New Delhi: Madhura DasGupta Sinha, a seasoned banker with 25 years of experience, has been a strong advocate for helping women join and stay in the workforce, her journey started with two eye-opening moments. First, a highly educated friend had to give up her career after childbirth, unable to support her sick father financially. Then, a friend of her daughter quit her job due to pressure from her future husband’s family.
On International Women’s Day in 2020, she launched Aspire For Her, a platform focused on motivating women to enter and remain in the workforce. It started with college students but soon expanded to support mid-career women, those returning to work, and entrepreneurs, what was the goal? To add 10 million women to the workforce by 2030 and tackle the declining number of working women in India.
She has an MBA from XLRI and an Electrical Engineering degree from Jadavpur University, in 2003, she was among the 12 women in India selected for the prestigious British Chevening Scholarship. Her career includes leadership roles at IDFC, Standard Chartered, and ANZ Grindlays Bank.
As Aspire For Her grew, Sinha saw the power of entrepreneurship in creating jobs for women. This led to EntrepreNaari, a community for women entrepreneurs. Within this, SheExports was created to help women-led businesses expand globally. Many women had successful businesses in India but struggled with regulations and financial barriers when trying to export. SheExports stepped in with structured support, offering mentorship, market access, and hands-on learning.
The challenges were big. India has around 13.5 to 15.7 million women-owned businesses, but very few make it to the international market due to a lack of resources. In its first round, SheExports worked with 42 women-led businesses in handicrafts, fashion, and niche consumer goods. The second round grew to 84 participants, adding businesses in consulting, coaching, and tech services.
Anuj Kanwar, a former banking executive and a key part of the program, pointed out that many entrepreneurs lacked knowledge about export regulations, trade finance, and cross-border payments. To bridge this gap, SheExports introduced workshops, mentorship sessions, and expert-led training in areas like compliance, export paperwork, and digital branding.
The impact has been huge. Radhika Batra Shah, founder of Radhika’s Fine Teas, gained confidence and market insights through the program, leading her to represent Indian teas at a major global event. Deepa Bhowmick, founder of DaisyLife, faced shipping challenges but found better solutions through SheExports, helping her expand to Dubai.
Despite government export schemes, women entrepreneurs still struggle with complex paperwork and bureaucratic delays, programs like SheExports provide ongoing support that goes beyond typical accelerator programs, even after completing the program, participants stay connected through the EntrepreNaari community, where they continue to receive guidance and opportunities.
