Payal Kadakia
Payal Kadakia founded ClassPass and pioneered a subscription marketplace model that transformed how consumers accessed fitness and wellness services. By connecting users with a wide range of studios through a single membership, she created a new category within the fitness industry and expanded access to boutique exercise experiences. ClassPass grew into a globally recognized consumer […]
Jayshree Ullal
Jayshree Ullal took over Arista Networks before it generated revenue and helped build it into one of the world’s leading cloud networking companies. Under her leadership, Arista challenged established industry giants and became a multi-billion-dollar enterprise serving major technology firms and data centers worldwide. Its success transformed the company into a key player in modern […]
Bharat Desai
Bharat Desai co-founded Syntel and helped transform a startup launched from a Michigan apartment into a global IT services company. Working alongside Neerja Sethi, he guided the firm’s expansion across international markets and built a business that served major corporate clients worldwide. Under their leadership, Syntel became one of the most successful technology companies founded […]
Neerja Sethi
Neerja Sethi co-founded Syntel in 1980, launching the company from a Michigan apartment with just $2,000 in savings. Over nearly four decades, she helped build the firm into a global IT services enterprise serving major corporate clients around the world. At a time when women were significantly underrepresented in technology entrepreneurship, she demonstrated that founders […]
Vinita Gupta
Vinita Gupta led Digital Link Corporation’s growth into a successful technology infrastructure company and, in 1994, became the first Indian-born woman to take a U.S. technology company public. By guiding the company through the demanding process of a NASDAQ listing, she achieved a milestone that was rare for both women and immigrants in Silicon Valley […]
Nalini Ambady
Nalini Ambady was a social psychologist whose pioneering research revealed how people form rapid judgments from minimal social cues. Her influential studies on “thin slices” demonstrated that first impressions can be remarkably accurate while also reflecting unconscious bias. As a professor at Tufts University and Stanford University, Ambady transformed research on social perception, communication, and […]
Mahzarin Banaji
Mahzarin Banaji is a social psychologist whose research transformed the understanding of unconscious bias. At Harvard University, she co-developed the Implicit Association Test, one of the most widely used tools for measuring implicit attitudes and stereotypes. Her work has influenced psychology, education, business, healthcare, and law, reshaping how institutions understand bias and decision-making. She co-authored […]
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra is an actress, producer, and entrepreneur who successfully transitioned from a leading career in Indian cinema to mainstream American entertainment. In 2015, she starred as the lead of Quantico, becoming one of the first South Asian women to headline a major American network drama series. The show’s success demonstrated that an Indian-born actress […]
Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling is a writer, producer, actress, and one of the most influential creative voices in modern American television. She first gained recognition as a writer and performer on The Office, where she helped shape one of the most acclaimed sitcoms of its era. She later created and starred in The Mindy Project, becoming one […]
Nina Davuluri
Nina Davuluri is a public speaker, advocate, and the first Indian American to win the title of Miss America. Her 2013 victory sparked a national conversation about race, identity, and who could represent American beauty in a multicultural society. In the face of both widespread support and racist backlash, she used her platform to promote […]