"Entrepreneurship Is Tough, Tougher For A Woman In India", Says Indian Woman Entrepreneur Kunj Yadav

Kunj Yadav is a mother, a strong athlete and an impeccable businesswoman leading her way up to the top. Positioned as the Director & Chief Marketing Officer of Yadu Corporation, Kunj Yadav stands as an inspiration for many young Indian women out there longing to wear the entrepreneurial hat. Yadu Corporation, at present, is a diversified conglomerate with business interests ranging from sugar, real estate, hospitality, and power industries.

Kunj has successfully built brand Yadu. Today it is recognized as a bold, better, and innovative enterprise offering quality products and driven by values such as, diversity and inclusion. From the glares of society to the pressure of attending her family, Kunj has faced it all with utmost confidence and undeterred courage. A major ratio of woman let go off their dreams after becoming a mother but that's not the case with Kunj. Her three children never delayed her goals, instead became her inspiration. She has always been a woman with fizz. She was only 14 years old when she learnt the biggest lesson of her life- to always utilise her time, and that's why she started assisting her father in the business at the same time. She fell in love with it instantly and today, she is at the top of her game.

 “ Kicking women entrepreneurship in India is a challenging & complex task, but it’s also the one that offers an unprecedented opportunity to alter the economic and social course of India and it’s aadhi aabadi i.e. women for many-many decades to come. ” - Kunj Yadav 

Few would challenge that India’s growth story has not fairly played a key demographic: women. Notwithstanding some upgrades in social conditions, India’s growth does not translate to the economic inclusion and development of women. Kunj reaffirms it and further explains that “The irony is that there are plenty of women founders or co-founders only ‘on paper’. If you take a closer look at their degree of involvement, you will find that their actual role is either miniscule or negligible. Which speaks volumes about the Indian society’s perception towards women as a business leader. Majority still thinks women are suitable for bedrooms not boardrooms.” 

Kunj however believes that things are getting better. There have been policy level developments that has made a few things better for female entrepreneurs, but the pace of such interventions needs to be accelerated. Women entrepreneurship in India today warrants coordinated efforts across a couple of key areas such as a comprehensive and enabling policy framework, unbiased access to capital, customized knowledge and capacity building and most importantly social receptiveness. 

“ My advice to budding female entrepreneurs is simple- if you genuinely feel the urge- do it. Shed all your fears and give it a shot. No matter what you believe; but trust me darling- we’ve got nothing to lose. ” - Kunj Yadav 

Kunj practices what she preaches. As a leading entrepreneur, she took it as her responsibility to make her organisation a gender sensitive workplace. It resulted into 30% workforce in Yadu Corporation being female which she believes will only increase with the time. An alumnus of Delhi University, Kunj has also been a national-level discus throw and netball player. She is still very conscious about her workout schedule and inspires everyone around her to mind their fitness.