables distribution of financial products through ZFunds experts in the highly underserved segment of tier-2,3 and 4 markets. After spending 8 years working with a couple of unicorns like Zomato and Policybazaar and early stage startups like Healthkart, Vidhi knows what truly drives customers to a product— it’s not dishing out the top trends of the week. It’s how well you connect and understand the users you’re trying to help and communicate your understanding back to them. Vidhi was a part of the initial investments team at Paisabazaar and had a pivotal role in taking the platform to number 2 in the country. Now ZFunds, engages 1000+ micro-entrepreneursthat advise 60000+ customers from 600 cities and towns. Vidhi holds a B.tech from Delhi College of Engineering.

Mira Swarup is an accomplished Impact Communication Coach & Speaker based in India. Her military upbringing taught the value of social presence and etiquettes, which sprung into a desire to use effective communication to have a significant impact on people's lives, and was the driving force behind the decision to become an entrepreneur. She gained a grasp of manners and social graces throughout her military cultivation, which sparked interest in the meaning and purpose of life as well. Ms. Swarup felt a persistent motivation towards accomplishing her potential despite having a successful decade-long career with renowned healthcare organisations. She found her true calling in helping people present themselves more compellingly as a result of her quest. Her passion to support professionals in being heard, seen, and followed has been impactful and has led to solidifying her stronghold as a thought leader in the communication coaching industry – both private and corporate coaching programmes. Her current area of expertise is dismantling ineffective communication patterns and assisting people in improving their interactions with others, both personally and professionally.

Shalu's journey as a startup founder coincided with the birth of her daughter a couple of years after founding Growthpal, presenting a unique set of challenges. Even as her daughter needed time and staying up through the night and juggling the demands of a rapidly growing company leading a team of 50 people, which requires much more time compared to a job, it has been an emotional battle. The clash between the demands of late-night U.S. sales and the desire to be present for her daughter has been a battle of managing the emotional toll and the importance of effective time management. The emotional battle of not always being seen as the top priority by her daughter while also striving for success in the competitive startup landscape highlights the sacrifices and challenges that many women face in similar situations.After graduating from IIT Kharagpur, she did her MBA from IIM Lucknow, and worked at  Mindtickle and Deloitte and was consulting with 20 startups across various verticals including healthcare. During her college days as well, she tried her hand at starting up and learned multiple things even though they did not work out and believes that they helped her get here. Shalu's journey into entrepreneurship wasn't without its challenges. As a co-founder of Growthpal, she faced the unique challenge of navigating a startup landscape with no set guideposts unlike when one is in a job where one is told what to do. Wearing multiple hats, from team building to strategic decision-making, she embraced the chaos and considers it a valuable opportunity for personal growth.

Anika is a highly motivated, result driven digital marketing professional with over 12 year’s experience in developing digital strategy and digital brand management. She is a team leader with the ability to foster progress and manage attrition in a fast paced environment.Over the years she has had the opportunity to build and drive teams that led digital transformation and customer experience initiatives for some of the top brands in India, through social media marketing, online brand experience, performance marketing, content marketing, brand management, customer experience, mobile marketing, influencer marketing and media planning.