Event Overview
On September 15, 2026, Business Viewpoint Magazine and The Enterprise World concluded the third edition of the Bharat 2.0 Conclave series – the Shakti Edition – at Hotel Sahara Star in Mumbai. More than 200 leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and changemakers attended to spotlight women’s leadership and India’s growth narrative.
Opening Activities and Keynotes
The programme opened with an interactive “Stand Up If…” activity, followed by the Shakti Pledge and a collective tricolour flag‑waving ceremony. Dhruv Apte delivered the opening keynote titled “Who Writes the Next Chapter? The Power of Storytelling, Shakti & Leadership in a Changing Bharat.” Rashoo Sachdeva subsequently presented a keynote on “Identity, Leadership & Beyond.”
Panel Discussion
A leadership dialogue panel comprised Roopa Lobo, Dr. Mandeep Maitra, Dr. (Hon.) Ridhima Dua, Rishita Malhotra and Swati Satapathy, moderated by Dhruv Apte. The discussion examined the transition from organisational leadership to entrepreneurship.
Felicitation of Dr. Kiran Bedi
A major highlight was the presence and felicitation of Dr. Kiran Bedi. In a candid conversation moderated by Dr. Ankita Singh, Founder of the HR Association of India, Dr. Bedi recounted her leadership journey, the choices she made, lessons learned and the meaning of Shakti through her personal story.
Leadership Excellence Awards
The conclave presented the Leadership Excellence Awards to 69 women leaders representing a wide spectrum of sectors, including technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, education, FinTech, engineering, sustainability, human resources, entrepreneurship, marketing, logistics, law and social impact. The full awardee list is as follows: Ar. Bhagyashri Varma, Swati Thakur, Kshama Rangan, Priyanka Chande, Pallavi Srivastava, Dr. Rini Singh, Roopa Lobo, Seema Sutradhar, Dr. Mandeep Maitra, Deepika Pillai, Dr. Snehal Pinto, Dr. Anjana Vinod, Maansi Gupta, Diksha Panesar, Namita Shrivastava, Itisha Jalan, Agatha Sushila Dias, Treesa Bizira, Dr. Aruna Ashok, Swati Satapathy, Richa Agrawal, Jharna Dhar, Rishita Malhotra, Dr. Shivani Mayekar Rao, Dr. Vaishali Ashok Bhide, Shilpi Baid Dewangan, Isha Oswal, Shaily Gupta, Prerana Deshnur, Shelley Bhasin, Dr. Shivani Modi, Rachana JG, Sudarshana Mitra, Jaya Sengupta, Reethika Azariah Kuruvilla, Dr. Karishma Kagodu, Kaveri Ingle, Pooja Chawla Gandhi, Mamtaa Nitturkar, Dr. Richa Pathak, Dr. (Hon.) Ridhima Dua, Rabiya Naushad Khan, Dr. Henrietta Newton Martin, Dr. Meenal Mategaonkar, Archhana Agarwaal, Col. Madhumita Dhall, Preeti Kamalakar, Renu Jethani, Sudarshana Niraj Dravid, Rashoo Sachdeva, Richa Varshney, Anisha Pandeya, Preiti Patel, Aanchal Gupta, Dr. Sharmila Amin, Aastha Atray Banan, Sakshi Pandey, Sonica Aron, Yamini Agarwal, Aprma Kumar Anand, Veena Bhogaonkar, Akshata Mallya Shenoy, Anamika Dikshit, Dr. Anjali Dalwadi Prajapati, Ira Agarwal, Sathya VP, Sabira Arefin, Anisha Chandy Eckardt and Gautami Deshmukh.
Notable Attendee Insight
Deepika Pillai, Vice President of TELUS Digital, remarked that the name “Shakti” attracted her to the conclave and that the platform’s focus on recognizing women in industry was a key draw.
Vision and Context
The Shakti Edition positioned women’s leadership within the broader vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047,” framing the journey from participation to leadership and transformation.
About Bharat 2.0 Conclave
Bharat 2.0 Conclave is a leadership and business platform that convenes entrepreneurs, industry leaders, innovators, educators, policymakers and changemakers to foster dialogue around leadership, innovation and nation‑building while celebrating excellence across industries. (Disclaimer: The press release is provided under an arrangement with NRDPL; PTI takes no editorial responsibility.)