Celebrating Women in Leadership
- Sumana Mukherjee
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Now that the glitz and glamour of Women's day celebrations are over, here are the stories of women whose leadership deserve celebration all year round. Their journeys reflect resilience, innovation, and the evolving narrative of women shaping industries on their own terms.
Jagathi Reddy Krishnapuram is the co-founder of Chengavi, a premium Ayurvedic beauty brand renowned for seamlessly merging ancient wisdom with cutting-edge science. Born and raised in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Jagathi was profoundly influenced by her grandmother, who instilled in her a deep appreciation for nature and the transformative power of traditional
remedies. These formative experiences, watching age-old, time-tested formulations being crafted with intention and care, sparked the inspiration for her lifelong mission: to elevate Ayurveda into the future of luxury skincare through Chengavi.
Jagathi holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Data Analytics and is
currently completing the prestigious MFAB programme at the Indian School of
Business. She also earned a Diploma in Ayurvedic Skincare and Haircare
Formulation from Learn Canyon, UK. Her early exposure to business, first through
her father’s real estate company and later at Skandhanshi Retail Pvt. Ltd.,
equipped her with a keen entrepreneurial mindset. However, her true passion
has always been to create an authentic, contemporary brand deeply rooted in the
timeless principles of Ayurveda and minimalism.
In 2021, Jagathi ideated Chengavi with Dr. Vishnu Prasanth Vinukonda, a
biotechnologist whose family boasts over 250 years of Ayurvedic lineage.
Together, they dedicated more than four years to rigorous research and
development, fusing traditional Ayurvedic principles with modern scientific
innovation. The result: a line of formulations that are not only minimal and
potent, but also redefine luxury through purity and efficacy.
As the strategic architect of Chengavi, Jagathi shapes the brand’s philosophy,
vision, and market trajectory, ensuring that every product embodies the ideals of
balance, purity, and simplicity. Her thought leadership and innovative approach
have earned her the Women Achievers Award from Ashoka Engineering College
for Women in Kurnool. Under her guidance, Chengavi has also garnered the COA
Award for ‘Best Innovation in Skincare.’
Smita Vallurupalli, is a household name to the Telugu audience. At the age of 16, she became the youngest and first independent artist in the field of music and playback singing. Her entrepreneurial journey began with an early interest in handlooms that led her to design and build a brand ‘Aalayam - The Temple of Weaves’.
At 22, Smita established Bubbles, a chain of hair salons and spas that has today grown into the most renowned salon brand across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. She runs over 10 self-owned branches across these two states.
ALAI (Aspire Learn Achieve & Inspire) has been an extension of Smita through which she supported many communities in the time of crisis. During COVID, she provided over 2 lakh meals during the first wave and established over 14 rural oxygen banks. Currently she is supporting 200+ schools and also 100 deserving individual students through initiating digital education in rural areas across Telangana. With a desire deep rooted in arts, culture, sustainable living and social impact, Smita is on a mission to achieve much more.
Her latest skincare and lifestyle brand, ‘Old School’, is a testament of her aspiration to give the modern era consumers a taste of our glorious past. Our ancient culture and traditions have been central to our country’s evolution and Smita is on a mission to keep these rich ancient Indian traditions alive in this fast changing world through Old School.
Harshita is the co-founder and CEO behind Mile Collective, the brand
redefining what it means to dress, move, and live as a modern Indian woman.
While pursuing a law degree at Jindal Global University, Harshita soon realized
her ambitions surpassed tradition. Drawn to original creation, she entered the startup world, learning marketing and business development at Old Madras Baking Company and Studio 318. These roles gave her insight into brand-building,
storytelling, and shifting consumer desires.
The spark for Mile came from a personal place. Facing health challenges, Harshita
embraced fitness as her lifeline. In those moments, she saw how apparel shaped
self-belief and performance. Yet, she found the Indian market lacked activewear
that celebrated women’s bodies. Solving her own need, she saw a silent epidemic:
millions of women settling for less every day. Harshita resolved to change that,
one piece at a time.
Today, Harshita leads product, content, and marketing, ensuring that each creation is not just functional but also an emblem of effortless confidence and modern style.
Read More on Mile Collective in Kriti Magazine's Feb 2026 Issue
Kirti Goel is the visionary force at the nexus of design innovation, operational
mastery, and cultural renaissance, architecting the very foundation on which P•TAL flourishes. As Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, she orchestrates the systems and processes that propel a centuries-old craft into the global spotlight.
Born in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, Kirti was immersed in entrepreneurship from her earliest days. For her, business was never a fleeting triumph but an ongoing odyssey of resilience and ambition. Observing her father’s steadfast pursuit instilled in her a deep-rooted respect for patience, long-term vision, and the structured growth that now defines her distinctive leadership.
A graduate of Pearl Academy, Delhi, Kirti holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion
Design, a discipline that refined her instinct for challenging convention, distilling
complexity, and architecting solutions from first principles. While her academic
roots are in design, the thinking she honed there powers the operational
brilliance and brand experiences she engineers at P•TAL today.
Kirti’s entry into the Thathera craft tradition was born of curiosity, not
commerce. Years spent in research-led projects, experiential retail, museum
curation at Qila Gobindgarh, and hands-on collaboration with artisan
communities gave her an intimate understanding, from material mastery to
consumer insight. This immersion was not simply a learning phase, but a
masterclass in reimagining heritage craft for the modern world.
With P•TAL’s inception, Kirti became the architect of the brand’s operational
backbone. Driven by the conviction that authenticity demands robust systems,
she pioneered structured supply chains, rigorous quality frameworks,
multi-market scalability, and technology-powered workflows. Her unwavering
focus: to elevate craftsmanship without ever diluting its soul.
Today, Kirti orchestrates P•TAL’s operations across the entire value
chain—supply, quality assurance, retail experience, customer journeys, and
market expansion. For her, operations transcend function; they are an invisible
art form, meticulously designed so every touchpoint amplifies the brand’s
promise.
Kirti’s trailblazing leadership has garnered prestigious accolades: Forbes 30
Under 30 Asia (2024), BW 30 Under 30 (2023), Digital Women Awards (2020),
and P•TAL’s unanimous, all-sharks deal on Shark Tank India. Yet, her true legacy
is the stability, clarity, and exponential scalability she has embedded within a
brand powered by heritage.
After starting her career as an intern at Ogilvy, Nisha’s passion for dance and creativity set the stage for her entrepreneurial journey. At just 19 years of age, she set up her own choreography and event management company, & Feet 2 Beat. This venture provided her with invaluable experience in engaging with people, event planning, and curating immersive experiences.
Her background as a trained jazz dancer and certified Zumba instructor infused her work with distinct energy and rhythm which she now fuels into her work at Superkicks as the Co- founder and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO).
She plays a pivotal role in shaping the brand’s identity, conceptualizing innovative launches, community events, and collaborative initiatives aimed at fostering inclusivity and expression within the community. A champion of thoughtful lifestyle curation, she has also been instrumental in expanding Superkicks into the apparel space by adding versatile pieces that reflect today’s evolving streetwear culture.
Lifestyle & Cosmos is a blog by Sustainaverse to bring together conversations on fashion, conscious living, digital wellness, entrepreneurship, and space exploration.
Comments