Empowering India’s Women

Aspire For Her was founded 5 years ago by Madhura DasGupta Sinha after 25 years as a banker.

She saw a stark gap in India’s economy, with only 18% of India’s economic contribution coming from women. This was not only a problem but a trillion-dollar opportunity that needed to be addressed. That’s when she decided to create Aspire For Her to inspire like-minded individuals to focus on the empowerment of women to make an impact that is meaningful, scalable and sustainable.

“Our mission is clear: to bring 1 million women into the workforce by 2025. We are on track, with 750,000 women already supported, and we aim to reach 10 million by 2030. Our focus is on creating financially independent women by motivating them to stay in the workforce. We leverage the power of communities and networks to support this mission,” Madhura explains.

The formula for success is simple but effective, focusing on three pillars: Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Education (the E3 formula). The core strategy involves mentors, cohorts, career previews and community. There are 400 mentors who guide women in their career journeys, providing crucial one-on-one or group mentorship.

One of the key barriers in women’s empowerment is changing mindsets. A significant challenge is overcoming the ingrained belief, both in men and women, that financial independence for women isn’t necessary or important. This mindset needs to be shifted, and Madhura has developed an effective approach using a variety of “nudges” and “triggers” to make this change.

Additionally, she and her team focus on providing women with the tools they need—whether it’s through skilling, education, or access to communities. These women are often isolated. Madhura is building networks that enable women to connect, learn from each other, and lift each other up.

Aspire For Her has built 24 communities so far, each tailored to different demographics and domains—college students, early career professionals, senior women leaders, return-to-work women, and more. These communities play a central role in empowering women to break free from traditional barriers and reach their potential. For example, the “Tech4Her” community focuses on upskilling women in technology, while the “Not Alone” community supports women who have lost their primary breadwinners due to the pandemic.

Each community has its own focus, but the underlying principle remains the same: to empower women economically through mentorship, education, and networking. There has been great success, especially in communities that target women who are returning to work after a career break. Many companies, especially in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), recognize the value of hiring women, particularly returnees, who bring not only experience but also loyalty and dedication.

Madhura is also focusing on marginalized groups, such as women micro-entrepreneurs in rural India and will soon introduce new initiatives to support women with disabilities, who often face more discrimination. Overall, the goal is clear: to empower women and create opportunities for them across various sectors, whether it’s through employment, entrepreneurship, or education.

Overcoming challenges through collaboration, common purpose and collective action

Madhura’s team has built solutions tailored specifically for the communities they serve and of course, there’s a strong foundation of partnerships that help to scale up the impact. Some of the notable partners include major companies like Amazon, Google, IBM, LinkedIn, HSBC, Standard Chartered, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Adobe. Many of these partners are from the technology and finance sectors and have been instrumental in accomplishing the goal Madhura had set, for two main reasons: they are eager to find talent, and they are particularly open to diverse talent.

There are partnerships with 100+ organizations, for instance, Myntra, an Indian e-commerce company, has been a great partner. E-commerce is a highly aspirational field for women, and there is tremendous enthusiasm from the community when Myntra offers job or internship opportunities. Another example is Ion Exchange, a 60-year-old Indian multinational. They recognized the deep connection between women and water, and they’re committed to bringing more women into the water treatment and sustainability industries.

There is also collaboration with educational, financial institutions and organizations that foster startups and entrepreneurship, with projects that support grassroots women micro-entrepreneurs—ranging from artisans, Agri and dairy workers to traders.

Additionally, partnering with the Gates Foundation, as well as the U.S. and Australian Consulates, has yielded significant advantages. At a state level, collaboration with the Odisha Government has been established to support former athletes transition to post-sport careers.

Madhura and her team have made a significant positive contribution, empowering women to become economic contributors and participate strongly in the workforce. India aims to become a US$5 trillion economy by 2027. With this unwavering commitment, Aspire For Her could expedite India’s advancement towards this goal.