Anisha Pahuja

Anisha Pahuja grew up an Army kid, where adapting to new schools, friends and cities every few years was a way of life. It built in her an appreciation for exposure to the new, and the resilience and agility to find her way around it. Over 15 years in the banking industry, she has leveraged those traits to strategically move roles every couple of years, and in doing so, meaningfully accelerated her leadership journey. Unsurprisingly, constantly stepping outside one’s comfort zone is how Anisha defines courage.

Namita Bhandare

Namita Bhandare was appointed the country’s first gender editor with Mint in 2013, and has since been instrumental in sparking crucial conversations around the theme. Her impactful series on women at work for IndiaSpend earned her a national award in 2017. With close to three decades in journalism, Namita now writes a fortnightly column for Hindustan Times and a weekly gender newsletter – Mind the Gap – reaching subscribers nationwide. Courage, to her, is in the small deeds that are not always recognised as bravery, just as much as it is in the big heroic deeds that are often celebrated as such.

Natasha Pinto

Natasha Pinto, an NCPEDP-Mindtree Helen Keller Awardee 2021 and finalist for the 2020 D&I Champion of Change Award by Community Business, is as resilient as they come. Living with Multiple Sclerosis for over a decade, she enables and promotes a disability-inclusive environment in her organisation and community. Her zest for life is infectious and her belief in herself, a force to reckon with. For Natasha, courage means taking the plunge.

Ramya Parashar

Courage is Ramya Parashar’s constant companion. As a strategic IT executive, she’s known for leading through ambiguity, prioritising people, and championing disruptive innovation. Over her career spanning 22 years, courage has guided her through leadership challenges, and she eagerly embraces stepping out of her comfort zone to tackle uncertainties head-on.

Rebecca Vijay

A mother who lost her newborn son three days after the birth of her twins, Rebecca Vijay found the strength and the spirit to show up for her infant daughter amidst deep personal mourning. Eight years later, she wrote her first book about her loss, which became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the US, UK, India and Australia. Courage, to Rebecca, is the choice you make to put one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible. It is the conviction to swim against the tide when necessary, and daring to speak and act with confidence in what one believes.

Shaheen Mistri

Shaheen Mistri founded The Akanksha Foundation in 1989, and Teach For India in 2008, igniting a movement to combat education inequity in India. Over three decades, she has rallied thousands and touched the lives of millions of children by bringing about systemic change in education. She has been an Ashoka Fellow, a Global Leader for Tomorrow at the World Economic Forum, and an Asia Society 21 Leader. Recognised with prestigious awards such as the DCPCR’s Children’s Champion Award (2023), and the Niti Aayaog’s Women Transforming India Award (2022), among others, Shaheen defines courage as the strength to act despite fear or self-doubt.

Shivya Nath

At the age of 23, Shivya Nath quit her corporate job to travel the world. Hailing from the quaint town of Dehradun, nestled at the foothills of the Himalayas, she has since embarked on solo travels, explored sustainability, authored her memoir, launched her first self-paced course and founded her consultancy. Each step in her journey has been a chapter in her pursuit of purpose and fulfilment. Recipient of the prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award in 2023, to Shivya courage means acknowledging one’s comfort zones and actively pushing beyond them.

Sucheta Pal

Sucheta Pal has been leading the disruptor life since 2009 when she went from being a techie to changing the face of dance-fitness in India forever. Known for pioneering the growth of Zumba® in India, she was the brand’s first official Global Ambassador & Master Trainer for the country. She did it all while battling social anxiety disorder.

After a decade of her global career – teaching over 15,000 people across 15+ countries – she was awarded the prestigious “First lady” Rashtrapati Award in 2018. In 2019, when motherhood struck, she founded India’s first of its kind, doctor’s recommended fitness program Mom.Bod.Strong to help mothers return to fitness the right way. Today as a women’s health advocate and speaker, she believes true courage is not a one-time act.

Zia Mody

Zia Mody is one of India’s foremost corporate attorneys. She is an alumna of the University of Cambridge and Harvard Law School, and a member of the New York State Bar. She was ranked No.1 in Fortune India’s ‘India’s 50 Most Powerful Women in Business’ list in 2018 & 2019 and has also served on regulatory and advisory committees worldwide. Courage, Zia asserts, stems from expertise and a resolute inner value system.

Jayashri Kulkarni

Uma Avantsa

Geetika Mehta

Pradnya Desai

Sherine John

Japleen Pasricha

Japleen Pasricha smashes the patriarchy for a living. Founder-CEO & Editor-In-Chief of Feminism in India (FII) – an award-winning digital intersectional feminist and bilingual media platform – she is also a TEDx speaker and has been a part of fellowships such as Acumen India, Swedish Institute, and Rise Up Youth Championship, among others. A dynamic example of the adage ‘be the change you wish to see in the world’, Japleen defines courage as being real with oneself.

