News18 SheShakti 2025 spotlights Maharashtra’s women leaders driving change

New Delhi: News18 hosted the third edition of its SheShakti platform in Mumbai on August 5, in partnership with Lions International. The event, marking its regional expansion, focused on women in Maharashtra who are leading across governance, industry, entertainment, and social sectors.

With the theme "From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat," this year’s edition shifted focus to regional leadership, highlighting voices from both grassroots and urban India. Participants included public officials, entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and changemakers whose experiences underscored the evolving landscape of women’s leadership.

Over the past two editions, SheShakti has moved from a platform into a broader initiative reflecting women's contributions across fields such as policy, defence, business, science, the arts, and social justice. The 2025 edition brought this narrative to Mumbai, spotlighting how leadership at every level, from the local to the national, can shape a more inclusive vision for the country.

Ashwini Bhide, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, spoke about her experience leading complex infrastructure projects,  “Working on mega projects in Mumbai is a big challenge but also a massive opportunity, and you need to be a problem solver at all times. Unless we create a robust and strong global standard of public transport in Mumbai, it’ll be very difficult for Mumbaikars to commute the way they deserve.”

Actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, reflecting on representation in cinema and streaming platforms, said,  “You have to be stubborn about your dreams and flexible about your plan. Today, the work opportunities, especially with the kind of women I have been able to play on screen, are exciting. However, it's important to maintain balance. The industry is quick to box you.

You have to stay in your power, confidence, and value, and your drive needs to come from within... So, if you want to stay relevant and keep working, you can’t always be giving the power to other people.”

On the subject of financial independence, Lakshmi Iyer, Group President Designate (Investments), Bajaj Finserv, noted,  “Financial freedom is like oxygen. For women, it should be like Independence Day. The goal is to be in so much control of your finances that you can say it feels like oxygen to you."

Mental health was also addressed, with Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, calling attention to the emotional toll often borne by women, “We’re conditioned to be caregivers, to put ourselves last. But I say this from experience, if my own cup is half full, how can I give anyone else? It has to be brimming before I can share.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis closed the event with remarks on the economic imperative of women’s participation in the workforce, “As I matured in my political journey, I came to realise that Maharashtra’s vision for growth can only be fulfilled if we truly embrace gender equality. Being a student of economics, I’ve read global economic trends and noticed one consistent pattern: only those countries have accelerated their growth where they recognised the value of the other 50% of their population: women. If we want to fast-track our own growth, we must bring our women workforce to the front seat. And as we give them more opportunities, we are clearly seeing the results; there is no field today where women are not excelling.”

Recalling the early days of gender reservations in local governance, he added, “At that time, women had 33% of the seats. But many were stand-ins. The terms ‘sarpanch-pati’ and ‘corporator-pati’ came into existence because men felt it was their role,” he said, referring to how male relatives often exerted influence on female office holders.

“In 2029, when it becomes compulsory to give tickets to women, I don’t think we will stop at 33%. Within ten years, it will be 50%.”

The Mumbai edition brought together women leaders from diverse sectors to discuss not only their achievements but the structural and societal shifts required to foster equitable progress. The event reflected a broader message: that building a resilient and inclusive Bharat will require women's leadership at every level.