Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women Leaders in Indian Business Schools

In recent years, Indian business schools have made significant progress in empowering women leaders, breaking traditional barriers, and fostering an inclusive environment. This transformation is not only reshaping the landscape of business education but also paving the way for a new generation of women leaders who have and are poised to make a significant impact across diverse industries and communities.

”At ISH, empowering women in leadership starts at the very core of the institution. Women hold key roles on our Governing and Advisory Councils, reflecting their active involvement in shaping the direction of ISH. Additionally, 60% of our staff are women, including faculty and administrative leaders, underscoring our commitment to gender diversity in decision-making and operational excellence. We recognise the dual responsibilities women often balance between professional aspirations and family commitments and our institutional policies are designed to support this balance,” says Mr. Kunal Vasudeva, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Indian School of Hospitality.

Delving further into the significance of fostering women leaders and the unique endeavours which prominent B Schools are embracing, Dr. Rajiv R Thakur, Director General, Jaipuria School of Business, Ghaziabad, states,” We have introduced a unique initiative called ‘i-Lead: Inspiring Leaders’. The thought behind this concept is to create a sense of purpose and the understanding that good leaders engage, encourage and inspire.  i-Lead inspires female and male students to be leaders and engages them with inspiring business leaders.”

To further promote gender equality and address the challenges faced by women in the business field, Indian business schools are emphasising building a curriculum that is inclusive and empowering. This involves incorporating gender studies into the core curriculum, offering courses that highlight the contributions of women in business, and addressing gender-specific challenges in leadership and management.

”At the curricular level, we have many opportunities for women to grow: first, we operate an entire academic program through student learning teams. Gender balance is an important criterion in forming these teams. Second, all students undergo POSCH training, which has led to a deeper understanding of the gender dynamics and behaviours to avoid for male students and team members. Third, our induction program for students includes a sensitising program on  DE&I by leading voices in the domain. We also nurture an enabling set of curricular, co and extracurricular activities to ensure a women-supportive environment,” says Dr. Kavita Pathak, Director, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow.

Echoing her views and underlining the importance of strategic curriculum to enable gender equality, Dr. Preeti Malhotra, Assistant Professor, School of Management, GD Goenka University, says,” We include case studies in the curriculum on successful women leaders, gender equity challenges, and organisational strategies. In addition, we offer internships and projects that allow students to work in diverse environments, promoting an understanding of gender-specific workplace dynamics. We encourage students to undertake research projects focused on gender equity, workplace challenges for women, and leadership development.”

The comprehensive leadership programs at these esteemed institutions have empowered numerous women to carve distinctive niches in their respective fields.

Among the notable alumni from GD Goenka University are Ms. Neetu Bhattacharya, an MBA graduate now serving as a Senior Analyst at Gartner, Ms. Niharika Kumar, Senior Operational Analyst at American Express, Ms. Apoorva, HR (Talent Acquisition) at Royal & Field, Dr. Nidhi Singh, Assistant Professor at GD Goenka University and Ms. Sadhika Malhotra, who has successfully established her own business.

Additionally, Ms. Kriti, an alumna of ISH, is a thriving professional at Sula Vineyards, while Ms. Rashi, another successful professional from the institution, credits her growth to ISH’s industry interactions, mentorship, and supportive environment.

From Jaipuria School of Business in Ghaziabad, several remarkable students have secured impressive positions: Ms. Rashmi Singh has joined Federal Bank, Ms. Soumya S. is now with DB Schenker, Ms. Pragati Singh has been placed at HUL, Ms. Avantika Tiwari is with Metlife, and Ms. Akriti Chaturvedi is a successful professional at Accenture. These women embody the success and impact of the leadership programs offered at their institutions.

It is also important to mention that mentorship programs have proven to be a game-changer for many female students. These programs connect students with successful leaders in the industry, providing guidance, support, and valuable networking opportunities.

”The mentorship program at our institute serves multiple objectives: help the students become more self-aware, address their weaknesses and build upon their strengths. The mentorship program begins at the point of admission and continues upto graduation,” says Dr. Kavita Pathak.

Similarly, Mr. Kunal Vasudeva shares the comprehensive measures embraced at ISH to cultivate a robust mentorship culture,”At ISH, mentorship is embedded into the student journey, focusing on showcasing women leaders in hospitality and beyond. Through Talk with Kunal Vasudeva—our flagship podcast series—and regular industry talks featuring CXOs, start-up founders, entrepreneurs, and iconic chefs, students gain insights into leadership and success from accomplished professionals. Some of India’s top women hospitality leaders including General Managers, Managing Directors, and Chef entrepreneurs have spoken at ISH, directly impacting how our students view leadership, resilience, and success.”

Mr. Vasudeva also mentions the key role of the Flourish Endowment Fund in making education accessible to deserving women candidates. According to him, this fund provides need-based financial aid to students from economically weaker sections and works closely with families to address financial concerns and societal hesitations regarding women entering hospitality and business education.

The journey towards gender equality in Indian business schools looks promising as more women are enrolling in business programs and taking on leadership roles. Moreover, the extensive efforts to support and empower women in business schools are expected to deliver notable results for the broader business community.