News18 She Shakti 2025 highlights women leaders shaping India’s future

New Delhi: The 2025 edition of News18 She Shakti, presented by Lions International, brought together women leaders, policymakers and professionals from different fields under the theme “From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat.” The event in Delhi marked the grand finale of the initiative, which has grown into a platform recognising the role of women across sectors.

The line-up included Smriti Irani, Former Cabinet Minister and Founder of The Alliance for Global Good; Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA); Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India; Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman and MD, Tractors and Farm Equipment; actors Kriti Sanon and Sanya Malhotra; Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University; playback singer Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam, among others.

In a video message, President Droupadi Murmu said India’s vision for women-centred progress is becoming increasingly visible. She stated that women are excelling as scientists, soldiers and in many other professions, and are moving forward with confidence and leadership. “As scientists, engineers, doctors, soldiers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, academicians, social workers, policy makers, and in many other roles, women are consistently reaching new heights… In reality, this is not just a change, but a revolution,” the President said.

Smriti Irani reflected on the importance of economic independence, noting her own professional journey, “If I had limited myself to what I presumed was my capacity, I wouldn’t be who I am today… Twenty-five years ago, I was already the highest-paid actor in the television industry and those numbers were considered astronomical even then.”

She added, “To all the women in this room, we are often told to be coy, timid, or quiet about our paychecks. I say, scream it out loud. Your paycheck is a certification of how you’re valued as a professional. For me, starting at the very bottom of the pyramid and working my way up to the top is something I want every woman to emulate, not just for professional success, but also as a personal ambition. For too long, women were told that having a seat at the table was enough. But today, women don’t just want that seat; they want the capital, the confidence, and a clear pathway to scale their capacities. And we should never be shy about it.”

Actor Kriti Sanon spoke about her transition into entrepreneurship in the beauty sector, “I truly believe women have a problem-solving mindset. We don’t just see a problem, we instinctively look for a solution. That ability is so important for an entrepreneur – to find ways around every roadblock, stay patient, and keep pushing forward. I’m really glad to see so many women thriving in this field.”

Sanya Malhotra, reflecting on her role in Mrs., which addresses domestic patriarchy, discussed the theme of women’s freedom, “The problem isn’t that she didn’t want to cook. She was cooking, even serving it nicely, but getting zero appreciation from the family. The problem started when she wanted to do something else and showed the family that she is capable of managing the household, and also wants to go out and pursue something she loves. But she wasn’t allowed to do that; she wasn’t given the freedom. The story has reached the people it needed to reach.”