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Ananya Birla is a platinum selling artist and businesswoman.

She represents the fifth generation of the Birla family and has been inducted in the $60 billion conglomerate with her recent appointments as a director on the board of Aditya Birla Management Corporation, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL), Grasim Industries.

At the age of 17, she launched Svatantra Microfin, the youngest and fastest growing microfinance company prevalent in India. Today, Svatantra is spread out over 78,000 villages across 20 states, has crossed an AUM of $1 billion and has grown at a CAGR of 120% (FY15-22, and has impacted over 18 million lives. Svatantra has been a first mover and shaper of the industry by being the first end-to-end cashless organization, and also the first to roll out an extensive customer facing app that is conducive to client social behaviours. The CRISIL A+ graded organization was awarded the best microfinance organisation of the year, two years in a row in 2021 and 2022; is heading towards an IPO and has been placed in the top 25 best places to work in its segment by globally recognized Great Places To Work 2020.

In addition, Svatantra MHFC, her micro housing arm, is the only housing institution to focus on the EWS/LIG segment, and to have a completely branchless model. With a GLP of a billion dollars USD, the Svatantra family is 6500 strong.

Her fueling passion for design, along with her purpose driven vision to empower local art communities, has given birth to her design-led home decor brand Ikai Asai. Ikai Asai brings a global contemporary language to Indian crafts, making them a fit for the contemporary twenty first century household.

An alumni of Oxford University, she is also the founder of Ananya Birla Foundation which promotes global understanding and supports programs that build a kinder, happier, equal,stigma free world, where no conversation is taboo and all people are connected to the support they need to lead a fulfilling life. Earlier in May 2020, the Foundation made its first grant to Save The Children India targeting 1 lac individuals, and is currently doing pioneering work in research and intervention designs for mental health in rural India. An ardent advocate for mental health, Ananya is also a National Alliance On Mental Illness (NAMI) ambassador.

With over 500 million streams, she is also India’s biggest selling English language global popstar, and has scaled the charts at home in India as well as overseas. With three back-to-back double platinum selling singles and two platinum selling singles, Ananya is unstoppable. The MTV EMA nominee, began her musical journey at the age of 9 with the santoor, an Indian instrument. A skilled musician, Ananya incorporates her drumming, piano and guitar skills into live performances.

She was voted one of GQ’s Most Influential Young Indians, Miss Vogue’s 28 Geniuses Under 28, and has graced the cover of Forbes Women to Watch. Her independently released singles have seen her collaborate with A.R. Rahman for the official Team India Olympic cheer song, landed her on New Music Friday USA, and made her the only Indian to be named as Sirius Hits Artists To Watch Out For among others