News18 successfully inaugurated the powerful third season of SheShakti, in partnership with Lions International, celebrating women who’ve shattered barriers and are shaping the future of India. For the first time ever, SheShakti expanded regionally with a much-anticipated Mumbai Edition. The SheShakti edition in Mumbai marked more than just a milestone, it celebrated Maharashtra’s spirit with women leading from the front and driving the vision of a new India, powered by women and anchored in Bharat.
Over its two impactful previous editions, News18 SheShakti has evolved from a platform to a powerful initiative that has spotlighted pathbreakers in governance, security, industry, entertainment, science, arts, social justice and much more. This year’s theme, “From Breaking Barriers to Building Bharat,” is especially significant as the campaign shifted its focus to regional India, bringing grassroots leadership to the forefront alongside metropolitan voices. The celebration highlighted how real leadership transcends boundaries, urban and rural, grassroots and global and emphasised that a stronger Bharat will be built when women lead across sectors.
As stories from grassroots activists, scientists, entrepreneurs, media personalities, policymakers and frontline changemakers took centre stage, SheShakti 2025 reinforced the transformative power of storytelling in shaping India’s leadership narrative.
Ashwini Bhide, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and widely known as the “metro woman” of Mumbai for handling complex, multi-crore projects, said, “Working on mega projects in Mumbai is a big challenge but also a massive opportunity, and you need to be a problem solver at all times. Unless we create a robust and strong global standard of public transport in Mumbai, it’ll be very difficult for Mumbaikars to commute the way they deserve.”
Shifting from the metro to the film industry of Maharashtra, and opening up about how films and OTT shows are evolving for the better, actor Shriya Pilgaonkar says, “You have to be stubborn about your dreams and flexible about your plan. Today, the work opportunities, especially with the kind of women I have been able to play on screen, are exciting. However, it’s important to maintain balance. The industry is quick to box you.
“You have to stay in your power, confidence, and value, and your drive needs to come from within… So, if you want to stay relevant and keep working, you can’t always be giving the power to other people,” says Mandala Murders actor.
Further, adding to the importance of financial freedom for women, Lakshmi Iyer, Group President Designate (Investments), Bajaj Finserv, in her session ‘The ROI of Being She’, said, “Financial freedom is like oxygen. For women, it should be like Independence Day. The goal is to be in so much control of your finances that you can say it feels like oxygen to you.”
Building on the momentum, Dr. Neerja Birla, Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust, spoke candidly about India’s long-neglected mental health crisis and the cultural shift now underway. She also addressed the silent mental burden carried by women. “We’re conditioned to be caregivers, to put ourselves last. But I say this from experience, if my own cup is half full, how can I give anyone else? It has to be brimming before I can share,” she said.
The Lions International presents News18 SheShakti 2025- Mumbai edition, concluded with a powerful session by Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, who championed the need for women’s empowerment and gender equality in driving the state’s development. He emphasized, “As I matured in my political journey, I came to realize that Maharashtra’s vision for growth can only be fulfilled if we truly embrace gender equality. Being a student of economics, I’ve read global economic trends and noticed one consistent pattern: only those countries have accelerated their growth where they recognized the value of the other 50% of their population: women. If we want to fast-track our own growth, we must bring our women workforce to the front seat. And as we give them more opportunities, we are clearly seeing the results; there is no field today where women are not excelling.”
During his conversation, he also recalled how, in the early days of women’s reservations in local bodies, their male relatives often functioned as the real decision-makers behind the curtain, and how the shift began to take place.
“At that time, women had 33% of the seats. But many were stand-ins. The terms ‘sarpanch-pati’ and ‘corporator-pati’ came into existence because men felt it was their role,” the Chief Minister said, noting that a gradual shift began around 1997, when women actually began performing in those roles.
“In 2029, when it becomes compulsory to give tickets to women, I don’t think we will stop at 33%. Within ten years, it will be 50%,” he said.
The Mumbai edition of News18 SheShakti 2025 brought together trailblazing women who are not just leading in their fields; they’re reshaping them. From governance and business to sports, media, and the arts, the conversations were bold, urgent, and unapologetically forward-looking. This wasn’t just a celebration of women’s power, it was a clear message: the future of Bharat is being built by women who lead, disrupt, and redefine what’s possible.