Cover Story Feature | The Global Success Review Magazine
Edition Title: The Most Iconic Women Entrepreneurs of India to Watch in 2025
THE RISE OF A NEW-AGE ICON
In a country defined by its contrasts, where economic acceleration coexists with deep social divides, some leaders emerge not simply as entrepreneurs, but as cultural forces. Dr. Zarine Manchanda is one such figure. Her rise from the serene hills of Dharamshala to the epicentre of Mumbai’s entrepreneurial, philanthropic, and political landscapes embodies the synergy of purpose, ambition, and compassion that India increasingly seeks in its next-generation leaders.
Known for her pioneering “Angel Police” movement, her 7-star spiritual-luxury ventures, and her expanding presence in public life, Dr. Manchanda represents a rare hybrid in India’s influence hierarchy. She is at once a philanthropist with grassroots credibility, a luxury brand architect with global aspirations, a political voice grounded in service, and an entrepreneur shaping new business categories with artistic boldness.
Her ascent is not accidental, it is intentional, visionary, and reflective of a mindset that relentlessly questions: What more is possible?
And perhaps more importantly: How can success serve humanity?
A CHILDHOOD ROOTED IN SPIRITUALITY, STATESMANSHIP & SERVICE
To understand the arc of Dr. Manchanda’s journey, one must return to Dharamshala, her hometown, where political intellect and spiritual depth coexist in every corner. Born into a respected political family, she grew up observing leadership from close quarters. Her father, a prominent minister and businessman, was a figure of rationality, governance, and discipline.
But it was the proximity to the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama that shaped the other half of her worldview, a life guided by compassion, reflection, and inner strength.
“Growing up near His Holiness taught me that leadership without empathy is incomplete,” she recalls. “Power should uplift. Influence should heal. Service is the highest form of identity.”
This blend of political exposure and spiritual wisdom would later become the essence of her entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and leadership doctrine.
THE FIRST BIG LEAP: LEAVING THE HILLS FOR THE CITY OF DREAMS
With aspirations of cinema and a heart full of dreams, Zarine moved to Mumbai, India’s competitive, chaotic, charismatic capital of ambition. Her foray into the film world came with insights that many young aspirants encounter but few articulate.
“The rejections hurt, but they revealed my true calling,” she says. “I realized I wasn’t meant to perform roles. I was meant to shape real change.”
Mumbai did not break her, it redefined her. The struggles of her early years became the foundation of her empathy-driven leadership and her mission to serve communities sidelined by society.
THE BIRTH OF A MISSION: THE ZARINE MANCHANDA FOUNDATION
In 2019, she founded the Zarine Manchanda Foundation in Aarey Colony—one of Mumbai’s most economically vulnerable communities. While many philanthropic projects remain event-based, her Foundation took a different approach: consistency, dignity, and human connection.
Through more than 500+ donation drives, including food distribution, hygiene kits, clothing support, and emergency relief efforts, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, the Foundation became a lifeline at a time when the city was at its most fragile.
Her hands-on involvement, compassionate communication, and seamless integration of spirituality and service earned her the media title that would redefine her brand:
“THE PRINCESS OF THE POOR.”
But beyond the title, it cemented her identity as a frontline humanitarian in the world’s most challenging megacity.
FROM PHILANTHROPIST TO SOCIAL ARCHITECT: THE ANGEL POLICE MOVEMENT
Of all her initiatives, the Angel Police, a concept she designed personally, is undoubtedly her most defining.
Inspired by her belief in “compassionate enforcement,” Angel Police blends discipline with dignity, structure with spirituality, and protection with purpose.
Its core philosophy is simple but revolutionary:
Serve with discipline.
Lead with compassion.
Protect with purpose.
Angel Police supports vulnerable communities, responds to local needs, and embodies a new model of community service that India has never seen before. It is not a governmental force, it is a humanitarian movement shaped like an institution.
Its impact has been so profound that policymakers, social leaders, and media commentators have referred to it as “a blueprint for future civic welfare ecosystems.”
Where most entrepreneurs build businesses, Dr. Manchanda builds models, movements, and mechanisms for change.
THE BIRTH OF A BRAND UNIVERSE: 7-STAR LUXURY WITH A SPIRITUAL SOUL
While her philanthropic reputation grew rapidly, Dr. Manchanda simultaneously began constructing one of India’s most intriguing entrepreneurial portfolios, rooted in a unique brand philosophy she coined:
“Premium with a Purpose.”
Her ventures include:
1. The Zarine Manchanda Café — India’s First 7-Star Spiritual-Luxury Café
A first-of-its-kind concept designed by her own interiors company, the café blends gourmet luxury with Eastern spirituality. Tibetan bells, exquisite décor, signature fragrances, and emotionally immersive experiences created a category that did not exist in India before.
2. Heavenly Flavours — The 7-Star Cloud Kitchen
A gourmet delivery brand inspired by the café’s culinary ethos, bringing fine-dining quality to homes.
