Prescription for Politics
In an age when political discourse permeates nearly every aspect of daily life, genuine political leadership has become one of the scarcest resources across much of the world.
Recently, the city witnessed the beginning of a new leadership conversation as the International Association of Women in Leadership (IAWL) hosted its inaugural Meet and Greet. The evening brought together women leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs and change makers from diverse sectors.
The gathering introduced IAWL as an ecosystem designed to empower women across corporate, entrepreneurial, social and grassroots leadership landscapes. The Association’s founding Directors, Dr Rupali Basu, Shaleni Bbiswas, Ambalika Das and Shilpa Chakraborty shared the organisation’s vision, mission and strategic roadmap. They further invited the participants to become active contributors in shaping its journey.
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Speaking about the association’s priorities in its first year, Dr Basu said the focus would be on curated leadership development programmes, structured mentorship, peer circles, and a practical resource repository accessible to women at every step of their journey. “What excites us more are the peer circles – safe, curated spaces where women leaders and founders can learn from one another and build lifelong networks,” she stated.
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“We are bringing in women from different industries, different spheres of life, where we can connect and help each other grow. We have a bonding, a sisterhood where we cheer one another to more success,” Shaleni Bbiswas told The Statesman, adding, “Our highly curated model integrates learning, visibility and well-being, enabling meaningful cross-sector dialogue.” She further highlighted the broader plan, “Today, the launch is of the Kolkata chapter. In the coming months, we would like to have more chapters open in different cities and have plans to go into the international markets as well.”
The Directors emphasised that the platform seeks to change the perspective of leadership itself by reinforcing the belief that leadership becomes stronger when it is shared. This was followed by a presentation outlining the key focus areas of the association. It includes the launch of IAWL Power Circles. These curated power groups are designed to foster trust, learning and collaboration among women leaders. The circles will function as safe spaces for exchange, reflection and problem-solving and allow members to learn from lived experiences.
Another major aspect will be the Entrepreneur’s Forum, aimed at supporting women founders through access to networks, visibility and cross-sector dialogue. This will be complemented by a Mentorship Clinic. The clinic will offer one-to-one interactions where experienced leaders will act as sounding boards and offer guidance and practical insights tailored to individual journeys.
Capacity-building will remain central to IAWL’s mission through a series of masterclasses, industry visits and periodic off-site assignments. It is conceptualised to deepen leadership skills and provide real-world exposure. The association also plans to host an annual flagship event, ‘IAWL Summit’, which will bring together voices from across sectors to spotlight impact stories.
The evening was attended by distinguished guests, including Indian actress Ekavali Khanna, Manipuri dance exponent Priti Patel, and Nayantara Palchoudhuri, Consul General of Norway. Khanna pointed out the importance of such organisations in creating strong support systems that inspire women to lead with confidence and purpose. Palchoudhuri noted that women’s leadership is essential for building equitable societies, and observed that the association’s global outlook aligns strongly with inclusion and shared growth.
The event concluded on a formal note, setting the tone for a series of future initiatives focused on leadership development, collaboration, and fostering a global sisterhood among women leaders.
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