New Delhi [India], March 30: FICCI FLO Mumbai, in partnership with MatchBoard LLP, hosted the MatchBoard Directors Summit & WoMen Who Lead Awards 2026, convening a powerful cross-section of India Inc. – corporate leaders, startup founders, regulators, investors, social entrepreneurs, and independent directors – with a clear mandate: to accelerate the movement towards conscious, future-ready boards in India.
Conceptualised and co-hosted by Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal, Managing Director, MatchBoard LLP, and Pooja Arambhan, Chairperson, FICCI FLO Mumbai, the Summit moved beyond a one-off convening to shape a sustained national agenda on governance, diversity, digital oversight, and ethical.
The evening opened with a powerful thematic film anchored in a simple but transformative message: “Boards are not just custodians of capital,They are custodians of conscience.”
Taking the podium, Pooja Arambhan called for a fundamental reset in how Indian boards are composed, how they operate, and what they stand for.
“We are here to rethink who gets to sit at the table, how they show up, and what they choose to stand for,” she said. “You cannot build the India of tomorrow with boards stuck in yesterday.”
She emphasised the urgency of preparing women and professionals from diverse backgrounds for both independent and executive board roles, and of embedding purpose, ESG, and stakeholder stewardship as central planks of governance.
Building on this, Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal introduced the Summit’s core theme – “Building the Board of Tomorrow: Talent, Technology, and Trust.” Our ambition is to champion conscious board leadership–leaders who are as fluent in digital risk as they are in human dignity; as serious about stakeholder voices as they are about shareholder returns, she said, pointing to gaps in AI and cybersecurity oversight, under-governed startups, and the lack of structured board pathways for women.
As Chief Guest, Kamala Kantharaj – Chief Regulatory Officer,Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), drew a direct line between board decisions, market integrity, and investor trust.
“Every decision taken in a boardroom leaves an imprint on market integrity and investor trust. You are not just approving strategies. ” She cautioned against underestimating cyber risk, opaque data, and unregulated tech practice. Also adding that Diversity is not a quota. It is a strategic advantage. It sharpens judgment, widens your field of vision, and anchors you when the easiest path is the most dangerous.”
Apurva Purohit CEO Aazol in her compelling key note spoke on Board effectiveness around three core levers: talent, technology, and trust.” Talent that reflects the world outside the boardroom. Technology understood not as wizardry, but as responsibility. And trust–earned, not demanded–through decisions that stand the test of transparency and time,” she said.
As Guests of Honour, Dr. Aneel Murarka(MirachemIndustries) and Dr. Shyam Singhania (Ennarr Group) brought a grounded industrial and entrepreneurial lens for boards that can hold both in creative tension, particularly in moments of ethical trade-offs and economic stress.
Through focused roundtables and sidebar conversations, the Summit placed special emphasis on startups and growth enterprises. In close partnership Pooja Arambhan and Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal outlined a roadmap to:
- Deepen governance engagement with early- and growth-stage companies
- Support women founders in accessing capital, markets, and mentorship
- Create deliberate pathways for entrepreneurs into board, advisory, and policy-shaping roles. “Too often, women founders are seen only as operators, not as future board leaders,” they observed, calling for a systematic reimagining of entrepreneurial and board ecosystems.
The evening then transitioned into the Glittering WoMen Who Lead Awards 2026, celebrating women whose leadership embodies resilience, innovation, and impact. The stage backdrop – Vision. Courage. Conscience.- captured the spirit of the awards.
Moods changed with Leading Violinist Sunita Bhuyan’s captivating performance
The distinguished jury comprised Dr. GP Rao, Harjeet Joshi, Sanjay Banka, Dr. Rajeshwari Narendran, Deepali Nair, along with Pooja Arambhan–leaders in governance and industry, reinforcing the rigour and credibility of the selection process.
The celebrated WoMen Who Lead Awardees are
Padma Shri Kalpana Saroj, Apurva Purohit, Archana Shah ,Nisha JamVwal, Sukanya Bose, Antara Asthana, SunitaBhuyan, Shaonie Maitrra & Kasturi Banerjjee, Dr. Sejal Ajmera, Preeti Sharma, Kiran Singh, Afrida Ali, Poonam Burman, Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan, Smiti Bhatt Deorah, Humera Shah, Shweta Dhoot, Bhawna Goenka, Amruta Rao, Sanjukta Arun Barik, Dr. Kiran Desai, Alpa Mayur Shah, Dr. Anita Shantaram, Nilima Roy Chowdhury, Priyanka Minda, Smita Magi, Dr. Nandita Shah, Elsie Gabriel, Dr. Sonal Jain Jayaswal, Shefali Khalsa, Varsha Rane, & Rajita Kulkarni.
Collectively, they showcased the breadth of women’s leadership in contemporary India–spanning business, social enterprise, sustainability, media, education, and more.
Two significant research reports were unveiled, developed in collaboration with Ina Shastri Banasthali Vidhyapith and Mona Kwatra Dhira Skilldev Foundation:
“Women-led Growth”- Demonstrating, through Performance without purpose is fragile.
- Purpose without performance is hollow.
data and case studies, how women leaders drive innovation and performance, while mapping structural barriers that impede their progress.
“Digital Adoption and Governance”- Providing boards with a practical framework to oversee AI, data protection, and digital customer engagement in an ethically grounded, regulation-ready manner.
“These are not coffee-table publications. They are toolkits for change,” the convenors emphasised.
The Summit and Awards were supported by a strong ecosystem of partners, including Senco Gold & Diamonds, Ample Mission, Dhiraa Skilldev Foundation, DBS Bank, iiVHealth Solutions, Jeep, BYD Landmark, PayU Finance, Bigoyaseo Services, Restmor Linens and UNTAM3D.in–reflecting cross-sectoral commitment to advancing conscious board leadership.
Closing the evening, Dr. Saagarika Ghoshal issued a clear call to action:
“This cannot end as an event. It must continue as a movement.”As regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, activists, awardees, and aspirants left the venue, a shared conviction emerged: Board leadership, when truly conscious, is not a compliance checkbox. It is a strategic lever for long-term value creation and societal change in a new India – Viksit Bharat.