3. Himachali Fine-Dining: Flavours of Himachal Pradesh
Mumbai’s first upscale restaurant dedicated to Dham cuisine, a tribute to her roots.
4. Zarine Manchanda Premium Security Services
A groundbreaking venture that made her the only woman in India to own a security company, shattering stereotypes in a male-dominated sector.
Across all her businesses, the aesthetic is unmistakably “Zarine”:
Premium. Polished. Purposeful. Spiritual. Transformational.
“Luxury is not about excess, it is about experience,” she says. “It should elevate you, not isolate you.”
BUILDING A MULTI-LAYERED LEADERSHIP BRAND
Dr. Manchanda’s entrepreneurial journey is not defined by conventional metrics. Instead, her influence stems from the uniqueness of her integrated identity:
- A spiritual humanitarian at heart
- A luxury brand visionary in practice
- A political legacy bearer by lineage
- A cultural influencer by presence
- A woman redefining leadership in modern India
This complex persona is not manufactured, it is lived, experienced, and expressed through every project she launches.
THE POWER OF ACCOLADES: RECOGNITION FROM INDIA AND THE WORLD
Dr. Manchanda’s ability to bridge humanitarian impact with entrepreneurial innovation has earned her significant recognition. Her awards include:
- Nelson Mandela Peace Award & Honorary Doctorate Degree
- Femina’s Fabulous 50 Women
- India Today’s 45 Most Influential Indians
- Multiple Honours from the Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- International Peace & Humanitarian Leadership Awards
Each recognition validates her influence, not just as a business leader but as a value-driven contributor to India’s future.
“The awards remind me that influence is not a privilege, it is a responsibility,” she says.
INFLUENCE BEYOND BUSINESS: MEDIA, GOVERNANCE & GLOBAL DIALOGUE
Dr. Manchanda’s leadership extends to roles that shape public consciousness and civic discourse.
Her positions include:
- Regional Director for BRICS in Mumbai
- Chairperson & Editor-in-Chief for the National Council of News & Broadcasting (Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Goa)
Through these roles, she participates in global dialogue, promotes human rights, engages in policy narratives, and amplifies voices often ignored by mainstream systems.
It marks her transition from entrepreneur-philanthropist to nation-scale influencer.
A PUBLIC PERSONALITY OF STYLE, SUBSTANCE & STRENGTH
What sets Dr. Manchanda apart is her ability to present multiple dimensions of herself without dilution.
She is as comfortable being a showstopper at Bombay Times Fashion Week as she is chairing high-impact human rights panels.
For her:
“Fashion is confidence. Advocacy is conviction. Both require authenticity.”
In a world where women leaders often fight to prove their seriousness, she proves that elegance and effectiveness can not only coexist, they can reinforce each other.
THE POLITICAL ASCENT: A NEW ERA BEGINS
In a move that aligns with her lineage and lifelong mission, Dr. Manchanda recently launched The Zarine Manchanda People’s Party, marking her official entry into electoral politics.
She is set to contest from Mumbai’s Andheri West constituency.
For her, politics is not a career shift; it is a natural evolution.
“Politics has always been my destiny,” she states. “Leadership must address the real struggles, poverty, women’s rights, urban development, safety, anddignity. I am here to serve.”
This transition positions her as one of the most awaited new-age political figures in Maharashtra, a leader with luxury-level refinement, humanitarian credibility, and spiritual grounding.
A WOMAN WHO SPEAKS TO THE FUTURE
Dr. Manchanda’s message to young women is one of simultaneous ambition and alignment:
“You can be spiritual and ambitious.
You can be elegant and effective.
You can be powerful and compassionate.
Never let the world limit your identity.”
In a society still redefining its expectations of women, her voice stands as a beacon of modern empowerment.
WHY DR. ZARINE MANCHANDA IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS OF INDIA TO WATCH IN 2025
Her distinction lies not in what she does, but in how she does it.
- She doesn’t establish businesses—she creates categories.
- She doesn’t run initiatives—she builds movements.
- She doesn’t seek influence—she uses it to elevate others.
- She doesn’t follow leadership models—she redefines them.
- She doesn’t build a brand—she builds a legacy.
Her impact is deeply multidimensional:
Economic. Social. Cultural. Political. Humanitarian.
Few leaders today embody such a harmonious blend of purpose, polish, and power.
CONCLUSION: INDIA IS NOT JUST WATCHING HER RISE — IT IS WITNESSING A NEW ERA
As India steps into 2025 with new aspirations, new definitions of leadership, and new expectations of its icons, Dr. Zarine Manchanda emerges not only as a woman to watch, but as a woman to learn from.
Her story is a tapestry woven from courage, spiritual clarity, innovation, luxury, service, and the audacity to build what has never been built before.
She is not merely influencing India,
She is reimagining it.
This is why The Global Success Review Magazine proudly features her in this exclusive edition:
“THE MOST ICONIC WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS OF INDIA TO WATCH IN 2025.”
