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These #3 Female Scions Have Left Their Brothers Behind in Family Businesses These #3 women business leaders have chosen an avenue of giving their family business a new dimension .

By Komal Nathani

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Often do we see male faces behind successful stories of big family businesses, but this new trend is surely going to bring a revolutionary change in the patriarchal mindset of people in India. Gone are the days when male heirs were only used to be the face of running successful family businesses in India.

From Sheryll Sandberg to Indra Nooryi we have had heard about iconic women leaders and many a trailblazers from across the world, but have we ever before focused or acknowledged Indian women business leaders who are leading their family businesses as the proud female scions?

These #3 women business leaders have chosen an avenue of giving their family business a new dimension with the skills they have learnt throughout and the ideas they have to run a lucrative business.

  • Samina Vaziralli, Vice Chairman, Cipla

With no intention of joining a family business, Samina Vaziralli was enjoying her job at the New York-based head office of Goldman Sachs until 2005. As fate may have it, she returned to India only to become the Executive Vice-Chairman of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world.

Both Vaziralli and her brother were groomed to take over the reins of family business by YK Hamied. In the quest of international exposure, Kamil Hamied took time to broaden the leadership and business experience outside of Cipla while Samina took the reins of the business.

The female scion of the Cipla family has a robust business model and has big plans for the company, which is one of the world's biggest Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnological firms.

The 80 year-old Cipla is now being headed by the niece of the legendary business leader YK Hamied.

  • Radhika Piramal, MD, VIP Industries

With sharp and square ideas in mind, Radhika Piramal took over her family business from her father Dilip Piramal in 2009. Since then Radhika Piramal has given a new dimension to VIP Industries. With the set of skills after studying from Harvard, Radhika at first worked as a consutant at Bain and Company and FutureBrand Inc. After coming back to India, Radhika launched her new intiative to tap youth in Indian market.

She considers her role model Warren Buffet, the US business baron as she likes his quality of exploring more in whatever he does. Radhika is India's one of the most open CEO who talks and accepts her sexual orientation as a lesbian publicly. VIP Industries is now the India's top most luggage company and Asia's second largest luggage company.

  • Lavanya Nalli, Nalli Group of Companies

In a bid to stay alive the trend of traditional wears of Kanchipuram silk saris, the 32-year-old Harvard business graduate, Lavanya, is making count her skills, studies and niche ideas in expanding her family business. The reins of 90-year-old business enterprise has now come on the shoulders of its fifth-generation lady scion, which has been widely transformed from a small Chennai-based shop, "Chinnaswamy Chetti' to now a- big-shot brand "Nalli Group of Companies'.

The iconic south brand, "Nalli" was incorporated in 1928 by her great-great-grandfather as a small textile family business enterprise. Over the years, "Nalli" has gained an extensive reputation for selling the finest silk saris in India that now in Chennai, "Nalli" is synonymous to silk saris. As when people say "Nalli", what pops up first in mind are the pictures of the wedding and incredible hand-woven silk in rich colors & spectacular designs.

Komal Nathani

Former Correspondent, Entrepreneur Asia Pacific

A firm believer of hard work and patience. Love to cover stories that hold a potential to change the momentum of business world. Currently, a part of all-women web team of Entrepreneur’s Asia Pacific edition to jig the wheel of business journalism!

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