Most POWERFUL Women in Indian business

Most powerful women in Indian business

Yet another edition of BT's most powerful women in business, together with the rising stars, the start-up heroines, the microfinance mavens and even the inheritors. The women listed here come from an amazing variety of academic and family backgrounds and have established themselves in an equally diverse range of industries despite the near-crippling drag of home and hearth.

Some were lucky to have been at the right place at the right time; one admits that she is not the sort of mother who packs their child's tiffin in the morning-and another is "quite unashamed" to say that she eased up on her career to be with her children when they needed her most. And look out for the rising star who takes her two-year-old daughter jetsetting as she shuttles between two cities in the US and her Indian headquarters, and for the lady who came back to India to be near her ailing mother-in-law-but succeeded with yet another start-up.
Consider: would this list have been possible 20 years ago? On the other hand, how far is the day when BT will list the 250 most powerful women in Indian business and not just 25? The answer to the first question is a definite no. The answer to the second depends on how India builds its infrastructure. Not the infrastructure of expressways and trans-harbour links, but the infrastructure of child care and crèches, schools that don't burden children with homework, on-call housekeeping services, et al. Today, if the child of a working couple falls ill or is let out from school early, or if the babysitter goes on French leave, who has to miss office? No prizes for guessing the correct answer.
Read the stories of BT's amazing women, and you will discover that there are no intellectual differences between men and women. But how many men with a PhD in theoretical nuclear physics or two post-graduate degrees from Yale and Harvard would choose to work for an MFI? The workplace brings with it another gender inequality: the woman rushing home to help her child with his or her homework cannot go out bonding or networking.
So, here's to a growing list of women achievers. May their tribe grow, may the list get longer and may they never have to tell our readers the best way to deal with a glass ceiling.
The top 25
They span generations and are there in every field, from tractors to television, from biscuits to banking, from HR to hospitals. Denied entry into a male bastion, they create another industry (as Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon did). They love their saris and their cooking, but also frame the laws that govern the world of alpha-male stockbrokers. They are the most powerful women in the corporate world.

In pics: 25 best women of India Inc.

Amrita Patel64, Chairman, NDDBPower to me means: Maintaining the highest standards of integrity at all times.My favourite life-after-work activity: I am actively involved in two movements—ecological security and rural healthcare.The best way to deal with a glass ceiling: Fortunately, I have not had to fight the glass ceiling. Hard work, commitment and caring in word and deed helps people overcome obstacles.Mantra for maintaining work-life balance: Meditation.
I am not a businesswoman,” says Amrita Patel, Chairman of National Dairy Development Board, the world’s largest dairy development programme, which involves over 12.4 million farmer families, 117,000 co-operative societies and procures 21.5 million litres of milk every day. “I’m in the business of putting other women into business and enabling them to earn a daily income,” says Patel, chairman since 1998. “We must ensure that we do not become importers,” she adds. Patel is behind a National Dairy Plan that looks at demand and supply up to 2021.
Amrita Patel, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board. Power to Amrita means maintaining the highest standards of integrity at all times. (Read more about Amrita)

Ashu Suyash, Country Head & Managing Director for India at Fidelity International. Power to Ashu means the ability to influence and bring about change. (Read Ashu's biggest turning point in career)

Chanda Kochhar, Joint MD, ICICI Bank. Power to Chanda means the ability to impact the lives of common people. (Read how Chanda Kochhar deals with a glass ceiling)

Chitra Ramakrishna, Deputy Managing Director, NSE. Power to Chitra means shunning media glare and letting her actions speak for her work. (Read about Chitra's most memorable experience at workplace)

Ela R. Bhatt, Founder, Self-employed Women’s Association. As a founder of SEWA, Ela is part of the top 25 powerful women in Indian business list because of the worldwide impact that her work has had on not only the disadvantaged workers but also on government policies. (Read Ela R. Bhatt)

more rankings @:
http://businesstoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=1&task=view&id=7741&sectionid=22&issueid=40&page=archieve

http://businesstoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_registration&exist=yes&task=homegallery&assignedid=61&thumbid=61&issueid=40
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On the power track In pics: The rising stars
For women, by women In pics: Women in MFIs
Doing their own thing In pics: Six start-up women
The thought leaders In pics: Top women thinkers
Papa don't preach In pic: The inheritors
The power list in retrospectFrom BT archives
2007: Vinita Bali remains at top
2006: Magic at Britannia
2004: Arnavaj 'Anu' Aga remains at top
2003: India Inc's Ms Conscience
Nothing is impossible
For women, by women
Top start-up women

Source:Business Today