nainajha

Latest posts from Naina Jha

• She Leads, Rural India Rises

  Feb 10

  In India’s vibrant landscape of social change, Shaifalika Panda shines as a dedicated leader. As Founder and CEO of the Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF), she drives integrated programs in health, education, livelihoods, and digital inclusion, with a strong focus on empowering rural women and youth in Odisha and beyond. A Boston University Questrom School of Business alumna, she also served as Convener of the G20 EMPOWER Mentorship Working Group and recently received the Shakti Award for her work in women’s empowerment and rural development. She stands alongside other inspiring Indian women leaders who are building similar impact through grassroots innovation, economic empowerment, and community resilience. Chetna Sinha, founder of Mann Deshi Foundation, pioneered India’s first rural women-led microfinance bank, equipping women with entrepreneurial skills, financial access, and business training to foster self-reliance in Maharashtra’s villages. Sudha Murthy, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, channels resources into rural education, healthcare, sanitation, and libraries, strengthening women’s roles in community upliftment. Ruma Devi empowers Rajasthan’s rural women through craft revival, training in embroidery and patchwork to combat poverty, child marriage, and malnutrition while creating sustainable income. These women leaders, like Shaifalika Panda, prove that targeted leadership in education, livelihoods, health, and agency can transform rural India. Their work inspires collective action toward equity and sustainable progress. If these stories move you, support such initiatives through volunteering, donations, or advocacy change grows when we amplify these voices.

• Industry Leaders Hail Union Budget 2026 as Growth-Oriented and Strategic

  Feb 04

  The Union Budget 2026–27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has received strong support from key industry figures for its focus on infrastructure, manufacturing, critical minerals, and fiscal discipline. Subhrakant Panda (MD & CEO, IMFA; Immediate Past President, FICCI) called it a “citizen-centric” budget. He praised the ₹12.2 lakh crore infrastructure allocation (up 8.8%), adherence to the fiscal glide path for credibility, rare earth corridors in mineral-rich states (including Odisha), and removal of basic customs duties on capital goods for critical mineral processing as “timely and pragmatic” steps to reduce import dependence and boost green energy, electronics, defence, and electric mobility. Anil Agarwal (Founder & Chairman, Vedanta Resources) described it as a “growth-oriented Budget” with emphasis on higher public capex and manufacturing. He welcomed opportunities for youth livelihoods, women’s financial independence, and sectors like medical tourism. He specifically lauded attention to critical minerals and rare earths, Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala for growth, employment, and mineral security, timely import duty exemptions on capital goods, and SEZ flexibility allowing some domestic sales as an “excellent move.” Vikas Chandak (tax and energy sector expert, Vantage Tax Consulting) highlighted the extension of the customs exemption sunset clause for specified goods in petroleum operations (from March 31, 2026, to March 31, 2028, per Notification №45/2025) as a “timely and welcome move.” He noted it provides essential regulatory certainty for long-gestation, capital-intensive oil and gas projects, improving cost predictability, profitability, investment planning, and sector stability. Collectively, the three spokespersons view the budget as forward-looking, balancing fiscal prudence (4.3% deficit target) with strategic investments in infrastructure, rare earths/critical minerals, energy security, and employment generation key to India’s self-reliance and resilience amid global challenges.