Overview
Ladies Who Lead (LWL), founded in 2021 by veteran business journalist Aabha Bakaya and business leader Aditya Ghosh, marks its five‑year anniversary as India’s premier leadership and networking platform for women professionals. The network now comprises more than 1,500 women representing over 80 industries and operating in more than 25 cities, with a growing presence in India, Dubai and London. Over the five‑year period, LWL has hosted in excess of 200 speakers, delivering curated events, high‑intent networking, mentorship programmes and a digital platform that together aim to move women from mere access to meaningful influence.
Impact Stories
The platform’s ecosystem has translated conversations into concrete career and business outcomes. Rutvika Charegaonkar was inspired through an LWL curation to launch her curly hair‑care brand, The Curl Co. Supriya Jain leveraged a connection with Dr. Chytra Anand made via LWL to open a Kosmoderma clinic franchise. Rachna Nath and Atreyi Das met through LWL and subsequently co‑founded BXV Global Consulting. Additionally, an introduction facilitated by LWL linked Suniti Gupta’s Meero Digital Labs with the NITI Aayog Women Entrepreneurship Program, resulting in the co‑design of the Agri ATR programme.
Evolving Offerings
LWL’s evolution reflects a shift from providing simple access to building an infrastructure that supports mentorship, knowledge sharing and tangible opportunities. The mentorship programme now enables women to seek guidance on specific career and business challenges, while broader conversations with senior leaders provide exposure to diverse perspectives. Co‑founder Aditya Ghosh notes that the lack of women at decision‑making tables is a structural issue, and LWL seeks to address it by creating relationships, knowledge pathways and opportunities that convert access into participation.
Future Direction
Looking ahead, LWL intends to deepen the value of its network by expanding its global footprint, strengthening mentorship, and generating more measurable outcomes. The next phase will focus on enabling emerging leaders to find suitable mentors, supporting founders as they scale, assisting senior professionals in securing board roles, and increasing access to capital, knowledge and global platforms. The organization aims to track and report on metrics such as the number of businesses scaled, leadership transitions enabled, board opportunities created and collaborations facilitated.
Founders’ Vision
Aabha Bakaya emphasizes that LWL’s mission has always been to stay close to individual journeys and to build an ecosystem responsive to where women are in their careers and where they aspire to go. Both founders stress that the platform’s purpose is not merely to place women in rooms but to ensure that their presence translates into concrete outcomes for themselves and for others.