This is the question we posed to the women leaders: Did you have any role models who inspired you to aim high? How did their influence shape your confidence?
Throughout history, role models have played a crucial role in shaping individuals, instilling confidence, and inspiring them to strive for excellence. Many women leaders find these guiding figures among family members, mentors, and influential personalities, paving the way with resilience and determination.
Family Members as Role Models
There is one person who can have the biggest influence – and that person is the mother. Two of the women see their mother as their role model.
Poonam Tandon, Chief Investment Officer at IndiaFirst Life, draws inspiration from her mother, a senior retired bureaucrat. Growing up with both parents in the same service, she always believed that everyone must work and never considered that being a woman gave her the choice not to.
With her parents’ encouragement, professional education was a priority, and excelling in it was expected. She graduated from one of the top B-schools in the country, XLRI Jamshedpur, and has been working for the past 30 years. Her mother’s words: “Nothing is impossible, and never be afraid of doing the right thing,” have shaped her journey. “There have been tough times, but the values instilled in me have held me in good stead,” she reflects.
Abhishikta Chadda Munjal, CRO at IIFL Home Finance, sees her mother as her ultimate role model – who inspired her to aim high and strive for excellence. A professional herself, her mother exemplified the perfect balance between career and family life. Growing up, Abhishikta admired her dedication, work ethic, and compassion, aspiring to emulate these qualities. Her mother’s influence profoundly shaped her confidence. “Seeing her excel in her profession while nurturing our family instilled in me the belief that I, too, could achieve great things. The confidence given by family is truly the most inspiring and practical,” she shares.
Rashmi Murthy Krishna, Head of Institutional Business Governance and Controls, Group Capability Centre, ANZ Bengaluru, draws inspiration from her mother, Girija Murthy, along with her son, Tejas Prashanth. The diverse perspectives from different generations have expanded her ability to learn, boosting her confidence to contribute back to society.
Her mother, a retired professional, showed incredible dedication in balancing work and family. Despite financial constraints that prevented her from completing her undergraduate course, she never gave up on her aspirations and eventually earned a doctorate. She has mentored many family members and friends who deeply value her guidance.
Just as her mother, her son has become her next role model. At 16, Tejas possesses a growth mindset, an innate curiosity about global changes, and a sharp ability to question and rationalize situations. At a young age, he took financial literacy courses outside of school to educate himself. Their shared interests in the automobile industry and changing trends spark engaging conversations. His independent views challenge her perspective and enriches her thinking.
Rashmi embraces generational viewpoints to foster resilience and adaptability. Working across cultures, ages, and genders has empowered her to take on broader responsibilities and lead large teams.
Father, Grand Father, Grand Mother
Arti Shekhar, Senior Executive Vice President & Chief Compliance Officer at Kotak Mahindra Prime, has been privileged to have many role models throughout her life. At home, her father, a Chartered Accountant, inspired her to pursue the same profession, embodying the value of honest hard work. Her mother nurtured her love for reading from an early age and encouraged her to participate in extracurricular activities like public speaking and music – experiences that helped build her confidence.
Her school years shaped her confidence in a big way. Becoming Head Girl and securing the highest marks in her 12th-grade commerce exams gave her a significant confidence boost. “I am grateful to my schoolteachers who were always supportive,” she reflects. Enrolling in the CA course and completing 3 years of articleship training with a Big 4 firm further expanded her understanding of best practices in audit and industry.
Arti considers herself fortunate to have worked in organizations where she never faced gender-based discrimination. She credits her mentors for challenging her with new projects and roles, which motivated her to push beyond her limits. “My confidence and ethical values are also shaped by my strong faith in God,” she shares.
Subha Venkataraman, Managing Director – Global Head of Procurement & Third-Party Management Program Execution at Citi, grew up in a family where her grandfather firmly believed that women should pursue a college education, achieve financial independence, and stand on their own feet before getting married. “This was in the 1970s, a time when such thinking was rare,” she recalls.
Her mother and aunts all earned graduate and postgraduate degrees and secured jobs before marriage, setting a powerful example. Watching these strong, independent women excel in their careers while balancing their family lives left a profound impression on her. Inspired by them, she aspired to follow the same path – to build a successful career and make a meaningful impact in the lives of many others.
Gita Daya, CIO at Bank Zero, South Africa, draws immense inspiration from her paternal grandmother (dadi). “She was the strongest person I have ever known,” Gita reflects. Despite facing immense hardships, her grandmother always found a way to navigate challenges, proving that there is always a solution to any problem. Her unwavering support and encouragement instilled in Gita the confidence to take on anything. “She showed me how to be fearless and to just do it!” she recalls, and carries forward the lessons of resilience and determination.
Global Figures as Role Models
Shweta Srivastava, Chief Human Resource Officer at SATYA MicroCapital, finds powerful inspiration from Oprah Winfrey. She admires Oprah’s authenticity, compassion, and resilience, and sees her journey as proof that success is possible regardless of one’s background.
