India's MOST influential women in finance

They dared. They believed. Today, these women are playing a key role in shaping up India's financial sector. Some are heading the top banks in India, while others are calling the shots as companys' CFOs.

Here, is preview on these women (in no particular order) who have successfully challenged the limits of the so-called 'man's world'.

Name: Chanda Kochhar
Organisation: ICICI Ltd (now ICICI Bank)
Designation: Managing director and CEO

She began her career with ICICI as a management trainee in 1984 and from thereon successfully risen through the ranks by handling multidimensional assignments.

Chanda Kochhar is ranked 20th in the Forbe's list of Most Powerful Women in the World, 2009, and ranked 25th in the Fortune's List of Most Powerful Women in Business, 2008.

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Name: Naina Lal Kidwai
Organisation: HSBC, India
Designation: Group general manager and country head

The list of Naina Lal Kidwai's firsts is undoubtedly incredible: She was the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard Business School. Her first job was with Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers or PWC). This also made her the first woman to be hired by PWC. Now, she is the first woman to lead a foreign bank in India.

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Name: Renu Sud Karnad
Organsiation: Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC)
Designation: Managing director

In January 2010, Renu Sud Karnad was appointed as the managing director of Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC).

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Name: Shikha Sharma
Organisation: AXIS Bank
Designation: Managing director and CEO

A student of IIM-A, Shikha Sharma began her career with ICICI (now ICICI Bank) in 1980. After serving 18 years in ICICI, she quit the organisation to head Axis Bank in 2009.

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Name: Kalpana Morparia
Organisation: JP Morgan, India
Designation: CEO

Kalpana Morparia was hired by JP Morgan, financial services giant, in 2007 to lead its India operations.

She started her career in 1975 with the legal department of ICICI (now ICICI Bank), and from there on rose to become a director on the company's board in 2001.

She continued as a wholetime director till 2007 and was the bank's joint managing director.

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Name: Manisha Girotra
Designation: (Former) Managing Director, UBS India 

Manisha Girotra was the chairperson and managing director of Swiss banking unit UBS in India. She quit the organisation in November 2011.

It is reported that Girotra may be headed for an entrepreneurial role in the private wealth management or private equity industry.

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Name: Anita Prasad
Organisation: Microsoft
Designation: General Manager of Treasury Capital Management

Anita Prasad was recently named on the 2011 list of Treasury & Risk magazine's 100 Most Influential People in Finance. She holds a Masters in Economics, an MBA in MIS, and a PhD in Finance and International Business.

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Name: Renuka Ramanathan
Organisation: Multiples Alternate Asset Management
Designation: Founder and Managing Director

Renuka Ramanathan was the former MD and CEO of ICICI Venture. She quit the organisation in 2009, after heading the fund since 2001.

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Name: Vibha Padalkar
Organisation: HDFC Life
Designation: Chief Financial Officer

Vibha Padalkar joined HDFC Standard Life in August 2008 after a seven year stint as executive vice president-finance at WNS Global Services.

She became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1992, after having completed the last part of her schooling as well as college education in London.

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Name: Rupa Vora
Organisation: IDFC Private Equity
Designation: Chief Financial Officer

A qualified Chartered Accountant, Rupa Vora started her career practicing independently. After almost a decade in practice she moved on to the banking industry. Prior to IDFC, she worked with KBC Bank, Credit Lyonnais and Oman International Bank.

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Name: Pratibha Advani
Organisation: NIIT Technologies
Designation: Chief Financial Officer

Prathibha Advani joined NIIT Technologies in 2010. Prior to joining NIIT, she was with Barclays Shared Services Pvt. Ltd. (a subsidiary of Barclays Bank Plc.).

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Name: Vishakha Mulye
Organisation: ICICI Venture Funds
Designation: Managing director and CEO

Vishakha Mulye started her career with the ICICI group in 1993. She is known to have played a pivotal role in setting up the Special Asset Management Group, which was formed for proactive resolution of distressed assets.

She has received the award for 'Most Powerful Women in Indian Business - 2007' from Business Today. She has also received the CA Corporate Leader Award 2008 (2nd in the 'CA Young leader - Female' category), organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). The World Economic Forum also selected her as a 'Young Global Leader' for the year 2007.

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Name: Sangeeta Sumesh
Organisation: Dun & Bradstreet TransUnion ADSL Pvt Ltd
Designation: Vice President Finance

She is recognised as an upcoming face in the finance world. A Chartered Accountant by profession, she has over 15 years of experience.

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Name: Sangeeta Gulati
Organisation: Educomp Solutions
Designation: Chief Financial Officer

Sangeeta Gulati joined Educomp Solutions in 2000. She is a Chartered Accountant and also holds an M.Com and a B.Sc (Zoology).

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Name: Richa Karpe
Organisation: Altamount Capital Management
Designation: Director, Investments

Richa Karpe has over 13 years of experience in the field of financial services. She holds a MBA in Marketing and International Finance. Richa Karpe has worked with organisations like ANZ Grindlyas Bank and Morgan Stanley.

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Name: Swati Kulkarni
Organisation: UTI AMC
Designation: Executive Vice President and Fund Manager

Swati Kulkarni has professional experience of 20 years of which last 19 years has been with UTI AMC. She was recognised among the top three India's Best Fund Managers in Equity category by Outlook Money in 2010.