Meet the Indian-Australian women redefining success in Victoria's business landscape
Indian-Australian women are making waves in Australia’s corporate world, from launching groundbreaking start-ups to leading major companies. Meet the trailblazers shaping the future.
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Indian-Australian women are making waves in Australia’s business landscape, breaking barriers as entrepreneurs, chief executives and industry leaders.
From tech to finance, retail to media, these trailblazers are redefining success.
As diversity and inclusion become key drivers in corporate Australia, the impact of these Indian-Aussie women can be felt at every level.
Here’s a look at some of the standout Indian-Australian businesswomen who are leaving a lasting impact:
*The Herald Sun profiled Indian Australian women who were making waves in Victoria through business. We understand that any such list is bound to be subjective and by no means is exhaustive. Instead, it highlights some of the incredible professionals who now call Victoria home. Please note that the list is in no particular order.
Manny Shah
Toorak’s Manny Shah — a Melbourne IT entrepreneur — is the director of Rank My Business.
Ms Shah is Australian-Indian tech founder, philanthropist, and an entrepreneur and mum Based in Toorak, she started her journey to success after arriving in Australia with just $200.
She is now set to take the SEO company, Rank My Business, public and plans to launch new, groundbreaking AI-powered software in the coming months.
Ms Shah celebrated her 40th birthday bash last week where top Bollywood stars like Ananya Panday, Arjun Kapoor and Tamannaah Bhatia made an appereance.
Uppma Virdi
Lawyer turned entrepreneur Uppma Virdi is the chief executive of start-up Chai Walli.
As the founder of Chai Walli, the Melbourne-based entrepreneur has introduced Australians to authentic Ayurvedic tea blends, inspired by her grandfather’s teachings in India.
Ms Virdi is also the founder and president of Young Australian Indian Business Network and a bhangra dance teacher at Pasina Dance.
Rajitha Rajasingham
Rajitha Rajasingham is the co-founder and director at Oreta — an Australian IT services company specialising in cloud, network, and security solutions for businesses
Ms Rajasingham identified a gap in the market in 2012 with businesses struggling to harness cloud technology effectively.
Since then, she has built Oreta into an award-winning IT services firm, helping organisations adopt cloud solutions.
Shamila Gopalan
Shamila Gopalan is the founder and chief executive of HerWit — a platform aimed at empowering women by providing personal development tools and professional networking opportunities.
Ms Gopalan’s life was forever changed by the loss of her mother to depression at 42.
The tragedy ignited her passion to become the powerful, inspirational woman she wished her mother had.
Overcoming adversity as an entrepreneur, woman, and person of colour, Shamila climbed the corporate ladder at Fortune 500 companies.
Ms Gopalan was featured in Asia’s Top 50 Female Leaders, is on the Asia Content Marketing Association (ACMA) board, and serves as a non-executive board member for Brilliant Women Global.
Yesha Patel
Melbourne’s Yesha Patel is the founder of After — Australia’s first textile recycling pick-up service.
Ms Patel — who started After in 2021 — says her passion lies in sustainable and circular fashion.
Nikita Chopra
Nikita Chopra is the owner of The Black Prince — the first British & Indian fusion pub and restaurant in Melbourne.
Ms Chopra is also the chief executive of Australia India Chamber of Commerce and the director of Big Eventz Australia.
Ms Chopra says she is a “strict believer in a combination of smart work and hard work”.
Sudesh Singh
Sudesh Singh is the owner of two Indian clothing stores st Dandenong’s Little India precinct.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange AM
Mitu Bhowmick Lange is an Indian-Australian filmmaker, film producer and founder-director of Mind Blowing Films.
Ms Lange was awarded Jill Robb Screen Leadership Award for 2017 from Film Victoria and has also been appointed as a board of member at WIFT Australia.
She is also a board member at Film Vic Australia and on the committee for Natalie Miller Fellowship.
In 2023 Ms Lange received the award of Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for service to performing arts through film.
Yemee Fernandes
Yemee Fernandes is the co-founder and managing director of Four Pillars Trading Australia, operating across Mumbai and Australia.
Ms Fernandes was born in India and moved Down Under in 1998.
She has held senior commercial roles in a number of publicly listed companies such as Fairfax, Universal Music Australia and LexisNexis.
Nildhara Gadani
Nildhara Gadani is the founder of Bollywood Beats — a Melbourne based Indian Folk and Bollywood Dance school.
She was also the founder and president of Australia India Women Entrepreneurs Forum, a Melbourne based not-for-profit organisation.
There she helped migrant and Australian women entrepreneurs overcome social and financial barriers to launch and run their own businesses in India and Australia.
