The Trailblazer of the Year award at the NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards 2026 recognises women leaders who have reshaped industries through innovation, institution-building and sustained commercial success.
The six nominees have steered organisations across technology, manufacturing, financial services, consumer goods and retail, leaving a lasting imprint on India's corporate landscape. Here's a closer look at the leaders in contention for the honour:
Geetanjali Kirloskar, CMD, Kirloskar Systems
Geetanjali Kirloskar has played a pivotal role in carrying forward the legacy of one of India's oldest engineering groups while steering it towards modernisation and global partnerships.
As Chairman and Managing Director of Kirloskar Systems, she has championed governance reforms and strategic initiatives across the group's diverse businesses. Her leadership has reinforced the Kirloskar Group's position in India's engineering and manufacturing ecosystem while breaking barriers in a sector traditionally dominated by men.
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Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech
Roshni Nadar Malhotra represents a new generation of business leadership that combines technological scale with long-term institution-building. As Chairperson of HCLTech, she has overseen the company's strategic continuity while sharpening its focus on AI-led enterprise solutions, digital engineering and technology infrastructure.
Under her stewardship, HCLTech has strengthened its presence in areas that are increasingly central to India's technology ambitions, including semiconductors and digital transformation.
Falguni Nayar, CEO, Nykaa
Falguni Nayar transformed Nykaa from a startup into one of India's most recognisable beauty and lifestyle platforms. She pioneered an omnichannel retail model that combines e-commerce with a nationwide physical store network, helping redefine how consumers shop for beauty and personal care products.
Her entrepreneurial journey has made Nykaa a category-defining brand and established Nayar as one of India's most successful self-made women entrepreneurs.
Mallika Srinivasan, CMD, TAFE
Mallika Srinivasan has led Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd. (TAFE) into becoming one of the world's largest tractor manufacturers.
Under her leadership, the company has expanded its international footprint while strengthening India's manufacturing capabilities in agriculture and industrial equipment. Her work has positioned TAFE at the intersection of farming, exports and industrial growth, reinforcing India's standing in the global farm machinery market.
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Vibha Padalkar, MD & CEO, HDFC Life
Vibha Padalkar has steered HDFC Life through a period of consistent growth while advancing digital transformation and product innovation in India's life insurance sector.
She has strengthened the insurer's distribution network and expanded access to protection and retirement products for millions of customers. Her leadership has helped reinforce HDFC Life's position in a sector that plays a critical role in India's long-term financial security and savings culture.
Prabha Narasimhan, MD & CEO, Colgate-Palmolive India
Prabha Narasimhan has focused on brand reinvention and innovation while leading one of India's most established consumer goods companies. As Managing Director and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India, she has driven digital transformation in a mature FMCG category and strengthened the company's market position.
Drawing on experience across global consumer companies, including Hindustan Unilever and Nestlé India, she has emerged as one of the few women leading a major FMCG business in the country.
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