Anushka Prasad
2025 has been a year shaped by brilliant and determined women whose leadership and talent have driven meaningful progress across India. From breaking records in sports and building disruptive businesses to influencing policy, culture, and social change, these women didn’t just make headlines, they shifted mindsets.
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This year in review looks at the women who didn’t wait for change, they became it, shaping India’s story in 2025 in ways that will be felt for years to come.
Gita Gopinath
In 2025, Gita Gopinath continued to be one of the most influential Indian voices in the global economic space. As the First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, she remained at the centre of conversations around inflation, slowing growth, and economic recovery—issues that directly affect everyday lives, even if they often feel distant. What sets Gopinath apart is her ability to break down complex economic realities and translate them into policies aimed at stability and inclusivity. For many young women in India, her journey stands as proof that leadership in global finance isn’t limited by gender or geography.
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Falguni Nayar
Falguni Nayar’s story continued to inspire in 2025, not just because she built Nykaa into a successful brand, but because she did so on her own terms. After years in investment banking, she took a leap into entrepreneurship and created a beauty and fashion platform that truly understood Indian consumers. This year, Nykaa strengthened its position as a trusted, women-centric brand, while Nayar remained a rare example of a woman leading a large, publicly listed company in India. Her journey reminds us that it’s never “too late” to start something new, and that thoughtful leadership can be just as powerful as rapid growth.
Payal Kapadia
Payal Kapadia quietly reshaped how Indian stories are seen and felt in 2025. Her films, known for their emotional depth and visual sensitivity, spoke about everyday lives, memories, and relationships especially from a woman’s perspective. Instead of loud narratives, Kapadia chose subtlety, allowing silence and stillness to carry meaning. This year, her work continued to receive global recognition, putting Indian independent cinema in the international spotlight. Through her storytelling, she showed that women don’t need to follow existing formulas to be heard sometimes, all it takes is honesty and patience.
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Manu Bhakar
For Manu Bhaker, 2025 was a year defined by resilience and quiet strength. After facing intense pressure and setbacks earlier in her career, she returned to competitive shooting with renewed focus and confidence. Her performances this year reflected not just technical skill, but immense mental discipline—an aspect often overlooked in sports. Beyond medals and rankings, Bhaker’s journey resonated with young athletes across India, especially women, who saw in her a reminder that failure doesn’t end a career; it can redefine it.
Divya Karnad
Dr. Divya Karnad’s work in 2025 brought attention to an issue many rarely think about—the health of India’s oceans and the communities that depend on them. As a marine biologist and conservationist, she worked closely with fishing communities, policymakers, and researchers to promote sustainable practices. What sets her approach apart is her focus on people as much as science. By linking environmental protection with livelihoods, Karnad showed that conservation doesn’t have to come at the cost of human survival. Her work is a powerful reminder that meaningful change often happens far from the spotlight.
