FTCCI Hosts Women’s Leadership Summit 2025 to Champion Women’s Leadership Across Industries

Hyderabad, November 28, 2025: The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FTCCI) hosted the FTCCI Women’s Leadership Summit 2025, a full-day conference at its Red Hills premises in Hyderabad.
 
Harichandana Dasari, District Collector, graced as the chief guest and inaugurated the summit. Speaking on the occasion, she said, “If there is one truly transformative opportunity for the future, it is educating a girl child and giving her the platform she deserves to rise. But equally important is educating our boys — teaching them to respect every girl at home, in school, and in society. Real change begins within families. When we stop differentiating between sons and daughters, we begin shaping a world that is fairer, stronger, and more humane.

Progress is never a competition between genders. We are meant to energise each other, rise together, and complement — not compete. The true success of any society or nation lies in equality, acceptance, and shared growth. One sincere mindset shift, one conscious step at a time, can change the world — and that first step always begins at home.”
 
During a panel discussion on ‘Leadership Competency Development’, moderated by Ms Aruna Ravi Kumar, the state’s first woman broadcast journalist, panel member Ms Vanita Datla, former Chairperson of CII Telangana, shared her powerful Six-Up Formula for leadership. She explained that she picked up this model nearly 15 years ago at a leadership summit in Japan, and that it stayed with her consciously or subconsciously, shaping the leader she is today. Vanita Datla’s Six-Up Formula emphasises a holistic approach to growth and influence. She urges women to Show Up by being present and making their presence count, Speak Up by expressing their views fearlessly even when opinions may not be welcomed, Look Up to role models by adopting good traits and continually improving themselves, Team Up by building strong teams and nurturing a reliable support system around them, Not Give Up by pursuing goals relentlessly because winners never quit, and finally Lift others, as true leadership lies in creating future leaders, not followers.
 
Vanita Datla highlighted a hard-hitting reality, stating that India has the dubious distinction of having the world’s largest number of highly qualified homemakers—educated, skilled women, confined within four walls and unseen in the workforce.
 
She added that women often need to work twice as hard as men to stay afloat as leaders. Another panellist, Ms Anandita Mookerjee Sinha, Client Communications Leader – ET, spoke about overcoming stereotypes, judgment and sarcasm, stating that women determined to rise in leadership must convert obstacles into opportunities.
 
Moderator Aruna Ravi Kumar shared her personal experience of being denied a mobile phone that all her male colleagues received, explaining how she had to prove her worth before being allowed one. She reminded the audience that success and failure have no gender.
 
Dr Ch. Preeti Reddy, Vice Chairman, Malla Reddy Vishwavidyapeeth, who was the guest of honour, spoke about the equal treatment she received from her family, calling her in-laws her parents and explaining how her father-in-law, former Minister Malla Reddy, supported her as he would a son. She urged participants to develop knowledge, read widely, command respect, avoid gossip and remain productive.
 
Ravi Kumar, President of FTCCI, emphasised humanity over gender, stating that whether men or women, all are human beings and must work beyond gender bias with humanness.
 
“When women rise, economies rise. Our responsibility is not to wait for the gap to close — but to close it ourselves.” Speaking as Chairperson, Dr Tasneem Shariff said
 
She posed sharp, thought-provoking questions that shook the room:
“Why does 50% of the world’s talent get only 7% of Fortune 500 CEO roles?
Why do women add $13 trillion to global GDP yet receive less than 4% of venture funding?
And why must the world still wait 132 years to close the gender gap — is the delay in the data, or in our decisions?”
 
Tasneem underscored that while discussions often dwell on challenges, solutions already exist. More than ₹50,000 crore worth of credit schemes in India are earmarked for women. MUDRA Yojana alone funds over 70% women borrowers. States offer tax incentives, stamp duty waivers, subsidised loans, and 0–6% interest credit for women-led MSMEs.
 
The Summit was envisioned as a dynamic platform to champion women’s leadership, recognise their expanding impact across sectors, and nurture the next generation of purpose-driven women leaders. The day-long conference brought together entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, professionals, innovators and changemakers from Telangana and across India, and covered themes such as Leadership Competency Development, Personal Growth, Health, Wellness & Self-Confidence, Strategies for Overcoming Challenges & Personal Branding, Advocacy for Inclusive & Equitable Workplaces, Financial Resilience for Women Founders, and Technology, Innovation & Leadership.
 
The Summit featured a stellar lineup including Vanitha Datla, Vice Chairperson & Managing Director, Elico Ltd; Khushboo Hoda, Head – Health & Wellness, Volvo Group India; Tanya Chaitanya, CEO, Her Circle & President – Digital & Diversity Initiatives, Reliance Industries Limited;  Graybox Strategy & Society for Animal Aid; Nisary Mahesh, Founder & CEO, HerMoneyTalks; Deepti Akki, Director – Basketball, Federation Sports & Fitness Management Consultant; Michelle Dominica, Head – India CSR & Administrative Services, Viatris; Radhika Yuvraj Iyengar, Country Director, Women in Tech India & Senior Director – Data Strategy & Personalisation, Credera; Aninditha Sinha and Rashi Srivasthava among others. A special stand-up comedy segment by Sushma Chitta, Senior Manager – Product Content at ServiceNow and an award-winning stand-up comedian, added an engaging and refreshing close to the deliberations.
 
Proposing the vote of thanks, Garimella Srinivas observed that there is not a single thing that women are incapable of doing.