Hello,
SheSparks turned the spotlight on women driving meaningful impact and shaping the future.
Held at IIT Delhi on Saturday, YourStory’s summit celebrating women featured several founders, policymakers, leaders, and champions of change.
Danasari Anasuya Seethakka, a minister in the Telangana government, urged women to break barriers and create history.
Seethakka, Minister for Panchayat Raj & Rural Development, Women & Child Welfare, Government of Telangana, spoke about how she fought against injustice in society and encouraged women to gain economic independence to fight challenges. “I strongly believe when women gain economic power, families become stronger, communities become more resilient, and the entire state progresses,” she said.
Women drivers and instructors from Azad Foundation’s Women with Wheels programme also spoke at the event—on how mobility has become their route to safety and financial independence.
Hazira, Shashi, and Aarti shared what it means to take control of not just vehicles but their lives as well.
A host of other women trailblazers too graced the event.
Speaking of trailblazers, meet Geeta Gandbhir, who has not one but two Oscar nominations.
The American filmmaker is nominated in two separate categories for two different documentaries: best documentary feature for The Perfect Neighbor and best documentary short for The Devil is Busy. Only five, including Walt Disney, have achieved this distinction in the history of the Oscars.
Lastly, have the recent incidents in West Asia affected Dubai’s glossy image? Not everyone thinks so.
In today’s newsletter, we will talk about
Here’s your trivia for today: What is 13.5 inches tall and weighs 8.5 pounds?
Women founders in India are offered endless advice and networking opportunities but they struggle to secure the actual investment needed to scale, and this needs to change, said women leaders at a panel discussion at SheSparks 2026, YourStory’s flagship summit celebrating women.
Many women entrepreneurs are over-mentored and under-funded, and it's time to move beyond the warmth of sisterhood towards the reality of capital access, they reiterated.
Capital, access, agency:
Venture capital funding into Indian startups continues to remain lacklustre largely due to the ongoing tense macroeconomic environment with the conflict in West Asia affecting economies.
The conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States has affected the stability of the financial markets, slowing the fund flow across economies. Debt funding showed the highest traction during the second week of March but overall the fund inflow into Indian startups continues to remain low.
Key takeaways:
News & updates
What is 13.5 inches tall and weighs 8.5 pounds?
Answer: The Oscar statuette
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