Srishti Nagpal
Srishti Nagpal is the founder of Veira Boutique — a rental boutique for Indian clothes.
The Malvern East based fashion boutique offers a circular economy for Indian outfits, where people can hire outfits or lend their own.
Sakshi Thakur OAM, founder of Sewing the Seeds
Sakshi Thakur OAM is the founder of Sewing The Seeds, an organisation that aims to empower women in India through textiles.
Ms Thakur was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to the community through social welfare organisations.
Ms Thakur has also won multiple City of Monash leadership awards and has received the NFP Directors Scholarship from the Australian Institute of Company Directors Governance Foundations.
Vinita Baravkar
Vinita Baravkar is the founder of Bhumi Organic Cotton — an Australian brand dedicated to sustainable luxury, offering organic cotton and linen bedding.
Born and raised in Australia with a background in paediatric nursing, Ms Baravkar saw the health and environmental impacts of traditional cotton growing with farmer suicides, child labour, pesticide poisoning, birth defects, harmful dyes and toxic water ways.
After years in the field meeting with NGOs, grassroots organisations and a growing movement of organic farmers, it was time for positive change, Ms Baravkar said.
“So I combined my deep love for the earth, humanity and sustainable design to create Bhumi Organic Cotton,” she said.
“I am very passionate about social justice and environmental issues in the textile industry in India and creating waves of positive change.”
Manpreet Sekhon
Manpreet Sekhon is the executive chef and owner of Melbourne restaurants Elchi, Masti and Eastern Spice.
From India’s Ludhiana Ms Sekhon aka Curry Queen is one of the top chefs in Victoria.
Her journey through the rich tapestry of flavours and spices has traversed from the heart of India to the bustling culinary scene in Australia.
As a renowned restaurateur, Ms Sekhon has carved her niche, blending traditional Indian recipes with a contemporary twist, resulting in an extraordinary dining experience.
Prerna Karnani
Prerna Karnani is the founder of Shaadis & More, Australia — an online South Asian wedding vendor directory
Vineeta Giri
Vineeta Giri is a psychotherapist and co-founder of Mind the Gap Connect — a mental health and wellness start-up.
Mind the Gap Connect provides services to communities through creative expressive arts therapy
Sara Singh Tak
Sara Singh Tak is the founder of Humans of Australia — a platform that shares real stories of impact and purpose driving people, places, and brands in Australia.
Anjali Nihalchand
Anjali Nihalchand is the founder of Pollination Projects — a brand and project consultancy.
She also co-founder and currently managing director at Maple Tree Counseling, a boutique therapy practice based in Hong Kong and Australia.
Deepa Mani
Deepa Mani is the founder and artistic director of Chandralaya School of Dance in Melbourne.
She is also the chief executive POC (Proud of Colour) Beauty.
Sheba Nandkeolyar
Sheba Nandkeolyar is the president of the International Advertising Association of Australia (IAA Australia).
Ms Nandkeolyar was the first female national chair for the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) and is the national chair for Women in Business AIBC.
She’s also an advisory board member of Media Diversity Australia.
Anou Khanijou
Anou Khanijou is the chief executive of IFOTA Group, a manufacturing business, and manager director of Anouconcept Integrated Marketing.
Ms Khanijou is also a board member of the Melbourne Fashion Festival, EO Melbourne and chief executive of City Collection.
She also served as the vice president of Australia India Society of Victoria until 2006.
Preeti Daga Raizada
Preeti Daga Raizada leads the media and marketing team for Housing Choices Australia — one of the largest for purpose social and affordable housing providers.
She has more than two decades of experience across diverse industries across strategic communications, PR and crisis management in India and Australia
Ms Daga Raizada is the Cricket Australia multicultural ambassador and has been involved in initiatives championing for greater diversity and inclusion particularly for women and girls in the sport.
She is the former president of the Australia India Business Council (Victoria) and also established the inaugural National Sports Chapter.
Div Pillay
Div Pillay is the chief executive of MindTribes and co-founder of Culturally Diverse Women (CDW).
Before founding MindTribes in 2012, Ms Pillay spent 14 years in people and culture roles across Australia, Asia, and South Africa.
She was also named one of the 100 Women of Influence in 2018 by the AFR and Qantas and she serves as a board director at VicHealth.
Ms Pillay was previously a board director at STREAT and is now the national chair of the diversity and inclusion committee at the American Chamber of Commerce.
In 2021, Div was one of only two Australians named among the 25 Global Influencers by AACSB International, the world’s largest business education alliance.
