MAM
From dream to reality: Stories of women entrepreneurs defining success in India
Mumbai: India has witnessed a transformative shift in recent years, with women stepping into the entrepreneurial spotlight like never before. From bustling metropolises to quiet towns, women entrepreneurs are redefining success, breaking stereotypes, and proving that ambition knows no gender. These trailblazers are not just building businesses; they’re inspiring generations, fostering innovation, and contributing significantly to the country’s economic and social growth.
This piece celebrates the incredible journeys of women who dared to dream and turned their aspirations into thriving realities. With grit, creativity, and unwavering determination, these women are reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape of India one venture at a time.
Meet these women entrepreneurs, who dared to dream and established themselves in different sectors through their hard work and creating a new benchmark in their sectors.
Dr. Preeti Jain, founder of JewelsByPreeti: On the occasion of Women Entrepreneurship Day, one thing I would like to emphasize the most as the founder of my brand “Jewels by Preeti” is that sometimes it is crucial to take an unconventional path and not follow the mainstream career path, especially as a woman entrepreneur.
From my personal experience and talking about my career trajectory, what kept me level-headed on my entrepreneurship journey was my risk-taking capability and my relentless passion for jewelry. What I learned through my years of experience is that you need to prioritize customers’ changing needs and keep innovations at the forefront always to stay ahead.
Shivani Gupta founder of Vanika Fashions: The inspiring journeys of women in the Chikankari industry have not only broken barriers but have also redefined entrepreneurship in a way that bridges tradition and innovation. The talented artisans are more than just custodians of a centuries-old craft—they are emerging as business owners, designers, and community leaders who are reshaping the narrative around entrepreneurship. Every stitch they create weaves a story of resilience, creativity, and determination, proving that women can transform traditional art forms into thriving, sustainable enterprises with the right opportunities and support.
Women Entrepreneurship Day celebrates such remarkable stories, showcasing the indomitable spirit of women who overcome social and economic barriers to achieve success. The women of the Chikankari industry exemplify this spirit, turning their heritage into a source of empowerment for themselves and their communities. By establishing collectives, engaging in market negotiations, and innovating with contemporary designs, they not only preserve this intricate craft but also generate livelihoods for hundreds of others, particularly women. The success serves as a beacon of inspiration, illustrating the transformative power of entrepreneurship to break the glass ceiling. It underscores the importance of creating inclusive ecosystems that empower women to lead, innovate, and contribute significantly to the economy.
Sarbani Bose, Integrator at PRADAN: Breaking the glass ceiling in India’s entrepreneurial landscape is more than just a phrase, it’s a movement led by resilient women reshaping industries, communities, and the economy. Across rural and urban areas, women are redefining entrepreneurship, leveraging generations of expertise in crafts, agriculture, and small enterprises to create sustainable, impactful businesses.
The inspiring journeys of women Farmer Producer Company (FPC) members illustrate the transformative power of collective farming and sustainable practices. With organized support and market access, they’re able to use scientific methods and eco-friendly innovations like solar dryers and organic techniques to improve their lives and their communities. These women are creating consistent income, ensuring fair prices, and tackling poverty by reducing the need for seasonal migration and distress selling. Their stories remind us that when barriers are broken and women are empowered, they not only uplift themselves but their entire villages. These journeys show that women have the potential to drive an inclusive, thriving ecosystem, becoming true agents of change and resilience in India’s rural economy.
MAM
ASCI study uncovers how Gen Alpha navigates ads in endless digital feeds
‘What the Sigma?’ ethnographic report maps blurred boundaries between content and commerce for 7–15-year-olds.
MUMBAI: Gen Alpha isn’t scrolling through the internet, they’re living rent-free inside its never-ending dopamine drip, and the ads have already moved in next door. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Academy, partnering with Futurebrands Consulting, has published ‘What the Sigma?’, an immersive ethnographic study that maps how Indian children aged 7–15 (Generation Alpha) consume, interpret and live alongside media and commercial messaging in a hyper-digital environment.
The research draws on in-home interviews, sibling and peer conversations, and discussions with parents, teachers, counsellors, psychologists, marketers and kidfluencers across six cities. It examines not only what children watch but how algorithms, content creators, peers and parents shape their relationship with the constant stream of shorts, vlogs, gameplay, memes, sponsored posts and ‘kid-ified’ adult material.
Five core themes emerged:
- Discontinuous Generation, Gen Alpha is not growing up alongside the internet, they are growing up inside it. Cultural references, humour, aesthetics and language sync globally in real time, often leaving adults functionally illiterate in their children’s world. A reference that lands instantly for a 10-year-old in Mumbai or Visakhapatnam feels opaque or disjointed to most parents.
- Authority Vacuum, Parents and teachers frequently lose cultural fluency in digital spaces. The algorithm responsive, inexhaustible and perfectly attuned to preferences becomes the most attentive presence in many children’s daily lives. Rules around screen time feel increasingly difficult to enforce when adults cannot fully see or understand the content landscape.
- Digital as Society, Online and offline no longer exist as separate realms, they form one continuous reality. The phone is not a tool children pick up; it is the primary social environment they inhabit.
- Great Media Mukbang, Content flows as an ambient, boundary-less, multi-sensorial stream. Entertainment, advertising, commerce, gameplay, memes and vlogs merge into one undifferentiated feed. The line between active choice and passive absorption has largely collapsed.
- Blurred Ad Recognition, Children aged 7–12 typically recognise only the most overt advertising formats. Influencer promotions, gaming integrations and vlog sponsorships often register as organic entertainment. Children aged 13–15 show greater ad literacy but remain highly susceptible to narrative-integrated, passion-driven and emotionally resonant brand messaging. Discernment remains low across the board in a non-stop stream.
ASCI CEO and secretary general Manisha Kapoor said, “ASCI Academy’s study is an investigation into the content life of Generation Alpha not to judge them but to understand them. Their cultural reference points seem disjointed from those of earlier generations. Insights on how they perceive advertising is the first step towards building more responsible engagement frameworks, given that they are the youngest media consumers in our country right now.”
Futurebrands Consulting founder and director Santosh Desai added, “While earlier generations have been exposed to digital media, for this generation it is the world they inhabit. This report explores not only what they watch but how they are being shaped by algorithms, content and advertising.”
The study proposes four adaptive, principles-led pathways:
- Universal signposting of commercial intent using design principles that make advertising recognisable even to young audiences.
- Ecosystem-wide responsibility shared among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents.
- Future-ready safeguards built directly into children’s content experiences rather than as optional background settings.
- Formal media and advertising literacy embedded in school curricula to teach age-appropriate understanding of persuasion and commercial intent.
In a feed that never pauses, Gen Alpha isn’t merely watching content, they’re swimming in an ocean where entertainment, commerce and identity swirl together. The real question isn’t whether they can spot an ad; it’s whether the adults building the ocean can agree on where the lifeguards should stand.
