Women entrepreneurship in India is expanding and making huge social and economic contributions. As of 2025, women represent around 14% of all entrepreneurs in India. According to a report by Niti Ayog, there are approximately 8.05 million women entrepreneurs. Women own about 26.2% of the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as of 2024. Women entrepreneurs employ between 22 and 27 million people across the country.
But among all these 8.05 million, who are the most successful women entrepreneurs in India? In this blog, we shall take a look at the top women entrepreneurs in the country who have made a huge impact.
List of 19 Most Successful Women Entrepreneurs in India
Here is a ranked list of 19 women entrepreneurs in India with their net worth. The ranking primarily considers the entrepreneurs’ estimated net worth, impact on the industry, unicorn status, and overall leadership contributions.
Here are the top 19 successful women entrepreneurs in India
| Rank | Entrepreneur | Company / Startup | Net Worth (INR Crore) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roshni Nadar Malhotra | HCL Technologies | ₹2,84,000 crore |
| 2 | Jayshree Ullal | Arista Networks | ₹50,170 crore |
| 3 | Radha Vembu | Zoho Corporation | ₹46,580 crore |
| 4 | Falguni Nayar | Nykaa | ₹39,810 crore |
| 5 | Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw | Biocon | ₹29,330 crore |
| 6 | Juhi Chawla | Diversified Investments | ₹4,600 crore |
| 7 | Kavitha Subramanian | Upstox | ₹3,840 crore |
| 8 | Savitri Jindal | Jindal Group | ₹3,660 crore |
| 9 | Neha Bansal | Various ventures | ₹3,100 crore |
| 10 | Ruchi Kalra | OfBusiness & Oxyzo | ₹2,600 crore |
| 11 | Vandana Luthra | VLCC | ₹1,300 crore |
| 12 | Rekha Jhunjhunwala | Investor / Entrepreneur | ₹800 crore |
| 13 | Renuka Jagtiani | TGI Group | ₹560 crore |
| 14 | Indra Nooyi | Former CEO, PepsiCo | ₹413 crore approx.* |
| 15 | Smita Crishna-Godrej | Godrej Group | ₹350 crore |
| 16 | Anu Aga | Thermax Ltd | ₹310 crore |
| 17 | Leena Tewari | USV Pharma | ₹310 crore |
| 18 | Ghazal Alagh | Mamaearth | ₹300+ crore (estimated) |
| 19 | Vineeta Singh | SUGAR Cosmetics | ₹300+ crore (estimated) |
1. Roshni Nadar Malhotra
- Net worth: ₹2,84,000 crore
- Company: HCL Technologies
- Industry: IT/Technology
Roshni Nadar Malhotra is recognized as one of the world’s most powerful women in business. Having inherited a significant stake, she is consistently ranked as India’s richest woman. Beyond her corporate role, she is a dedicated philanthropist, driving the educational initiatives of the Shiv Nadar Foundation. She also focuses on wildlife conservation through The Habitats Trust.
2. Jayshree Ullal
- Net worth: ₹50,170 crore
- Company: Arista Networks
- Industry: Technology / Networking
Jayshree Ullal is the influential President and CEO of Arista Networks. Ullal spent 15 years at Cisco Systems, where she was a Senior Vice President. Since joining Arista in 2008, she has led the company from a startup through a successful 2014 IPO. Ullal was recognized as one of the richest female CEOs in the world by Hurun’s 2025 list.
3. Radha Vembu
- Net worth: ₹46,580 crore
- Company: Zoho Corporation
- Industry: Software / SaaS
Radha Vembu is a graduate from IIT Madras who co-founded Zoho Corporation with her brother Sridhar Vembu in 1996. Among successful women entrepreneurs in India, she holds a majority stake in the privately held company. She currently serves as the product manager for Zoho Mail. She is known for maintaining a low profile. Her wealth is derived from her stake in Zoho.
4. Falguni Nayar
- Net worth: ₹39,810 crore
- Company: Nykaa
- Industry: Beauty & Personal Care / E-commerce
Falguni Nayar is the Founder and CEO of Nykaa, a prominent Indian beauty and lifestyle retail company. After a successful two-decade career in investment banking, she quit her job at the age of 50 to launch the e-commerce platform in 2012. Her leadership led Nykaa to a highly successful IPO. Her startup had made her one of India’s wealthiest self-made women. She holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad.
5. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
- Net worth: ₹29,330 crore
- Company: Biocon
- Industry: Biotechnology / Healthcare
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is a pioneering Indian entrepreneur in the biopharmaceutical business. She started the biotechnology company, Biocon, for affordable therapeutics in her garage in Bangalore in 1978. Against initial scepticism about her gender and untested business model, she drove Biocon into a global biopharmaceutical enterprise. She is recognized globally for her contributions to science.
6. Juhi Chawla
- Net worth:₹4,600 crore
- Company: Mehta Group (stakeholder), Kolkata Knight Riders (Co-ownership), Dreamz Production
- Industry: Entertainment & Investments
Juhi Chawla’s entrepreneurial career has been highly successful. Alongside her husband and Shah Rukh Khan, she is a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Her business portfolio also includes co-founding the production company Dreamz Unlimited and holding stakes in various enterprises via the Mehta Group.
7. Kavitha Subramanian
- Net worth: ₹3,840 crore
- Company: Upstox
- Industry: Fintech / Trading Platform
Kavitha Subramanian is a Co-founder at Upstox, one of India’s leading investment and trading platforms. She is responsible for driving the company’s overall strategy, growth, finance, and customer experience. An alumna of IIT Bombay and The Wharton School, her background includes experience in private equity and management consulting. Her experience in equity fuels her strong focus on financial inclusion.
8. Savitri Jindal
- Net worth: ₹3,660 crore
- Company: Jindal Group
- Industry: Steel & Industrial Manufacturing
Savitri Jindal serves as the Chairperson Emerita of the O.P. Jindal Group, a massive conglomerate with interests in steel, power, cement, and infrastructure. She took the helm following her husband’s death in 2005. She has also been active in politics, serving as a former minister in the Haryana Government. Her journey from homemaker to business magnate is a powerful story of resilience and leadership.
9. Neha Bansal
- Net worth: ₹3,100 crore
- Company: Lenskart, DNS Advisors Pvt. Ltd
- Industry: Eyewear retail and e-commerce, financial consultancy, and business advisory services
Neha Bansal is a Co-Founder and Executive Director, Global Head of Merchandising at Lenskart, an omnichannel eyewear retailer. A Chartered Accountant, she was part of the original founding team that incorporated Lenskart in 2008. She leads the merchandising and legal/secretarial governance functions and has been key to the company’s growth. Her role has helped in expanding the company’s presence across India and international markets.
10. Ruchi Kalra
- Net worth: ₹2,600 crore
- Company: OfBusiness & Oxyzo
- Industry: Fintech / B2B Marketplace
Ruchi Kalra is best known as the co-founder of two profitable unicorns, i.e., OfBusiness and its financial services arm, Oxyzo. She is ranked as one of the successful women entrepreneurs in India in the startup ecosystem. OfBusiness is a leading B2B commerce platform providing raw materials and credit to SMEs. Kalra’s strategic vision focuses on profitability alongside growth.
11. Vandana Luthra
- Net worth: ₹1,300 crore
- Company: VLCC
- Industry: Wellness / Beauty / Health Services
Vandana Luthra is a celebrated Indian entrepreneur and the founder of VLCC Health Care Ltd, which she established in 1989. She pioneered an all-inclusive approach in India’s wellness industry. Her brand blended dietary modification, exercise, and advanced beauty treatments. Luthra is a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award for her contributions to trade and industry.
12. Rekha Jhunjhunwala
- Net worth: ₹800 crore
- Company: NA (Equity Investor)
- Industry: Investment & Venture Capital
Rekha Jhunjhunwala is a prominent Indian investor and businesswoman. She is known for actively managing the portfolio of her late husband, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, the “Big Bull” of the Indian stock market. Her portfolio, with top holdings like Titan Company, has made her one of the most successful women entrepreneurs in India. She continues the family’s legacy through shrewd investments and philanthropic efforts.