Shrutika Mane
Melbourne’s Shrutika Mane is the founder of SheCan — a platform to empower young women from post-conflict and climate-challenged regions by providing them with the education, mentorship, and leadership skills.
She wants to reach young girls and women across India and Australia in under-served areas to help enhance their personal and professional skills, enabling them to reach their full potential and attain workplace success.
Ms Mane is also two-time pageant winner, Indian classical dancer and TEDx speaker.
Sangeeta Mulchandani
Sangeeta Mulchandani is the founder of Jumpstart Studio — a company that works start-ups and corporates globally to bring business ideas to life.
Ms Mulchandani is a third-generation entrepreneur, blending 15-year global corporate career with her five-year start-up journey.
She is also the author of Start Right: How to Pick a Winning Business Idea and Make it Successful.
Priya Ravindra
Melbourne’s Priya Ravindra is the founder and chief executive of Punar, an award-winning, purpose-driven company that empowers women artisans in India.
Punar specialises in creating sustainable luxury gifts, branded merchandise, and homeware, using eco-friendly practices.
Ms Ravindra has been recognised as one of Success Magazine’s Top 25 Change Makers in the World for 2024.
Nidhi Sampat
Nidhi Sampat is a Melbourne-based food/product stylist, photographer & recipe developer.
Ms Sampat — who moved from Mumbai to Australia eight years ago — founded Cocoa & Chili which offers styled shoot packages for food, beverage, and lifestyle brands.
Simplepreet Kaur
Simplepreet Kaur is the director and registered migration agent at Aussizz Group Footscray.
Ms Kaur leads a team dedicated to providing reliable immigration and education consultancy services at Aussizz Group Footscray.
Aussizz Group Footscray supports clients in achieving their migration and academic goals with professionalism and integrity.
Dr Shwetha Shankar
Bentleigh East’s Shwetha Shankar is the co-founder of Biz Growth Network — a networking platform.
Dr Shankar is also the co-founder of Essor Business Hub, which was a finalist at the 2022 Australian Small Business Champion awards.
Daizy Maan
Daizy Maan is the founder of Australian South Asian Centre (ASAC) which exists to empower and platform Indian and South Asian female creatives, founders & professionals.
Through ASAC she created Brown Women Comedy – Australia’s largest comedy show platforming Indian and South Asian women comedians at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe & Sydney Comedy Festival.
She is also a board member of MAV (Multicultural Arts Victoria) and previously led Deakin University’s entrepreneurship program.
She has also served as the startup program manager of the Melbourne Accelerator Program (MAP) at the University of Melbourne.
Rohini Kappadath
Rohini Kappadath is the general manager at Immigration Museum and serves on the executive leadership team for Museums Victoria.
Ms Kappadath was previously the senior adviser at KPMG and managing director at SAS Institute India.
Pooja Chaudhary
Pooja Chaudhary is managing director of Manhari Group — a leading name in Victoria’s recycling industry, dedicated to sustainability and innovation.
Ms Chaudhary has been instrumental in shaping the company’s growth since its inception.
Beyond her business acumen, Ms Chaudhary is a dedicated advocate for women in leadership, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs with her journey.
Ananya Gaitonde
Ananya Gaitonde is a Melbourne-based publicist specialising in the arts, lifestyle, and property sectors.
She is a publicist at Million Billion Media and works with clients across Australia, helping businesses and individuals amplify their presence and build strong, authentic brands by getting their message out to the right audiences.
Bina Shah
Bina Shah is chief operation officer at IAEC Education|Migration.
Ms Shah is also the director of Dapper Ethnic Pty Ltd, a premier men’s ethnic wear retailer based in Melbourne, Australia.
Sonam Saby
Sonam Saby is the director and owner swimming schools located in South Morang and Lilydale, established in 2015.
Ms Saby provides swimming lessons to kids from three months onwards.
For more than decade Ms Saby has delivered free lessons to kids and adults from diverse backgrounds including special needs children.
She is also an AFL community ambassador and chief executive of Winsher Sports challenging the status quo within the AFL & soccer manufacturing industry.
Reet Phulwani
Melbourne based Reet Phulwani is a qualified gemmologist and diamond grader.
Ms Phulwani — who came to Australia more than two decades ago — also chairs Women in Business at Australia India Business Council.
Ms Phulwani is one of the few women of an Indian-Australian background working as a registered valuer and gemmologist.
Reena Anita Rana
Reena Rana is founder of the Indian Women in Australia (IWIA) group.
IWIA is a community group that empowers and aims to connect Indian women by providing an accessible platform for women of Indian descent to connect, network and support each other.
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