Current Year Committee

Mrs. Rajyalakshmi Rao

Mrs. Rajyalakshmi Rao is a distinguished professional and author whose career reflects excellence, leadership, and commitment to social causes. She holds a B.Com from Nizam College, an MBA from Osmania University, and an M.S. in Advertising from the University of Illinois, USA. This academic foundation, coupled with international exposure, has equipped her with a unique blend of business acumen and creative vision.

She is the Founder Chairperson of the All India Foundation of Deaf Women, an initiative active across 16 states, dedicated to skilling deaf girls for employment, creating social opportunities through Pranay Milan Sammelan, and organizing national-level talent competitions. Breaking barriers in the corporate and business world, she became the first woman in 55 years to be elected National President of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as Director on the boards of Tech Mahindra Ltd., Amma Lines Pvt. Ltd., and Rewas Ports Ltd.

Mrs. Rao has played a significant role in consumer rights advocacy, with 18 years of service across district, state, and national consumer redressal forums. She has also served on the RBI’s Damodaran Committee on Consumer Services in Banks, the Insurance Advisory Committee of IRDA, the Censor Board, and the Executive Committee of the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai. She has held advisory and leadership roles with Namaste America, Council for Fair Business Practices (CFBP), FLO-FICCI, the SAARC Chamber of Commerce (SCWEC), and the American Alumni Association, where she was the first lady President.

A prolific writer, Mrs. Rao has authored two acclaimed books on consumer rights: Consumer is King!! Know Your Rights & Remedies—translated into 11 regional languages and updated till 2023—and Consumer Rights and You.

Her pioneering work has been recognized with awards such as the IBG Award of Business Excellence (2020), Dr. Ambedkar Ratna Award at the United Nations (2016), Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence, the Hind Rattan – Sword of Honour in Bahrain, the FICCI FLO Award of Professional Excellence (2013), and the Women of Excellence Award at the International World Telugu Conference.

With her multifaceted contributions across business, consumer rights, art, culture, and social empowerment, Mrs. Rajyalakshmi Rao continues to inspire as a true trailblazer and role model for women leaders in India and beyond.

Mrs. Anita Chouhan

Prof. Anita Chouhan is the Executive Trustee of the Mahendra & Young Knowledge Foundation. She brings over 25 years of experience in training, teaching, and consulting. She is a long-standing visiting faculty at NMIMS NCDOE, where she has taught Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Ethics, and Corporate Governance for over 12 years. She has also taught at NMIMS School of Business Management and MET Institute of Management & Research.

She heads Sustainability Training & Consulting at the Asian Centre for Corporate Governance & Sustainability, a certified training partner of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Amsterdam, and has conducted numerous programs on sustainability reporting.

As Executive Director of Mahendra & Ardneham Consulting Pvt. Ltd., she advises corporates—ranging from large public companies to start-ups—on ESG strategy, sustainability reporting, and CSR. Trained by the International Finance Corporation & Global Corporate Governance Forum, Washington, she also trains Boards of Directors in leadership.

Prof. Chouhan serves on the Advisory Panel of BeyonDiversity, mentoring young women professionals and entrepreneurs through its iLEAP program. Beyond her corporate and academic roles, she is a dedicated yoga practitioner, trained teacher, and Preceptor of Sahaj Marg meditation, guiding individuals towards balance in modern life. She is married to Prof. Mahendra Chouhan and is the proud mother of two accomplished daughters, Bhoomika and Koumudi.

Mrs. Radhika Nath

Mrs. Radhika Nath is an Advisor to the Mahindra Group and an Executive Board member of Mumbai First, working to improve the city’s quality of life and investment climate. She has nearly 30 years of experience in retail, export, and trade, and pioneered Mahindra Group’s retail strategy, including the Mom & Me maternity brand, which now operates 100+ stores across 45+ cities. She has also led Mahindra Exports’ Apparel Division, Avex Pvt. Ltd., and secured global partnerships with brands like Disney and Ladybird.

She is a former President of the Indian Merchants Chamber – Ladies Wing (2016-17) and has driven educational initiatives as part of the Mahindra Schools’ Governing Council.

An alumna of Elphinstone College, Cathedral & John Connon School, and St. Hilda’s, Ooty, she is a qualified Nursery Teacher and MBA candidate at Bombay University. Passionate about education, environment, wildlife conservation, and the arts, she is also an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer with a completed Arangetram.

Mrs. Anuja Mittal

A Psychology Honours graduate, Mrs. Anuja Mittal also holds diplomas in Interior Designing, Gemology, and Diamond Sorting, along with a certificate in Conversational French from Alliance Française. A nature lover, she earned a Teacher’s Degree in Flower Arrangement from the Sogetsu School of Ikebana.

She has been an active member of the Indian Merchants Chamber for over 25 years, serving on various committees and as President (2020–2021). Currently, she plays a key role in the operations of her family-run KG Mittal Hospital, contributing to healthcare and community service.

Mrs. Amrita Somaiya

Amrita Somaiya is a passionate advocate for education, design, and social impact. A graduate of Simmons College, Boston (Economics), she plays an active role in initiatives empowering communities through learning and creativity.

As Trustee of the Somaiya Trust, Somaiya Medical Trust, and Somaiya Vidyavihar, she contributes to advancing educational opportunities and serves on the governing board of Somaiya Vidyavihar University. She has led the ‘Help A Child to Study’ project, providing scholarships to financially challenged students, and supports design education and artisan development through Somaiya Kala Vidya (SKV) and Design Craft, promoting traditional crafts with formal training and market platforms.

She is also co-owner of Kitab Khana, Mumbai’s beloved boutique bookstore, and serves on the governing council of The Somaiya School, a CBSE institution committed to holistic education.

Ms. Anar Shah

Ms. Anar Shah is a very active member of the IMC Ladies’ Wing and has served as Chairperson of several committees over the years, contributing significantly to the organization’s initiatives and activities.

Mrs. Nayantara Jain

Mrs. Nayantara Jain, wife of Mr. Pavan Kumar Jain of the Inox Group of Companies, graduated from Loreto College (1975) with a specialization in Education, Psychology, and History. She has actively supported cultural and welfare organizations in Mumbai.

She is a Past President of the Ladies’ Wing, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as of Indus International, Archana Club, and Friends of Tribal Society—one of India’s largest NGOs for the upliftment of tribal and rural communities. During her tenure at the Ladies’ Wing, she championed women’s issues and empowerment initiatives.

Mrs. Pallavi Sharma

Ms. Pallavi Sahney Sharma’s professional journey of over two decades has been intertwined with the shaping up of landmark cultural developments in Mumbai, including the Kala Ghoda Art Festival, and iconic exhibitions and events at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and Goethe-Institut.

In her role as CEO Kala Ghoda Association, Projects Director, U.D.R.I. (Urban Design Research Institute), Horniman Circle Garden Trust and Horniman Circle Association, she has worked on various projects to promote urban planning and restoration of the heritage precincts of Mumbai.

At the National Centre for the Performing Arts, her mission is to ensure that the enriching world of art, which the organization is home to, touches more and more lives.

Mrs. Pooja Bajaj

Pooja Bajaj is the Executive Director of CSR-ESG at Bajaj Electricals Limited and the Chairperson of Bajaj Electricals Foundation. Her commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility is reflected in initiatives focused on environmental sustainability. As Chairperson of the Bajaj Electricals Foundation, she has directed projects that make a meaningful impact on communities, while also encouraging employee volunteering.

Additionally, her role as Trustee of the Laxmi Narayan Devasthanam Trust in Wardha underscores her dedication to community development. She is also Director of the Kamalnayan Bajaj Art Gallery, reflecting her passion for the arts. An accomplished artist herself, her exhibition at Jehangir Art Gallery, titled Unleashed—Defining the Abstract, celebrated the beauty of nature in abstract form.

Her involvement as a committee member of the Ladies’ Wing of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry highlights her commitment to upholding high standards of integrity in social projects, particularly those focused on rural women entrepreneurship.

Mrs. Priyadarshini Kanodia

Mrs. Priyadarshini Kanodia, a finance and business management professional, is actively involved in the Datamatics Group, managing corporate treasury operations, promoter wealth management, and CSR initiatives supporting environment and employability. She co-founded Annam, a nutrition-focused initiative providing supplemental nutrition to 1,800 underprivileged children weekly, and established the family charitable trust, Suraj Hope Foundation.

With over two decades of experience managing the family portfolio, she combines conservative thinking with contemporary execution, optimizing investments, risk management, and financial planning. She has represented Datamatics at the Campden Family Business Conference in Mumbai.

An accomplished Santoor artist, Priyadarshini released her solo album Priyanjali (2001) and has won multiple awards in music and arts. She actively promotes women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship through various chambers of commerce and is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Bombay Chapter, where she received the YPO Star of the Year Award for music.

She is a devoted mother to Vikramaditya (MBA, Stanford University) and Anantveer Kanodia (Boston College), and enjoys tennis, photography, cooking, travel, and exploring arts and culture, inspired by Vedantic philosophy and Hindustani classical music.

Ms. Sheila Kripalani

Ms. Sheila Kripalani is deeply engaged in social causes. She serves as a board member of Bombay Teen Challenge, the Terry Fox Foundation, and as Chair of Habitat for Humanity India, supporting initiatives for the rehabilitation of sex workers and their children, cancer research, and poverty housing.

She has also served as Past President of the Ladies’ Wing, IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mrs. Asha Joshi

A graduate in Arts with a Diploma in Advertising and Marketing, Asha Joshi built a distinguished career at Bajaj Electricals Ltd., where she rose to the position of General Manager (Advertising) and later continued as an Advertising Consultant for over 15 years. With her extensive experience in advertising and marketing, she contributed to numerous impactful initiatives, including print campaigns, audio-visual presentations, and exhibition displays for high-profile events.

Asha has been associated with the IMC Ladies’ Wing since the inception of the Jankidevi Bajaj Puraskar in 1993. Over the years, she has played an active role in the award process through nominations, coordination, event management, and the creation of supporting communication material, making her an invaluable member of the committee.