India@75: Meet 7 successful women entrepreneurs of India

This year, India will celebrate its 75th Independence Day. The lead up to the celebrations has been marked with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – the government’s initiative to commemorate 75 glorious years of our independence. India’s independence would not have been possible without the valiant struggle of freedom fighters who fought bravely to liberate the country. But this Mahotsav is dedicated not just to the people who have been “instrumental in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey but also hold within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of activating India 2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” says the Ministry of Culture.

India’s presence in the world today is thanks in large part of the businessmen and entrepreneurs who have put the country on the global stage. At the same time, often overlooked is the contribution of women in business. As India gears up to celebrate its 75th Independence Day on August 15 this year, here is a look at the women entrepreneurs of independent India who are shattering the glass ceiling.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Billionaire businesswoman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is the founder and executive chairperson of Biocon. This first-generation entrepreneur started her biotechnology company in 1978 from a rented garage. This 69-year-old is today counted among India’s richest with an estimated net worth of Rs 29,000 crore.