Daughters Inc: The unfolding of succession at Indian family businesses

Of the 2,348 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange, 510 have women executive directors

Early last month, Ananya Birla, daughter of billionaire industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, announced on social media she would prioritise business over a career in music. Describing it as the “hardest” decision, she posted on X that balancing the businesses she was running and building, and music had become near impossible, that it was time to focus all her energy on business.

Ananya, 29, waded into the corporate sector early. At 17, she founded Svatantra Microfin, which became the second largest microfinance organisation after acquiring Chaitanya India Fin Credit last year. She is also the founder of design-led home décor brand,