13. Renuka Jagtiani
- Net worth: ₹560 crore
- Company: TGI Group
- Industry: Retail / FMCG
Renuka Jagtiani is the Chairwoman of the Landmark Group, a massive retail and hospitality conglomerate based in Dubai. She played a key role in expanding the company’s presence across the Middle East, India, and other regions. Following the passing of her husband, Micky Jagtiani, in 2023, she took on a more prominent leadership role.
14. Indra Nooyi
- Net worth: ₹413 crore approx
- Company: Former CEO, PepsiCo
- Industry: Food & Beverage
Indra Nooyi is the former Chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, a role she held from 2006 to 2019. Born in India, she became the first woman, person of color, and immigrant to head a Fortune 50 company. During her tenure, she advocated the “Performance with a Purpose” strategy. She focused on increased profits alongside environmental sustainability and healthier product offerings.
15. Smita Crishna-Godrej
- Net worth: ₹350 crore
- Company: Godrej Group
- Industry: Conglomerate / Consumer Goods
Smita Crishna-Godrej is a third-generation heir of the prominent Godrej family, which controls the multibillion-dollar Godrej Group, an Indian conglomerate. She holds a significant stake in the family assets. Her stake includes a portion of the recently divided Godrej Enterprises Group, whose flagship company is the privately held Godrej & Boyce. She is also involved in various philanthropic and cultural activities.
Also Read: The Real Definition of Beauty: A Look at the 20 Most Beautiful Women in India
16. Anu Aga
- Net worth: ₹310 crore
- Company: Thermax Ltd
- Industry: Engineering / Energy
Anu Aga is an Indian billionaire businesswoman and social worker, known for leading Thermax as its chairperson from 1996 to 2004. She is also recognized for her philanthropic work, for which she received the Padma Shri award in 2010. She also served a nominated term in the Rajya Sabha and was the Chairperson of Teach for India.
17. Leena Tewari
- Net worth: ₹310 crore
- Company: USV Pharma
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
Leena Tewari is the chairperson of USV Private Limited, a major multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company in Mumbai. The company specializes in diabetic and cardiovascular drugs. The company was founded by her grandfather in 1961. A big name in the list of successful women entrepreneurs in India, she is also noted for her philanthropy, particularly supporting underprivileged women’s education.
18. Ghazal Alagh
- Net worth: ₹300+ crore (estimated)
- Company: Mamaearth
- Industry: Beauty & Personal Care / D2C
Ghazal Alagh is the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Mamaearth. Her company is a leading Indian D2C brand specializing in toxin-free and Made-Safe certified personal care products. She co-founded the company in 2016 with her husband, Varun Alagh, after struggling to find safe baby products for their son. Alagh is also a well-known investor and a former judge on the entrepreneurial reality show, Shark Tank India.
19. Vineeta Singh
- Net worth: ₹300+ crore (estimated)
- Company: SUGAR Cosmetics
- Industry: Beauty & Personal Care / D2C
Vineeta Singh is the CEO and co-founder of SUGAR Cosmetics, one of India’s leading beauty brands valued at around ₹2,940 crore. An IIT Madras and IIM Ahmedabad alumna, she famously turned down a ₹1 crore job to pursue entrepreneurship. She is also a prominent investor, serving as a popular “Shark” on the business reality TV show, Shark Tank India.
Conclusion:
This curated list showcases the extraordinary achievements of successful women entrepreneurs in India. These women have built multi-crore enterprises and global brands across diverse sectors like technology, wellness, finance, and consumer goods. Their journeys demonstrate resilience, vision, and the ability to scale massive business empires.
The collective success of these leaders signals a powerful and transformative shift in India’s economic setting. Their achievements drive significant GDP contributions and job creation. But their stories also provide essential inspiration, ensuring that the next generation of successful women entrepreneurs in India has a clear path and powerful role models to follow.
FAQs
1. Which sector has the largest number of successful women entrepreneurs in India?
The Services sector, particularly in beauty, wellness, education, and IT, accounts for the largest share of women-owned enterprises.
2. Which organization supports skill training for women in the beauty industry?
Vandana Luthra (VLCC) is the first Chairperson of the Beauty and Wellness Sector Skill Council (B&WSSC), an initiative backed by the Government of India.
3. What major challenges do successful women entrepreneurs in India face?
Primary challenges include limited access to finance, gender-based bias, lack of formal networks, and balancing business demands with family responsibilities.
