On International Women's Day 2020: A Salute To India's Most Powerful Women In Politics And Business

The brilliance of women in business, politics and other fields needs no introduction. Their contribution to the development of the country and family can never be overlooked. The number of women in politics and business has always been relatively small, but even so, their power now feels more tenuous than ever.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, it is important to give a shout-out to these powerful ladies for their efforts and strength.

Sushma Swaraj

At the age of 25, Sushma Swaraj became the youngest state cabinet minister in India. At 27, she became the state president of her party (Janata Party). Later in her career, she became the first woman CM of Delhi, the 2nd woman to become the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Also, she is the first full-time woman external affairs minister of India. She died of a cardiac arrest in New Delhi at the age of 67.

Smriti Irani:-Minister of Textiles, Minister of Women and Child Development

She is currently the youngest Minister in the Council of Ministers. A parliamentarian representing Amethi, Smriti was initially the Union Minister for Human Resource Development from May 2014 to July 2016 and moved to the Textiles Ministry in 2016. She was handed over the additional charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 2017. She retained her position as Minister of Textiles in 2019 and was given the additional responsibility of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

She launched The Global Academic Networks Initiative (GIAN) under her leadership to tap into the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs, Udaan Yojana and Pragati Scheme to tackle girls' low enrolment in engineering colleges.

Nita Ambani:-Chairperson and Founder, Reliance Foundation and Dhirubhai Ambani International School

She made her own name in athletics, philanthropy, and sports. She was the first Indian to become a trustee at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA, and the 1st Indian woman to become a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2016. She has made a huge difference with the work that she does.

Priya Dutt, Former Congress MP; Trustee, Nargis Dutt Foundation

From 2005 to 2014, she was a Member of Parliament. She's taken her father's legacy forward with her political career. With the Nargis Dutt Foundation, her goal is to not let the lack of funds make a patient lose his / her life. They work for early cancer detection in patients since that is the only way to reduce mortality rates.

Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson, and MD, Biocon Limited

A winner of Padma Shri (1989) and Padma Bhushan (2005), Kiran Mazumdar Shaw is the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited, a biotechnology company which she kicked off in 1978 in a garage in Bangalore. Shaw was one of the world's 100 most influential women on TIME magazine in 2010. In 2014 Forbes listed her as the world's 92nd most influential woman. She made it big when it wasn't normal to see a woman succeed in the corporate world.

Schauna Chauhan, CEO, Parle Agro

In 2006, she took over the company's reins from her father and increased its annual business from Rs 600 to Rs 4,200 crores. Frooti has a leading market share in the mango drinks category, under her leadership. Parle Agro now has 13 operating units and products, in addition to Frooti, ranging from fizzy drinks to snacks. Chauhan is also a single mom.