Top 5 Women Entrepreneurs in India

Here are 5 women entrepreneurs who dared to make all the difference :

1.  Sabina Chopra – The Queen of Online Travel

When you log on to Yatra.com today, it feels like a natural choice, one of India’s most trusted online travel portals. But what we often forget is that this trust was built on the shoulders of a woman who dared to dream differently. Sabina Chopra started her career in the travel and outsourcing industries, where she gathered deep insights about consumer behavior and the challenges of a developing market. In 2006, she co-founded Yatra.com, at a time when online bookings were almost unheard of in India. Building Yatra was no easy feat, customers were skeptical of paying online, internet penetration was low, and competition was beginning to heat up. But Sabina stayed firm in her belief that India would eventually embrace the digital shift in travel. Her real test, however, came during the tragic 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. The hospitality and travel industries were shaken, and Yatra faced heavy setbacks. For many, this would have been the end of the road. But Sabina stood tall, rebuilt her company, and steered it back on course.

Website- www.yatra.com

Her resilience paid off, Yatra.com went on to become a household name in travel, securing a strong market share and transforming how India books its holidays. Over the years, she has been recognized with several prestigious awards including the Women Leader of the Year Award and the Women Empowerment Award. Sabina’s story isn’t just about building a successful company, it is about showing the world that determination can turn challenges into stepping stones.

2. Aditi Gupta – Changing the Conversation on Menstruation

For decades, menstruation in India was treated like a shadow subject. It was spoken about in whispers, wrapped in myths, and surrounded by shame. Growing up, Aditi Gupta herself experienced the confusion and embarrassment that came with this silence. But instead of letting it defeat her, she decided to change it, for herself and for millions of young girls like her. In 2012, Aditi, along with her husband Tuhin Paul, founded Menstrupedia. What started as an idea soon turned into a revolutionary educational initiative. They created comic books that explained menstruation in a language young girls could understand, through simple words, friendly illustrations, and relatable stories. These books didn’t just explain the biology of periods, they broke taboos, busted myths, and gave confidence to girls who were often made to feel ashamed of a natural process.

Website- www.menstrupedia.com

Today, Menstrupedia is being used in over 6,000 schools across India and has reached more than 15 countries. It has empowered millions of young girls with knowledge and dignity. Aditi’s vision was recognized globally, she was named in Forbes India’s 30 Under 30 and featured in several international platforms as a changemaker. But the true success of her work lies in the classrooms where girls now talk about periods openly, without shame. Aditi didn’t just start a company, she started a movement, one that continues to ripple across borders.

3. Falguni Nayar – The Woman Who Dreamed Big at 50

In the world of startups, stories often celebrate young entrepreneurs who disrupt industries in their twenties. But Falguni Nayar’s story redefined what it means to dream. After a long and successful career as an investment banker at Kotak Mahindra, where she advised some of India’s biggest corporates, she decided to take a leap of faith. At the age of 50, when many consider slowing down, she chose to start all over again. In 2012, she launched Nykaa, an online beauty and lifestyle retailer. At the time, India’s beauty industry was fragmented, with global giants controlling most of the market and limited accessibility for Indian consumers. Falguni saw an opportunity,  she wanted to create a platform that would give Indians access to authentic, high-quality beauty products with the convenience of online shopping. Starting small, she built Nykaa brick by brick, focusing on curating trusted brands, building strong customer service, and most importantly, understanding the unique needs of the Indian woman.

Website: www.nykaa.com 

Her vision paid off, Nykaa became a household name, revolutionizing how Indians shop for beauty and personal care. In 2021, it became one of the rare woman-led companies to go public, making headlines across the globe. Today, Falguni Nayar is celebrated as India’s wealthiest self-made woman, featuring on the IIFL Wealth Hurun India Rich List 2022. But beyond the numbers and accolades, her journey is a message, that age is never a barrier when your dreams are backed with courage.

4. Malika Datt Sadani – Building a Brand for Mothers, by a Mother

Some stories are written not in boardrooms but in the quiet moments of motherhood. Malika Datt Sadani’s journey is one such example. A banker by profession, her life took a new turn after the birth of her two daughters. As a mother, she wanted the safest, most natural products for her children. But what she found instead was disappointment, most products in the Indian market were loaded with chemicals, toxins, and artificial ingredients. This gap struck her deeply. Why should mothers have to compromise on safety when it came to their children? With that question in mind, she set out to create a solution. In 2016, Malika founded The Moms Co., a brand that promised toxin-free, natural products designed specially for mothers and babies. Her brand quickly struck a chord with parents across the country, offering everything from skincare to nutrition, products that parents could trust without second-guessing.

Website- www.themomsco.com

Her journey was not without challenges, building awareness about toxin-free products, gaining consumer trust, and competing in a crowded FMCG space was tough. But Malika’s authenticity and her own experience as a mother resonated with her audience. Today, The Moms Co. has grown into one of India’s most trusted mom-and-baby brands. For Malika, the biggest reward isn’t just sales or success, it is the gratitude of mothers who finally feel heard and supported.

5 Sairee Chahal – Founder & CEO, SHEROES

“When women support women, revolutions are born.” Sairee Chahal is the visionary behind SHEROES, India’s largest women-only community platform, offering opportunities, guidance, and a safe space for millions of women. With her unique community-meets-technology approach, she has set out to transform the lives of 100 million women, redefining how women connect, work, and grow in a digital era. Her story begins at the age of just 17, when she left home to study Russian at Jawaharlal Nehru University. By the time she finished, she had already worked with several embassies, a rare achievement for someone so young. She went on to co-found Newslink Services in 1999, later worked with CII and Heidrick & Struggles, and eventually launched SAITA Consulting to support tech start-ups. But her tryst with countless women professionals inspired her to take a leap, and what started as Fleximoms soon grew into something much larger, SHEROES.

Website- sheroes.com

Today, SHEROES is a thriving network of over 16 million women, connecting them through careers, health, entrepreneurship, relationships, and even a dedicated helpline. It has created more than 10,000 remote work opportunities, hosted India’s largest women’s forum The SHEROES Summit, and grown further through acquisitions like Gharkamai, LoveDoctor, and Maya. For her pioneering work, Sairee has been celebrated with honors including the Devi Award, Femina Achievers Award, Cartier Award, and recognition among the Most Powerful Women in Indian Business. Beyond awards, her mission is clear: to take conversations around women, careers, and empowerment into every school, college, workplace, and small town of India. For Sairee, SHEROES isn’t just a company—it’s a movement proving that when women rise, nations rise.

Sairee, Sabina, Aditi, Falguni, and Malika, five women, five journeys, one truth. They dared to dream, they dared to fight, and they dared to rise. Their stories remind us that being a woman is not just about surviving the odds; it is about rewriting them. And that is the greatest superpower of all.