‘She Leads India’ At BSE Champions Women Leaders From Boardrooms To Grassroots

The historic halls of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) hosted a powerful conversation on March 13, as She Leads India 2026 by SheThePeople brought together influential voices across business, finance, and social impact. As they rang the bell for gender equality, one message reverberated through the room: women are not just entering markets and boardrooms, they are scripting India’s growth story. The conference was powered by UN Women, MSCI India and Women in ETF (WE).

The most iconic moment of the event was the ceremonial bell ringing – at one of the world’s oldest stock exchanges – led by Shaili Chopra, founder of SheThePeople and Gytree; Kamala K, Chief Regulatory Officer at BSE; Sundararaman Ramamurthy, MD and CEO of BSE, and other dignitaries.

Across stock exchanges worldwide, the ringing of the bell signals the opening of markets and the promise of new momentum. At She Leads India, this ceremony reinforced the call for gender equality across industries and affirmed that women belong at the very centre of economic growth and leadership.

In her inaugural speech, Shaili Chopra expressed, “Every time I ring the bell, I think one day I’ll bring my company to ring the bell too.” Her words reflected ambition and grit, setting a powerful tone for the day. “Ringing this bell reminds me that gender equality is not just a social or moral cause; it is an economic imperative.”

Rather than preaching empowerment in the abstract, the event aimed to make women’s ambition part of everyday conversation. As Madhavi Joshi, Executive Director of MSCI, said in her keynote speech, “The most powerful thing an organisation can do is not just celebrate women, but normalise women in leadership.” 

The audience also heard insightful speeches on gender-inclusive nation-building from keynote speakers Kamala K of BSE; Maninder Cheema, Executive Director of SEBI; Koel Ghosh, Executive Director and Head of India Client Coverage at MSCI; and Suhela Khan, Country Programme Manager at UN Women India.

Confidence & Access

The She Leads India agenda was packed with discussions around scaling, investment, and influence. The panel ‘Rise of Women Entrepreneurs in New India: The Next Leap in Growth & Financial Independence’ explored the growing momentum of women-led enterprises in India’s evolving startup ecosystem.

The panel included Shinjini Kumar, co-founder of SALT App and author; Neha Grover, Lead, PE Funds & Co‑Investments, IFC South Asia; Shruti Goyal, Partner at Dalberg Advisors; Radha Kirthivasan, Head of Listing and SME at BSE; Delphine Brissonneau, Attaché, Cooperation Section of the Delegation of the EU to India; and moderator Mridu Bhandari, senior journalist and founder of Mentor Leap.

Radha Kirthivasan highlighted the gaps in India’s women-led business. She noted, “India has over 7-crore listed MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises). Out of these, women own 22% of the micro enterprises, 12% of small enterprises, and only 7% of medium enterprises. There is a significant gap in access to support ecosystems for women.”

The panellists emphasised that addressing these challenges requires financial literacy, institutional support, and stronger networking and mentorship opportunities. They noted that beyond capital, supporting women entrepreneurs also means equipping them with confidence, collaborations, and credibility.

Driving Social Impact

In the next panel, ‘Social Giving & Viksit Bharat: Women Leading India’s Next Social Transformation and the opportunity through Social Stock Exchange,’ speakers discussed how women in leadership can create a broader impact by bridging the gap between grassroots needs and structured capital.

This panel featured Sanaa Sheikh, COO of United Way Mumbai; Aanchal Agrawal, youth icon and champion of change; Rajesh Dangeti, CGM of SEBI; Sunita Gandhi, Founder of Devi Sansthan; Sowmya Suryanarayanan, Managing Director, Impact & ESG at Aavishkaar Capital; and moderator Sheena Gandhi, Lead at the BSE Social Stock Exchange.

Sanaa Sheikh reflected on women leaders at the grassroots. “Even in the most remote tribal communities, we can see women anganwadi workers and ASHA workers driving social change. They go house to house, addressing deeply embedded problems like hesitance to institutional delivery or vaccine hesitancy. They are the first women that community members see in a public leadership role,” she said.

Through personal experiences, observations, and statistics, the conversation emphasised how women leaders can bring diverse perspectives and innovative solutions to social challenges, building trust among communities, shaping inclusive development, and translating policy into action.

Women & Viksit Bharat

She Leads India 2026 at the Bombay Stock Exchange became a platform for learning new approaches to leadership, sharing insights, forging collaborations, and showcasing actionable strategies that advance women’s roles across business, finance, and social impact. 

The conversations highlighted how women in leadership are driving change across markets and communities. From entrepreneurs ringing the bell at the stock exchange to grassroots leaders tackling real-world challenges, women are influencing decisions and driving India towards the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision.