~14th edition of annual thought leadership platform brought together influential voices to address
gender inequity in leadership roles
New Delhi: Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF), in partnership with FICCI,
successfully concluded the 14th edition of its annual flagship conference, IDEATE 2025 at the FICCI
Commission Hall. This year's theme, 'Margin to Mainstream: Empowering Women to Lead',
convened policymakers and industry leaders across segments to address the persistent barriers to
women's leadership and to explore transformative strategies that empower women to lead with
confidence and impact at every level.
Delivering the special address, Padma Shri Shobhana Bhartia, Chairperson and Editorial Director, HT
Media Limited, highlighted “Empowering women is not charity' it is a necessity. Half of India’s
population is women, yet they remain underrepresented in decision-making. We celebrate achievers
but deny millions the opportunity to realize their potential. A gender-inclusive approach is essential,
for women bring empathy, collaboration, and fairness to leadership. Bridging India’s gender gap
could add nearly a trillion dollars to our GDP. Empowerment is both an economic imperative and a
moral one, India simply cannot afford not to empower its women.”
Ms. Shaifalika Panda, Founder & CEO, BIPF, emphasised the transformative potential of women's
leadership in redefining power dynamics across sectors, in her welcoming address. She said, "As our
nation strides toward the vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047”, harnessing Nari Shakti is crucial. As we
follow the path of women-led-development, we must view women as architects of change and invest
in their agency as much as in their access.”
In the panel discussion 'Margin to Mainstream: Strategies for Empowerment', Ms. Sara Abdullah
Pilot, Founder & Chairperson, CEQUIN, outlined the imperative for systemic transformation and said,
“India has been progressive on women’s rights since the Constitution gave women the right to vote
while many nations were still struggling. From domestic violence laws to panchayati raj, important
reforms have been made, but the statistics show much more needs to be done. We must adopt a life-
cycle approach, supporting women from birth to adulthood, beyond just maternity. Platforms like the
Ideate Conclave are vital to share experiences, discuss challenges, and work together on solutions".
The panel explored addressing critical gaps in education, training, and mentorship.
Other esteemed panelists included Mr. Vijay Mahajan, Founder, BASIX Social Enterprise Group; and
Ms. Aradhana Rai Gupta, Co-Founder, Project Baala. The panel was moderated by Ms. Roshika Singh,
Principal Country Officer, India Country Team, IFC India.
A fireside chat – 'Invisibility and Influence' between Padma Shri Naina Lal Kidwai, Chairperson,
Rothschild & Co India and Past President, FICCI, and Ms. Muskan Kushwaha, KARM Fellow, examined
ways of creating an ecosystem that elevates women's socio-economic independence. Padma Shri
Naina Lal Kidwai remarked, “The role of women leaders in building a Viksit Bharat 2047 is to
recognize that each of us has a responsibility to shape the ecosystem. To truly create change, we
must become mid-managers to other women helping them find opportunities, education, and
chances to shine. Even the smallest actions can make a powerful difference. Progress will come when
both women and men commit to bringing equity and take charge of transforming lives together”.
The session was moderated by Ms. Shaifalika Panda.
IDEATE 2025 encouraged cross-sector collaboration and underlined the critical role of inclusive
leadership in building truly gender-equitable communities and organizations.
