Archive · 12 Aug 2026
9 Women CEOs, 25 MDs Among India's Top 500 Firms
In India, the biggest companies have top leaders called CEOs who make big decisions.
A new government count shows that only 9 of the top 500 companies have a woman CEO.
It also shows that only 25 of these companies have a woman managing director.
Across those 500 companies, about 860 women sit on the boards that help run the business.
In the whole country, about 1.16 million women are directors, out of nearly 4 million directors in total.
The government shared these numbers after a question was asked in Parliament.
It says it has not studied why so few women reach the top jobs.
It also says it is not planning new rules or diversity targets right now.
Companies that do not follow the rule to have women directors can be fined.
Over the past few years, the government has collected more than 71 lakh rupees in such fines.
Only nine women serve as CEOs and 25 as managing directors among India's top 500 listed companies by turnover, based on filings in the MCA21 database.
The 500 firms reported 860 women directors and board members, including 738 directors, 67 whole-time directors, 18 additional directors, 12 nominee directors and 22 women chief financial officers.
About 1.16 million women are directors across India's active companies, out of a total director base of 3.9 million.
The government has not assessed barriers preventing women directors from advancing to senior roles, and no new policy measures, incentives or diversity targets are under consideration.
The MCA disclosed that Registrars of Companies passed 50 adjudication orders and imposed penalties totalling Rs 71.01 lakh between 2021-22 and 2025-26 on companies that failed to appoint women directors.
- Who
- Harsh Malhotra, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, responded to a question in the Lok Sabha.
- What
- Only nine women are CEOs and 25 are managing directors among India's top 500 listed companies by turnover, according to MCA21 database filings.
- When
- August 12 (report date); enforcement data spans 2021-22 to 2025-26.
- Where
- New Delhi, India — Lok Sabha (Parliament of India).
- Why
- The data was provided in response to a parliamentary question on women's representation in corporate leadership; the government said it has not assessed barriers and has no new policy measures under consideration.
- Women CEOs (top 500 listed firms)
- 9
- Women managing directors (top 500 listed firms)
- 25
- Women directors and board members (top 500 firms)
- 860
- Women chief financial officers (top 500 firms)
- 22
- Women directors across all active companies
- About 1.16 million out of a 3.9 million director base
- Enforcement actions (2021-22 to 2025-26)
- 50 adjudication orders; penalties totalling Rs 71.01 lakh
- Active companies and LLPs
- About 2.14 million companies; over 506,000 LLPs; nearly 1.55 million companies registered in the past decade
- Companies Act, 2013
- Does not define Chairperson or Chief Technology Officer posts; ministry maintains no data on them