6 Women Entrepreneurs In Family Business Who Are Calling The Shots!

Until two decades back, the thought of women entrepreneurs handling family business might have been rare. But today- two decades later- we have several women running family businesses far more efficiently than their male counterparts.

In recent years, several women were handed over the legacy of these companies, and needless to say- these women are calling the shots in this business world! They add their authenticity to years of legacy and have made it even better.

So, let’s have a look at these remarkable Indian women entrepreneurs in the family business!

Farah Malik Bhanji

For Farah, selling footwear runs in her blood. Farah started working at Metro Shoes way earlier before- in 2013, she was appointed as the Managing Director of the shoe mogul. 

Mind you- things weren’t handed over to Farah right after she started working. She rode her way up by slowly modernizing the company- she introduced the barcoding system and data management to the company and took their sales to another level. 

Moreover, Farah made an online presence via social media handles and a website and introduced other technological advances for the company. Farah is a successful leader who brought generations-old business blood and a warm heart to bring a few emotions to her profession. 

Priti Sureka

Priti- the only woman director on a board of fifteen male counterparts- Priti is the literal definition of ‘smash the patriarchy.’

Surka officially joined Emami Ltd, her father’s company, when she was in class 10th- that’s approximately at the age of fifteen! She studied and got a degree from Harvard Business School.

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But, things weren’t handed to her simply- she went through a lot of snide remarks from extended family and criticism for being a she-boss! However, Priti handled them smoothly without losing her spirit. 

Working in a male-dominated workplace was a challenge for Priti, but with her love for the company since the age of twelve, she learned to deal with them.

Priya Paul

At 21, Priya started her entrepreneurial journey working under her father as a marketing manager at The Park, New Delhi. As a graduate of Wellesley College and Harvard Business School, Priya was ready to take the next step in her entrepreneurial journey. 

She took charge of the General Manager position and was later chosen to be the director of the Apeejay Surrendra Group and Chairperson of the Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotel. 

Priya Paul is one of the most influential women in the industry of family businesses. In the last 25 years, with her innovation and contribution to the business- she has been recognised nationally. She won Padma Shri in 201

Sulajja Firodia Motwani

Sulajja followed her father’s steps and went to pursue a management degree from Carnegia Mellon University, Pittsburgh. The 51-year-old entrepreneur was credited as the youngest MBA at the age of 21. 

After coming back to India, Sulajja immersed herself in Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions Limited and travelled throughout the country to oversee the company’s sales, marketing and finances. 

Nothing stopped Sulajja from spreading her wings. Over the years, she has managed to take Kinetic Motors to a larger and more sustainable level. 

Vinita Gupta

Vinita Gupta, the chairperson of Lupin Limited, is the epitome of success. This 54-year-old entrepreneur handles Lupin- founded by her father, Desh Bandhu Gupta- and its US subsidiary, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, since September 2013. 

Vinita’s leadership has drastically changed the fate of Lupin as her business mind has successfully acquired speciality products from Germany and Australia. 

But that’s not where this Pharma mogul stops, she has managed to acquire several companies globally, and her US subsidiary alone contributes over 40 per cent of the company’s turnover. Vinita is indeed a genius!

Meher Pudumjee

Last on the list of women running a family business is none other than Meher Pudumjee! She is the chairperson of Thermax Limited, a global environmental engineering company. 

The 56-year-old chairperson joined the company under her father as a freshly graduated trainee. While her interest in the family business grew eventually, her parents never obligated her to join the company. It was after she graduated from Imperial College of London that she suddenly wanted to work at Thermax. 

Meher climbed the ladder of success as Thermax achieved a monumental growth in sales from 600 Cr to 6000 Cr from 2001 to 2011. 

However, despite her business-oriented mind, Meher’s heart lies for children and education. She is a member of The Akanksha Foundation– an NGO that supports education while keeping environmental concerns at bay. 

To conclude, these six Indian women entrepreneurs in family business have shown what it takes to be remarkable entrepreneurs, and they continue to inspire women of all ages to leap!

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