Women’s History Month 2025: Women entrepreneurs redefining leadership

As Women’s History Month 2025 comes to an end, Patriot spoke with women entrepreneurs across industries to understand how they are reshaping leadership, fostering inclusivity, and creating spaces where others can thrive. From law and healthcare to real estate and interior design, these women are not only breaking barriers but also lifting others along the way.

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Breaking barriers in law: Rhythm Aggarwal on women’s representation

The legal profession has long been dominated by men, with women struggling to break into leadership roles. In India, women make up only 15% of practicing lawyers, while globally, they hold just 32% of senior legal positions. Criminal defence lawyer Rhythm Aggarwal highlights how this gender gap affects not just professional growth but also the justice system itself.

“Increasing women’s representation is not just about fairness—it’s essential for addressing crimes against women and ensuring their voices are heard in legal spaces,” she says. “Women lawyers bring unique perspectives that can drive legal reforms and offer more compassionate advocacy.”

She points to mentorship programs run by women-led law firms, which provide young female lawyers with guidance and hands-on experience. These initiatives are critical in challenging outdated notions of who belongs in leadership. “As Sheryl Sandberg once said, ‘In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders,’” Aggarwal adds.

Healthcare leadership: Dr Sheetal Jindal on women redefining patient care

Healthcare, while often considered a female-dominated field in certain specialties, still struggles with gender imbalances in leadership. Senior consultant and medical director Dr Sheetal Jindal emphasises how women are transforming the industry by prioritising patient-centered care over rigid, efficiency-driven models.

“For years, business and leadership have been dictated by hierarchical mindsets that value competition over collaboration. But women are redefining this approach by fostering community and care,” she explains.

Research supports this shift—despite receiving only half the investment of male-founded companies,women-led businesses generate higher revenues and deliver double the return on investment. In fields like gynaecology and obstetrics, women professionals have created spaces that go beyond treatment to offer emotional support and empowerment.

“Women leaders are not just changing policies—they are changing attitudes,” Dr Jindal says. “By lifting each other up and forming strong communities, we are setting a leadership model based on empathy, collaboration, and innovation.”

Challenging the “Boys’ Club” in real estate: Yukti Nagpal’s call for change

Real estate remains a male-dominated sector, where women often face skepticism despite their expertise. Yukti Nagpal, Director of Gulshan Group, has experienced this firsthand.

“Even today, male clients instinctively look to speak with male executives, even when highly experienced women leaders are present. This ingrained mindset requires a fundamental shift,” she says.

At Gulshan Group, Nagpal has led efforts to make the workplace more inclusive by implementing POSH training, mentorship programs, and leadership exposure initiatives for women. But she stresses that structural change requires more than policies—it needs a cultural shift.

“For businesses to create lasting impact, we must actively create opportunities for women. Mentorship programs allow women to support, guide, and uplift one another by sharing industry insights,” she explains. “When women support women, entire industries evolve.”

A “Room of One’s Own” in interior design: Anuradha Aggarwal’s vision

Unlike many industries, interior design has been a space where women have not only found representation but have flourished. Luxury interior designer and founder of Studio Olives Cre, Anuradha Aggarwal, believes this industry provides a rare opportunity for women to lead without the constraints of traditional male-driven business models.

“Interior design allows women to bring their creativity, vision, and leadership to the forefront. It is one of the few industries where we are not constantly fighting for a seat at the table—we are already at the head of it,” she says.

Women-led firms in this sector are redefining luxury design by focusing on empathy, sustainability, and collaboration—elements often missing in male-centric leadership approaches. They are also setting new benchmarks that blend innovation with emotional intelligence.

“In a way, interior design has given women ‘a room of one’s own’—a space to shape narratives, build legacies, and challenge industry norms,” Aggarwal says. “As more women rise to leadership in this field, they inspire future generations to pursue their creative passions and push boundaries.”

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The future of women-led leadership

Women entrepreneurs are proving that leadership is not just about authority—it’s about mentorship, inclusivity, and creating a lasting impact. Whether in law, healthcare, real estate, or design, they are redefining what it means to lead by lifting others along the way.

The shift is happening, but as Rhythm Aggarwal notes, it needs to move faster. “We are breaking barriers, but we need to accelerate the change to make leadership across industries truly equitable.”

As Women’s History Month 2025 concludes, these women remind us that progress is not just about individual success—it’s about building communities, challenging outdated mindsets, and ensuring future generations of women can lead without limitations.