WIIN Launches India’s First Insurance-Focused Accelerator to Empower Mid-Career Women Leaders

 

Mumbai: “Women in Insurance India” (WIIN), a movement under the House of Grit Association, marked a major milestone on Friday with the launch of India's first sector-specific WIIN Accelerator Program. The announcement was made during WIIN's Second Annual Event held at The Hilton Mumbai International Airport, attended by over 150 CXOs, policymakers, founders, and industry leaders.

The 12-week virtual WIIN Accelerator aims to support mid-career women in the insurance industry, particularly those in the 5–12-year experience range where female representation typically drops. The program offers live workshops, simulations, case studies, and self-paced learning facilitated by a distinguished faculty of academic experts, industry leaders, and strategic advisors. The inaugural cohort will include 30–40 women professionals from across the insurance ecosystem. Participants will also receive six months of post-program mentorship, elective growth pathways, and access to WIIN’s expanding peer network.

Speaking at the launch, Soni Srivastava, Co-founder, WIIN, highlighted the program’s purpose. “As women progress to mid-career levels, their visibility in the insurance sector diminishes. The WIIN Accelerator creates a dedicated space to nurture their potential and build lasting industry impact,” she said.

Co-founder Eima Azim added that WIIN is committed to preparing women for leadership roles of the future. “Through the Accelerator, we equip women with the right skills, networks, and strategic mindset to lead with impact and drive measurable growth across the sector,” she said.

The event featured acclaimed actor Shefali Shah as Chief Guest, who delivered a powerful Celebrity Keynote. “Empowerment is about rediscovering your truth, strength and worth. When women embrace themselves unapologetically, they unlock the resilience and authenticity that drives real change,” she shared.

The evening also showcased three knowledge-led platforms: WiiNTalks, WiiNTech Panel, and WiiN CXO Panel, each bringing fresh perspectives on growth, technology, leadership, and the future of insurance.

WiiNTalks featured industry leaders such as Dr. Lavanya Mundayur (CMD, Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd), Priyanka Uppal Anand (Zee Business), Sai More (Zurich Kotak General Insurance), and Shivani Burman Sharma (MediAssist Insurance TPA).

The WiiNTech Panel, themed “Leadership Reloaded: Women Who Build, Scale, and Disrupt with Tech,” was moderated by Ryan Singh (Co-Founder & COO, Loop Health) and featured insights from Dr. Sujata Seshadrinathan (Basiz Fund Services), Galveen Kaur (Connect and Heal), Suguna Jayaraj (MIC Global), Anu Chaudhuri-Ghosh (Star Union Dai-ichi Life), and Bhakti Dama (Protector IQ).

Moderated by Mandakini Balodhi (Director, DoFS, Ministry of Finance, GoI), the WiiN CXO Panel examined how senior leaders influence public trust, policy shaping, and social equity in insurance. Panelists included Girija Subramaniam (CMD, New India), Shefali Sehwani (CEO, Lloyd’s India), Surbhi Goel (Munich Re India), Ashish Parakh (Marsh India), and Kunal Khanna (EDME Insurance Brokers).

The program launch was followed by the felicitation of WIIN Ignitors and recognition of WIIN community volunteers whose contributions continue to strengthen the movement.

With the introduction of the WIIN Accelerator, WIIN aims to reshape the insurance industry’s leadership pipeline by placing women at the forefront of transformation and ensuring equal opportunity for growth, innovation, and impact.