Power of four

Meher Pudumjee, chairperson, Thermax Limited, Zarina Mehta, founder-director and chief creative officer, UTV Network, Zia Mody, senior partner, AZB and Partners and Farah Khan, Bollywood filmmaker and choreographer (whose mother is a Parsi) feature in the "30 Most Powerful Women in Indian Business” in the November 29, 2009 issue of business today (BT). Pudumjee and Khan are among the four women on the cover, along with Chanda Kochhar, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director (MD) of ICICI Bank and Sangeeta Talwar, executive director, Tata Tea.

Pudumjee is a new entrant on the power list. "So, what’s Pudumjee’s claim to fame? She’s the one who took Thermax from just Rs 850 crore in revenues in 2004-2005 when she took over from her mother Anu Aga to a staggering Rs 3,300 crore enterprise today,” notes the magazine. "Pudumjee delegates a lot as she steers Thermax towards a bigger vision. ‘We are looking to see how we can build clean coal technology and a green portfolio,’ says Pudumjee… And she is not chasing haphazard growth. ‘We follow a strategy of sustainable, profitable growth,’” the magazine quotes her.

(Clockwise from top left): Meher Pudumjee, Zia Mody, Zarina Mehta, Farah Khan, Rohinton Nariman, Soli Sorabjee and Fali Nariman

"I’m truly honored to be on the BT list for two years in a row…This past year has been so, so hard. Despite this, UTV Broadcast Network has become the fastest-growing network. So, the lesson is never give up, believe in brands and just keep fighting because bad times really make you stronger,” BT quotes Mehta. "Our objective is to establish UTV Network as a significant player in the Hindi-speaking market.”

"It is good to be continually recognized and fills you with a sense of responsibility,” Mody told the magazine. Asked what were the new frontiers she conquered in 2009, Mody replied: "I was appointed as one of the vice presidents in the London Court of International Arbitration and our firm opened offices in Madras and Hyderabad.”

Khan also enters the list for the first time. "Khan is as grounded as she was almost two decades ago when she started out in the entertainment industry. ‘I have my priorities straight,’ says Khan who, along with husband Shirish Kunder, is focusing on her home production house, Three’s Company,” BT reports. Khan’s favorite life-after-work activity is playing with her triplets and watching movies while they are taking an afternoon nap! "It’s very important to have a business of your own; a legacy to leave behind for your children,” Khan mentioned.