30 Women in power: Their voices, their stories/ by Nainalal Kidwai

30 Women in Power carries the inimitable voices of Indian women who have been pioneers and led large organizations - in banking, law, the media, advertising, government services, health care, consulting, the fast-moving consumer goods sector and the not-for-profit space.

In these narratives - told up close and personal - 30 of India's greatest women achievers speak of the guiding principles that have held them in good stead; the role models who have anchored them; the childhood influences that have shaped their values; and the interests outside the world of work that have revitalized them. Coming from all walks of life, these empowered women discuss their many successes and their dreams for the future. Yet they also venture to disclose the setbacks that have preceded hard-won conquests; the barriers, psychological or otherwise, that may have held them back at certain points; and the compromises they've had to make to reach the top.

Through these honest and contemplative revelations, 30 women in power answer those questions that confront all working women - from how best to balance the personal and the professional to how to dismantle gender biases. Equally, the essayists consider seminal issues that concern every committed professional, man or woman: what are the qualities that define a leader? Where does one find a mentor? What are the ingredients in the recipe for success?

Edited by business leader extraordinaire Naina Lal Kidwai, this topical and relevant book is a must-listen, not only for the lessons it provides but also for the intimate accounts it offers of lives powerfully lived.