Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been ranked 32nd in Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women. The list also includes US Vice President Kamala Harris and musician Taylor Swift. Three other Indian women have made it to the list as well – HCL Corporation CEO Roshni Nadar Malhotra (ranked 60), Steel Authority of India chairperson Soma Mondal (ranked 70), and Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (ranked 76).
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission chief, secured the top spot on the list, followed by Christine Lagarde, the European Central Bank boss, at the second position, and US Vice President Kamala Harris at number three.
Nirmala Sitharaman became India’s first full-time Finance Minister in May 2019 and also heads the Corporate Affairs ministry. Before entering politics, she had worked in roles at the UK’s Agricultural Engineers Association and BBC World Service. Forbes also highlighted her membership in the National Commission for Women.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra, the daughter of HCL founder and industrialist Shiv Nadar, holds the position of chairperson of HCL Technologies. According to Forbes, she is responsible for all strategic decisions for the company and took over the role from her father in July 2020.
Soma Mondal is the first woman chairperson of the state-run Steel Authority of India (SAIL). Forbes noted that since assuming the role in 2021, she has led the steelmaker to record financial growth, with profits surging threefold in her first year of leadership.
Described as one of India’s richest self-made women, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw founded the biopharmaceutical firm Biocon in 1978. The company operates Asia’s largest insulin factory in Malaysia’s Johor region, according to Forbes.
These Indian women have achieved remarkable success in their respective fields and have made a significant impact on the global stage. Their inclusion in Forbes’ list further highlights their influence and power in the world.
