Sharmila Sinha Becomes 2nd Indian-Origin Woman in US Hall of Fame

Indian-American philanthropist and women’s equality advocate  Sharmila Mona Sinha has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in the US, turning into only the second woman of Indian origin to receiving this honor after former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi.

Kolkata-born convert sharmila was inducted on 24^th sept at New York's Seneca Falls, a historic site linked to the American Girls' Rights Movement. She now joins a distinguished group of more than 300 women recognised for their contributions, including former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, author Maya Angelou, economist Janet Yellen, civil rights leader Rosa Parks, and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

This reputation is a huge milestone in sharmila’s career, which has spanned investment banking, company management, philanthropy and women’s rights advocacy. She moved to the US from India at 18 to study income levels in economics and art history at Smith College in Massachusetts. She later earned an MBA from Columbia Business School.

sharmila began her career as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley on Wall Street before taking management roles at all important organizations including Proctor & Gamble, Unilever and Elizabeth Arden and her masterful adventure later expanded philanthropy and social impact, with a strong consciousness to advance opportunities for girls and women.

Key Highlights

• Sharmila Sinha becomes second Indian-origin woman inducted into National Women’s Hall
• Her career spans Wall Street, business, philanthropy, and equality
• She has helped advance funding for women and girls

During her induction ceremony, sharmila spoke about the values that guided her in her philanthropy and service. “This recognition in the Hall of Fame was more than just an individual achievement, it was a responsibility to carry forth the support and opportunities I had received,” Sharmila said.

“I have spent much of my life thinking about power. I've seen it on Wall Street, in business, in philanthropy, and in the fight for women's equality, where power ultimately comes down to who has a voice, who has a choice, and who gets to shape our lives,” she said during the ceremony.

She also challenged the idea that power becomes limited when it is shared, adding, “At the core, power shared is power supercharged. I am standing here because so many people shared theirs with me.”

Following her years in business, Sharmila is now a Women Moving Millions leader dedicated to philanthropy for Women and Girls via organizations worldwide and has contributed about $1 billion. During the same period, she also set up Raising Change, a collaboration between social-impact organisations to develop their fundraising and organisational skills.

She serves on the boards of various nonprofit organizations for governance, strategy, sustainability and social impact. Sharmila is also a Vice Chair of the Executive Council of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum, which will be built on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise at Columbia University and the Tamer Venture Fund Board.

Sharmila’s induction puts her in the company of illustrious women who have been instrumental in bringing about social change, leadership, philanthropy and women's empowerment in the world and marks the increasing acceptance of Indian-origin women making a difference in the global arena.