Women who lead: meet the trailblazing speakers at SheSparks 2025

"When women support each other, incredible things happen.”

The countdown to YourStory’s flagship event for women, SheSparks 2025, has begun. 

Now in its eighth year, SheSparks is more than just an annual gathering of women leaders from all walks of life; it’s a celebration of the achievements of women who have gone the extra mile, broken barriers, shattered stereotypes, and chosen the road less travelled to make a difference. 

This year, SheSparks promises a call to action with a year-long movement to foster inclusivity, highlight change makers, and deliver equitable change to bring 10 lakh women into the workforce. The event to be held on March 21 at Shangri-La, Bengaluru, will feature changemakers leading from the front to create lasting impact.

As we gear up for an insightful, educational and interactive exchange of ideas and experiences, let’s take a closer look at the trailblazers set to take the stage and spark conversations that drive real impact.

Chetna Gala Sinha

In 1997, Chetna established the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank, designed for and by rural women. The bank has since facilitated loans exceeding $780 million, consistently innovating to introduce new financial products tailored to the evolving needs of female micro-entrepreneurs. 

 In 2006, she founded the first business school for rural women in India, providing education as a key empowerment tool. In 2013, she launched a toll-free helpline and established the first Chambers of Commerce for women micro-entrepreneurs in the country, fostering a supportive business ecosystem.

Mann Deshi Foundation, under Sinha's guidance, operates a diverse range of programmes including a community radio station, a healthcare-for-all initiative, a sports for development programme, and a climate-smart agriculture programme, all geared towards comprehensive development within the communities it serves. It has also set up women-led farmer-producer companies and organizations. 

Chandrika Deb

As Canva’s first employee in India, Chandrika Deb is driving the platform’s growth in its 4th largest market globally, championing design democratisation. Her leadership approach—blending innovation, inclusivity, and scale—has helped Canva engage with over 100 million active internet users across India, from students and solopreneurs to creators and enterprises, empowering them to communicate visually with ease. As Country Manager – India at Canva, Deb is also at the helm of the platform’s AI and localisation efforts, which includes the recent launch of Canva’s Hindi website and its availability in over a dozen Indian languages among others.

Akkai Padmashali

Akkai Padmashali is a pioneering transgender activist, singer, and motivational speaker from Karnataka who has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights. She has played a crucial role in advocating for the rights and dignity of the transgender community, influencing policies and legal reforms. She is the founder of Ondede, an organisation working on gender and sexual minority rights, and has been a vocal advocate for inclusion and equality. Her journey from facing discrimination to becoming a powerful voice for justice is a testament to resilience and courage.

Dr Geetha Manjunath

Dr Geetha Manjunath is the founder, CEO, and CTO of Niramai Health Analytix, a pioneering healthtech startup using artificial intelligence for early breast cancer detection. With over 25 years of experience in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, she has been instrumental in developing Thermalytix, a non-invasive, radiation-free method for breast cancer screening. Her work is transforming healthcare accessibility, particularly for women in low-resource settings.

Dr Saundarya Rajesh

Dr Saundarya Rajesh is an award-winning social entrepreneur, a leading DEI strategist, and a trailblazer in shaping inclusive workplaces in India.

As the founder of Avtar, she has pioneered the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) movement, revolutionising corporate cultures and empowering thousands of women to re-enter the workforce.

Under her leadership, initiatives such as myAvtar.com, India’s first diversity job portal, and Project Puthri, a groundbreaking career development programme for underprivileged girls, have had a transformative impact.

Hardika Shah

Hardika Shah is the Founder & CEO of Kinara Capital, a pioneering fintech company driving financial inclusion for small business entrepreneurs in India. Since its inception in 2011, Kinara Capital has been bridging the MSME credit gap by providing fast, flexible, and collateral-free business loans. Leveraging AI/ML-driven credit decisioning, its multilingual myKinara app enables a quick one-minute eligibility check and streamlines the entire loan process—from approval to disbursement, within 24 hours.

A strong advocate for gender inclusivity, Shah leads Kinara Capital with a women-majority management team and has embedded inclusivity into the company’s culture. Through the HerVikas program, she is empowering women entrepreneurs, while the company’s CSR initiatives further support women micro-entrepreneurs.

Alicia Souza

Alicia Souza is a renowned illustrator, entrepreneur, and author known for her quirky, vibrant, and heartwarming artwork. Based in Bengaluru, she has built a successful brand around her illustrations, which feature everyday moments, relationships, and humour.

Her work appears on stationery, planners, home decor, and lifestyle products, delighting fans across India and beyond. Souza co-founded Chumbak before branching out to establish her own independent brand. She has also authored children’s books and collaborated with major brands. With a distinct storytelling style, Alicia’s art spreads joy and celebrates the little things in life.

Meghna Agarwal

Meghna’s journey as a serial entrepreneur began at 25, spanning industries from manufacturing and HR consulting to real estate. In a sector largely dominated by men, she has carved an unparalleled path as one of the few women leading the commercial real estate industry in India today with IndiQube.

Over the past nine years, she has transformed flexible workspaces, scaling IndiQube to more than 100 properties across 13 cities, managing more than 7.7 million sq. ft. of office space, and driving Rs 867.6 crore in total income in FY24—all while proving that profitability at scale is achievable.

Her inspiring leadership has been recognised across platforms, including Femina’s ‘100 Emerging Women Leaders,’ Entrepreneur Media’s ‘Shepreneurs to Watch,’ and Economic Times’ ‘Power Icons.’ Meghna is also an angel investor in startups like Third Wave Coffee Roasters and an active member of YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization).

Dr Janhavi Nilekani

Dr Janhavi Nilekani is a public policy professional working in maternal health. 

Dr Nilekani's personal experience with childbirth in India left her feeling disempowered and disappointed. It brought to light the inadequate standard of maternity care in the country, and deeply inspired Janhavi to instigate change. 

In 2019, she founded Aastrika Foundation, supported by Nilekani Philanthropies. Aastrika Foundation strives for India wide improvements in the quality of maternal healthcare, through capacity building initiatives and professional midwifery training programmes. 

Dr Nilekani founded Aastrika Midwifery Centre in 2021, an interdisciplinary birth centre in Bangalore. AMC provides ethical, evidence-based, respectful maternity care, and a team that supports mothers through every stage of their journey. 

Sakchi Jain

With around 1.7 million followers on Instagram, Sakchi Jain has carved a niche for herself in the world of social media as an influencer who helps people achieve financial independence. 

Her approach to social media is simple and refreshing–she offers her audience practical tips and hacks that they can incorporate in their everyday routine. She also dabbles in role plays and takes on dual roles to make finance fun and less intimidating for laypersons. 

Through her content, Jain educates people on different types of funds, loans, financial policies, and insurance schemes in the market. She lays down complex topics in simple terms so that everyone can make their own financial decisions.

(The story has been updated to correct a typo.)