Editor's Letter: Half The Sky

“Today, women are playing leading and significant roles in all spheres. They are setting unprecedented records. They are awakened and are holding leadership positions in many areas. Their ideas, thoughts and values can lead to the creation of a happy family, ideal society and a prosperous nation.” – President Droupadi Murmu

To achieve gender equality, we may well have to wait for another 300 years, if the current rate of progress continues, warns a UN report. The report highlights that women’s condition has got a lot worse in the last three years, in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, conflicts and climate change.

We are, however, impatient for change. Waiting for three centuries for something as fundamental as gender equality is not an ideal situation. On International Women’s Day recently, we renewed our resolve to achieve gender equality and equity. We, at BW Businessworld, marked the day with a series of events where we invited top women business and corporate leaders to share insights on how to make the transition to a just, equal world quicker, faster. It’s only proper, then, that the current issue of BW Businessworld showcases and celebrates women power: women leaders of India Inc and policy space who have risen against all odds, and set examples for others – men and women alike. The list of BW Businessworld Most Influential Women (MIW) proves women leaders always leave their mark – no matter how big the hurdle is.

This issue of BW Businessworld is special for another reason. Those following BW Businessworld may have noticed that Reebok founder Joe Foster graced our Business Literature Festival only recently. In this issue, we carry a special interview with the remarkable founder who made the shoe brand a household name, across the world.

Talking about remarkable brands, DLF is surely one, when it comes to infrastructure and real estate. I caught up with its chairman emeritus K. P. Singh recently. Singh’s has been a remarkable life. His success in creating an entire city – Gurugram in Haryana – set new benchmarks for private players. In his interview to me, he spoke about the need to have a national debate on urbanisation. I think this is high time we discussed urbanisation and our masterplans more often.

In this issue of BW Businessworld, former CEO of National Health Authority R. S. Sharma discusses how technology can be an equaliser in healthcare in the developing world. We carry his column as the Last Word.

You may also find an interview with Infosys founder N. R. Narayana Murthy, being carried in this issue, interesting.

This issue has all other ingredients and regular columns.

We eagerly wait for your feedback and opinion, issue after issue. Do keep writing in.

Happy reading!