19 Badass Indian Ladies Everyone Should Look Up To

    So. Much. Win.

    Shayan Roy
    by Shayan Roy

    BuzzFeed Staff, India

    1. Malini Agarwal

    Malini Agarwal

    Malini is the founder and creative director of MissMalini Entertainment, a leading new media network based out of Mumbai. She's arguably India's most famous celebrity blogger, and a well-known social media personality.

    2. Pooja Bedi

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    The actress and TV anchor is also the chairperson of The Grassroots Foundation, a charitable organisation which provides for those in need. Bedi has also been a columnist for publications like The Times of India and the Hindustan Times.

    3. Mini Mathur

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    Mini Mathur is perhaps best known for hosting Indian Idol for four seasons. She has also dabbled in acting and modelling, and has even worked as an advertising professional earlier in her career.

    4. Shaili Chopra

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    A leading business journalist, Shaili Chopra has served as senior editor for primetime programming at ET NOW. Chopra is also a golf specialist.

    5. Sairee Chahal

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    Chahal is the founder of sheroes.in, an online career portal for women. The website helps Indian women connect with potential employers and business owners.

    6. Kiran Manral

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    Apart from being a well-known author and blogger, Manral is also part of the core founding team of initiatives like Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month.

    7. Meghna Pant

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    Meghna is an award-winning author, journalist and TEDx speaker. She has previously worked with Times Now, NDTV and Bloomberg-UTV.

    8. Lalita Iyer

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    A Mumbai-based journalist and blogger (and self-professed cat person), Iyer was formerly the Deputy Editor at the Hindustan Times.

    9. Anjali Kirpalani

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    Formerly a TV anchor/producer with ET NOW, Kirpalani has also worked as a marketing executive and written two books, titled Never Say Never and Written In The Stars.

    10. Paromita Vohra

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    Paromita Vohra is the mind behind movies such as Cosmopolis: Two Tales of A City and the TV series Connected Hum Tum. Apart from being a filmmaker, Vohra is also a prolific writer.

    11. Shunali Khullar Shroff

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    Shunali Shroff has worked as a journalist, a corporate communications specialist and has owned a successful PR firm. Shroff has also authored a book on motherhood.

    12. Sonali Gupta

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    A clinical psychologist with 12 years of experience, Sonali Gupta works with adults and children alike. Gupta has also written extensively on subjects like managing anxiety, working with LGBT clients, and digital detox.

    13. Srishti Arya

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    Jumping into the marketing world at the tender age of 15, Srishti Arya and her brother Goldie Behl are currently run production house Rose Movies. She made her Bollywood production debut in 1998.

    14. Sharmistha Ray

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    Sharmistha Ray is an artist who has had solo exhibitions in Mumbai and New York, and over 30 group shows. She has also worked on art and design commissions for corporates like Godrej, JSW and Mahindra & Mahindra.

    15. Neha Kare

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    Kare is the founder of UNIMO, an online community dedicated to mothers across the country. Today, UNIMO has chapters in Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Pune, Kolkata, Bengaluru, as well as Dubai and Singapore.

    16. Fatima Karan

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    Fatima Mahdi Karan serves as Consulting Editor at BTVI, a leading business channel that is now partnering with the world's top news organisation, Reuters.

    17. Naiyya Saggi

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    Saggi is the CEO and founder of BabyChakra, an online platform trusted by millions of young mothers in India on maternity and childcare.

    18. Eefa Shroff

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    An elite fitness lifestyle coach in Mumbai, Shroff's prestigious client list includes names like Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol and Anushka Sharma.

    19. Pooja Makhija

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    The nutritionist has transformed the bodies – and lives – of thousands of people. Her star-studded clientele includes the likes of Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and Sushmita Sen.

    All of them will be speaking at Festivelle 2016, a two-day festival for women, in Mumbai on 17th and 18th December. Click here to book your passes.