Why the Next Billionaire Might Be a Woman from Rural India

Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and reading the following headline: 

BREAKING NEWS: 28-year-old woman from Dasua makes it to the top of Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaire list  

The town of Dasua has an overall population of 25000 and does not have any industries or opportunities for people to really explore. The most mundane activities, like going shopping, require an hour of travel to Jalandhar, as it lacks infrastructural connectivity. 

Seems impossible, right? Honestly, it is as impossible as you figuring out today's wordle. (Definitely possible!)

Let us tell you why it is actually not impossible. 

When you look up the definition of billionaire, you get this: 

There is no norm that a billionaire should be someone who is a product of patriarchal society (male, white, mid-30s—that is what one usually thinks of when we read the word billionaire). Not that we are to blame; we've been raised in a society in which entrepreneurship is a male-dominated field. Or at least that is what we think. 

The world today and the world as it was 100 years ago have so much difference; there were barely any women on the list of billionaires back then, and about 15% of Forbes' real-time top 100 billionaires are women. This number was probably 0 a few years ago. 

But today, it's really not impossible.  Let's take into consideration all the amenities we have today to encourage entrepreneurship and financial independence among women: 

Increase in education & awareness: 

Rural women often need to face harsher realities as the opportunities they receive are minimal in comparison to those who live in urban cities or are from well-off families. With the influx of smartphones and internet availability in the most rural areas and the government initiatives, we see a rise in the education/literacy rate in rural areas. The government is doing its best to support the population that isn’t born with privilege.

Government Initiatives and Support: 

The government has launched several initiatives to support financial literacy and independence in women and young girls. Today such programs are not just launched by the Ministry of Rural Development for skill development, but even SBI has launched Financial Literacy Programs for the increase in the same. 

Change in mindsets: 

Women are no longer just associated as homemakers and have finally made a mark on this planet, and this we can see by several success stories: 

Indian Woman in Forbes' billionaire list: 

Savitri Jindal, a simple woman from a small town in Assam, is today the chairperson of OP Jindal Group (albeit due to her marriage to OP Jindal himself), and she is also the president of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College situated in Haryana.  While she gained the title of chairperson due to the virtue of marriage, her contribution in leading the company has been remarkable, starting in 2005, as the group has quadrupled its turnover. This substantial growth contributed to a remarkable rise in her personal wealth, with an increase of $9.6 billion in 2023 alone, bringing her net worth to approximately $25.3 billion. 

Savitri Jindal is not only the richest woman in India but also the 43rd richest person in the whole world.  And not just a business tycoon, she is also a very influential figure in the political domain. 

A rural Indian woman founded a bank: 

Chetna Shah's Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank is a story that will be told on for ages, as it emphasizes the empowerment of financial freedom in women and how financial literacy can truly make a difference. Chetna Shah's effort to open a rural bank which focuses on providing financial services to women who were ignored by huge banks now has empowered over 5,00,000 women in rural India by providing them with loans, savings programs and financial literacy programs 

Women Artisan Empowerment: 

From a small town in Rajasthan, Ruma Devi pooled resources with other women in her village in Barmer to produce traditional handicrafts and hand-embroidered textiles back in 2006, and today her work, along with the work of around 30,000 women, is sold globally, awarding her the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2018, which happened after her first fashion show in Rajasthan Heritage Week in 2016. And can you believe—she didn’t even finish her schooling. Ruma Devi was an 8th grade dropout who just learned the skill of embroidery from her grandmother. And today, she is a legend among rural artisans. 

And definitely, let’s not forget our favorite Lijjat Papad! This idea started from a terrace in Gurgaon in southern Mumbai. The idea that started in 1959 became one of the largest papad manufacturers in India. A true epitome of succeeding is when you put your heart and soul into your efforts. 

Similarly, there are so many stories of not only rural women succeeding and making their mark on the plant but also other traditionally successful women who are creating milestones and opportunities for women to gain skillset and financial literacy, which will, quite literally, put them on the road to becoming the next billionaire. 

So, maybe when you do receive the breaking news of a woman from rural India making it to Forbes' top billionaire list, don't be as surprised. It is a win for women everywhere in the world.