Shobhana Bhartia: Indian Women Entrepreneur
Shobhana Bhartia is a Female Entrepreneur and Indian businessperson. She is the editorial director and chairperson of Hindustan Times Group, one of the largest newspapers and media houses in India.
She hereditary got it from her father. Recently she took charge as the pro-Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani. Shobhana was the first Indian woman to become the chief executive of a national newspaper.
Her grandfather founded that. Even she is the current chairperson of Endeavor India. Shobhana Bhartia is associated with the Congress party and served as a nominated member of Rajya Sabha, the upper chamber of the Indian Parliament from 2006 to 1012. In 2016, Forbes listed her as the 93rd most powerful woman.
Who is Shobhana Bhartia?
In 1957, she born in Marwari family. She is the daughter of the KK Birla – Krishna Kumar Birla, a well-known industrialist and congress party member.
Ghanshyam Das Birla(GD Birla) is her grandfather; he was one of the Birla Family patriarchs. In 2004, the KK Birla family owned 75.36% stake in HT media at Rs. 8.34 billion.
She grew up in Kolkatta. She completed her graduation from Calcutta University. She gets married to Shyam Sunder Bhartia. He is the son of Late Mohan Lal Bhartia.
Their son Shamit Bhartia is also director at HT Media group. He looks after lifestyle businesses like Domino’s Pizza franchise and store chain Monday to Sunday in Bangalore.
He married Nayantara Kothari in 2010. She is the daughter of Bhadrashyam Kothati and Nina. Nina is the daughter of Dhirubhai Ambani.
Media career:
In 1086, at the age of 29, she joined Hindustan Times directly as Chief Executive. She was the first youngest woman chief executive of a national newspaper.
She is considered as a motive force behind the transformation of The Hindustan Times “into a bright young paper.” She looks after financial and editorial aspects.
She is credited with rising Rs. 4 billion from public equity launch of HT Media in 2005. She was awarded Global Leader of Tomorrow by World Economic Forum (1996).
PHD Chamber of commerce and National Press India Award also award her as the Outstanding Business Woman of the Year, 2001.
She received Business Woman Award, The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence awards 2007. Even she was named as one of the Forbes Asia’s 50 Women in the Mix.
For her Excellence in Nation Building through Media & Leadership, she has received the Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award 2013 from the ASSOCHAM Ladies League in recognition.
Political career:
In 2005, she was one of the first Padma Shri award nominees that were given for journalism.
Next year in February 2006, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament by Sonia Gandhi.
The nominations were reserved for the people from the fields of literature, science, social service and art. She was challenged in the Supreme Courte of India.
In addition, the court dismissed the appeal saying that scope of “Social Service” was broad enough to include her.
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BJP politician Arun Jaitley was one of her close friends. In 2006, Shobhana introduced The Child Marriage (Abolition) and Miscellaneous Provision Bill.
Awards, Achievements, Honours
- Global Leader of Tomorrow Award – 1996
- Outstanding Business Woman of the Year – 2001
- Padma Shri for Journalism – 2005
- Economic Times Awards – 2007
- Delhi Women of the Decade Achievers Award – 2013