International Women’s Day 2026: How Women Entrepreneurs Are Redefining Success and Purpose

International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March each year, honours women’s social, economic, political, and cultural achievements while advocating for gender equality. This special day also highlights the progress made in the status quo of shattering the gender stereotypes, especially in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

The NITI Aayog report, ‘Decoding government support to women entrepreneurs in India’, noted that women’s economic contribution to the country’s GDP stands at 17 per cent only. To bridge this gap, India has intensified its focus on boosting female founders through new initiatives like SHE Marts introduced during the Union Budget 2026-27. In a country like India, where women represent half of the population, their participation in the economy is essential for sustainable economic development, gender equality, and poverty alleviation. 

Data from leading industry reports such as the WISER and Tracxn show that women-founded startups are most active in EdTech, HealthTech, and sustainability. These studies reveal a trend where female entrepreneurs are increasingly leveraging their expertise and experience to create mission-driven ventures. One such example is Ruchi Sharma, a seasoned corporate leader who transitioned into entrepreneurship and is currently the founder of RuhMantra.

“For more than two decades, I built a career I was genuinely proud of. I enjoyed the work, the challenges, and the reputation I had earned for myself over the years. But somewhere along the way, I realised that without noticing it, I had slowly begun living mostly for everyone else. My family, my responsibilities, and the many roles women naturally take on,” said Ruchi.

While seeking to align her professional path with her personal growth, she found herself contemplating. “Where was I in all of this?” And at 47, she chose to step away and study psychology, wanting to better understand herself and the emotional journeys we all go through.

This process of self-discovery helped her find the core of her business. “RuhMantra grew from that process of rediscovering myself," Sharma explains. “For me, turning passion into a profession was not about leaving a successful career behind. It was about finally giving myself the space to grow into who I was becoming."