Oprah’s ability to amplify women’s voices and share stories of struggle and triumph has played a significant role in shaping Shweta’s confidence. She explains: “Her emphasis on self-acceptance has encouraged me to embrace my unique strengths rather than conform to societal norms.”
Oprah’s openness about failures and challenges has dismantled the illusion that leaders must be perfect. This inspires Shweta to lead with courage, integrity, and self-belief, knowing that resilience and authenticity matter far more than flawlessness.
Paulomi Desai, Chief People Officer at Niwas Housing Finance, believes that each phase of life needs different role models. As a child, she looked up to Kalpana Chawla. Later, she admired Indra Nooyi and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, whose careers proved that success was possible even in male-dominated industries.
She is also inspired by colleagues around her. “If your team member is traveling from far every day by public transport – balancing home, child, and work – I don’t think there’s a bigger role model than that team member. The resilience and determination of someone who balances so many responsibilities every day is nothing short of inspiring. A team member like that embodies strength, dedication, and an incredible work ethic. Their ability to navigate the complexities of home, work, and personal challenges while maintaining their commitment can be a huge source of confidence and perspective for others.
It’s easy to overlook the quiet heroes who manage everything behind the scenes, yet their impact on a team and those around them can be profound. They teach us the importance of balance, patience, and prioritization, while reminding us to appreciate the small victories in everyday life. The strength they show in simply continuing to show up every day, despite all the hurdles, is a true form of leadership.
Priya Prasad, CHRO at Indostar Capital, finds inspiration in every aspect of life – whether from the professional world, family, friends, or even people she has never met but has read or heard about. She admires those who overcome obstacles to achieve success. One such woman who has always inspired her is Arundhati Bhattacharya. In a male-dominated industry, she climbed the ranks through sheer hard work, dedication, and leadership.
As the first woman to lead SBI in its 200-year history, she proved that perseverance pays off. She is a mother and a wife and has been the CEO too – her indomitable spirit is nothing less than commendable. Her words: “One of the big lessons I have learnt from my life is that things are never as difficult as they seem. When you actively plunge into it, you realize you can easily do it.” This contrarian thought has been a power booster for Priya.
She is equally inspired by Mary Kom, who has excelled both in the athletic arena and motherhood, and Simone Biles, whose determination and resilience at the last Olympics left her in awe.
Women are often primary caregivers and expected to take a back seat as they start a family. Priya, a mother of two, took intermittent career breaks by choice while her children were young. Each time she returned with confidence supported by her husband, proving that women can balance it all with the right mindset and support system.
Diverse Role Models
A diverse cross-section of people have inspired Aditi Mukherjee, Chief People Officer at NCDEX, throughout her 24-year career. She never had one specific role model. She believes learning isn’t confined to hierarchy – she has learnt invaluable lessons from juniors, colleagues, and senior leaders alike. Observing different leadership styles, problem-solving approaches, and resilience in adversity has shaped her own journey.
Confidence, for Aditi, comes from experience – applying what is learned, making mistakes, and finding better ways to do things the next time. “Every challenge – whether breaking the glass ceiling, balancing work and life, managing time to upskill, participating in industry forums as speaker or thought leader, while working, or relocating to a new city with a new job and a child with no support system in that new city- has tested my endurance,” she shares. There have been moments when she wanted to give up her full-time job, but her family’s encouragement helped her view every stage of life’s challenges as an opportunity to adapt. “Their support has been the driving force behind whatever little I have achieved so far,” she asserts.
Kripa Krishnamoorthy, SVP, Talent Strategy – Asia, at Synchrony, is inspired by a series of leaders, teams, and colleagues who have shaped her career. However, when she thinks of confidence and perseverance, one person stands out – a cardiothoracic surgeon at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. “An expert in his field, he was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, not out of obligation, but out of sheer dedication to his patients,” she reflects. His work didn’t seek recognition; it simply needed to be done, and he showed up every day to do it.
That commitment is something Kripa aspires to bring to her own field in people and culture. “Regardless of external validation, my goal is to push boundaries, elevate standards, and do the work that truly matters – consistently, relentlessly, and with purpose,” she affirms.
Lakshmi Prasanna Susarla, Executive Director at Wells Fargo, has had many role models in her life. She draws inspiration from how people have managed situations so well, even if they are not directly related to her or those she has worked with. “I am so grateful to all of them for the learnings I gained,” she reflects.
Self as the Role Model
Smitha Sudheendra, ED, Chief Operating Officer – Wealth Business, JM Financial. As she puts it, “I am my favourite!” Over the years, she has drawn inspiration from intelligent and inspiring superiors, blending different leadership styles into her own. However, self-learning remained her biggest driver – reading, attending workshops, watching impactful speakers, and even practicing in front of a mirror – helping her refine her confidence and skills.
Conclusion
Each women speaking here has been shaped by the role models who have influenced them. Mentors guide with words but role models guide with their actions. When their actions are authentic and the impact is evident, they tend to become role models for others who seek to climb the ladder of success. A mentor mentors a few, while a role model inspires thousands, and in some cases, millions.
[email protected] [email protected]
Recent Articles:
Confidence: Mentors do Wonders