Madhumitha Venkataraman

Madhumitha Venkataraman is a pioneering voice in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in India, having led D&I at organisations like Netflix India, Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages, and Snapdeal. As a founder of Diversity Dialogues, she has partnered with over 100 organisations in their diversity and inclusion journey. With a background in HR and certification in therapy, she is also qualified in gender & sexuality, sign language, and counselling.

Recognised by Women Economic Forum and World HRD Congress, she’s rated one of the top 17 D&I Professionals in South Asia by Biz Divas Foundation. As a counsellor, she largely works with underrepresented communities and has authored a paper on making mental health accessible for the deaf community. She regularly speaks at conferences and corporations on diversity and inclusion, and has been featured in the media for her work in D&I and her personal journey as a woman with disability. For Madhumitha, courage is being true to oneself at all times.

Satyavathi Divadari

Twenty-five years ago, Satyavathi Divadari made a bold decision to enter the field of information security, despite the lack of a defined career profile or path. As a visionary cyber security leader, she has amassed diverse experience across industries like Finance, Telecom, BPO, IT, ITES, and Media. She advocates for resilience and finding inspiration in one’s journey as essential elements in cultivating courage.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh

Shabana Basij-Rasikh, raised in Kabul during the Taliban’s first rule, graduated magna cum laude in International Studies and Women & Gender Studies from Middlebury College, Vermont. She co-founded the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) with the mission to provide access to quality education for girls across the country. In 2021, when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan and cracked down on women’s rights, Shabana led the evacuation and relocation of the SOLA community from Afghanistan to Rwanda – sustaining the operations of the world’s only boarding school for Afghan girls. A recipient of the prestigious Malalai medal, Shabana defines true courage as looking beyond oneself.

Vishanthie Sewpaul

Professor Vishanthie Sewpaul (PhD), an awardee of three honorary doctoral degrees from Chile, Norway and Sweden, is a globally recognised social work and human rights scholar, international speaker and activist. She has held leadership positions at institutional, national, and global levels, and visiting professorship at numerous international Universities. Author of her memoir titled ‘The Arc of Our Paths: Growing into Wholeness’, for Vishanthie courage is believing in oneself, even when standing alone, and having unwavering faith in one’s goals and dreams.

Dr. Krithi K. Karanth

Dr. Krithi K. Karanth, CEO at the Centre for Wildlife Studies, and Adjunct Associate Professor at Duke University, has had a remarkable journey. With a childhood spent in and out of jungles, her 25-year research and conservation work across India and Asia delves deep into the human dimensions of wildlife conservation. From studying species distributions to the impacts of wildlife tourism and human-wildlife interactions, Dr Krithi’s work has led her to publish over 100 scientific and popular articles. She’s a recipient of 50+ awards including the National Geographic Society’s 10,000th grantee and Emerging Explorer titles. Notable accolades include the WINGS Women of Discovery Award, Eisenhower and Aspen Fellowships, and the Rolex Award for Enterprise. Named among the Explorer’s Club 2024 EC 50 – as one of the 50 individuals shaping our world – she’s a driving force in shaping global conservation efforts.

Chitra Byregowda

Choosing to pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering in the 1990s, when everyone around her was opting for Computer Science, was a pivotal moment of personal courage for Chitra Byregowda. This bold choice set the stage for a dynamic career characterised by continuous growth and adaptation. Over the course of 23 years, Chitra has navigated various industries and roles, each time adding a new skill or responsibility to her portfolio. From her expertise in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) to her proficiency in Environment, Health and Safety (EHS), Diversity & Inclusion, Wellness, CSR, Sustainability, GRI Reporting, CDP disclosures, Carbon Accounting and Management – her career trajectory reflects a relentless pursuit of personal and professional development. Today, as she oversees the crucial triple bottom line balance of people, profit, and planet, Chitra remains anchored to a cause greater than herself. Tethering courage to purpose, she confronts self-doubt and insecurities with unwavering resolve.

Shalini Sankarshana

Falguni Vasavada

For nearly 25 years, Falguni Vasavada has been following her passion for teaching, specialising in Marketing, Advertising, and IMC. As a double gold medalist, she brings academic excellence and real-world experience to her classrooms at MICA and other esteemed institutions across India. Beyond teaching, she’s deeply engaged in social media, advocating for women empowerment, gender equality, and body positivity. Her research delves into diverse aspects of advertising, from the portrayal of women to digital identity. Through speaking engagements and writing for marketing publications, she aims to challenge norms and inspire change in the industry. As a Body Positivity Champion, Falguni uses her platform on Instagram to spread awareness and offer fashion and styling tips. Her journey is a testament to the courage it takes to follow one’s heart, and the power of it in making a meaningful impact in the world.