Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Prukalpa Sankar, Rithika Mohan: A look at women acing it in new-age industries

Who's really running India's new economy? Increasingly, the answer is women — building unicorns in AI, renewable energy, EVs, drones and cloud computing, and steering companies worth billions. The 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List has just dropped, ranking India's most influential women executives and founders shaping the industries set to define the country's next growth wave. At No.1: ReNew Power's Vaishali Nigam Sinha. Here's the full Top 10.

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Vaishali Nigam Sinha (56) – ReNew Power

Rank: 1

Company valuation: ₹22,230 crore
Industry: Solar Energy

Vaishali Nigam Sinha tops the list, with ReNew Power emerging as the highest-valued company among the new economy firms led by women in the ranking.

Rajoshi Ghosh (39) – Hasura

Rank: 2

Company valuation: ₹9,500 crore
Industry: Cloud Computing

Rajoshi Ghosh secures the second spot, leading cloud computing company Hasura, one of India's most valuable technology firms.

Prukalpa Sankar (36) – Atlan

Rank: 3

Company valuation: ₹7,120 crore
Industry: Data Analytics & Business Intelligence

Prukalpa Sankar features among the youngest leaders in the ranking, with Atlan becoming a major player in the data analytics and business intelligence space.

Rashi Agarwal (55) – Zypp Electric

Rank: 4

Company valuation: ₹3,150 crore
Industry: Urban Mobility & Ride-Hailing
Rashi Agarwal leads Zypp Electric, reflecting the rapid growth of electric mobility solutions in India's urban transport ecosystem.

Rithika Mohan (33) – Garuda Aerospace

Rank: 5

Company valuation: ₹2,380 crore
Industry: Drones & Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

At just 33, Rithika Mohan is the youngest leader in the top five, representing India's fast-growing drone technology sector.

Sulajja Firodia Motwani (55) – Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions

Rank: 6

Company valuation: ₹1,480 crore
Industry: Electric Vehicles

Sulajja Firodia Motwani has secured a place among India's top women leaders as Kinetic Green continues to expand in the electric vehicle market.

Sarita Ahlawat – BotLab Dynamics

Rank: 7

Company valuation: ₹490 crore
Industry: Drones & Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Sarita Ahlawat represents another drone technology company on the list, underlining the sector's growing importance in India's innovation ecosystem.

Madhumita Agrawal (43) – Oben Electric

Rank: 8

Company valuation: ₹370 crore
Industry: Electric Vehicles

Madhumita Agrawal makes the ranking with Oben Electric, highlighting the continued momentum in India's EV startup ecosystem.

Laina Emmanuel (41) – Brainsight AI

Rank: Joint 9

Company valuation: ₹190 crore
Industry: AI Software & Platforms

Laina Emmanuel shares the ninth position for leading Brainsight AI, an artificial intelligence company operating in the software and platforms space.

Rimjhim Agrawal (41) – Brainsight AI

Rank: Joint 9

Company valuation: ₹190 crore
Industry: AI Software & Platforms

Rimjhim Agrawal also features at the joint ninth rank alongside Laina Emmanuel, with both representing Brainsight AI in the 2026 Candere Hurun India Women Leaders List.