For Navya Naveli Nanda, entrepreneurship was not an idea she discovered much later in life. She says the inspiration began at home, while watching the women in her family build their own identities and careers.
The entrepreneur and granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan recently spoke about the influence of her family, particularly her paternal grandmother Ritu Nanda. Looking back at her childhood in Delhi, Navya recalled seeing Ritu work and manage her professional life. That experience, she says, gave her an early understanding that women could pursue ambitious careers while also taking care of their families.
Speaking to ANI, Navya said she had watched her grandmother working on several occasions and drew considerable motivation from her entrepreneurial journey. For Navya, Ritu was not simply a grandmother but also a role model whose professional life showed her what was possible.
Ritu Nanda’s Example Left a Lasting Impression
Ritu Nanda, the eldest daughter of legendary actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor, created a professional identity away from the world of films. Her career became an important part of the family legacy, and her granddaughter remembers observing that dedication while growing up.
Navya says those childhood memories played a role in shaping her own decision to enter entrepreneurship. Rather than following a conventional career path, she wanted to create something independently and build work around ideas she believed in.
The influence, however, did not come from Ritu alone. Navya has credited the women across her family for giving her encouragement and confidence. She specifically mentioned her mother Shweta Bachchan, her aunt and her grandmothers as people who supported and motivated her.
She also expressed a desire to make the women in her family proud through the work she chooses to pursue.
From Family Inspiration to Her Own Career
Navya’s professional journey has increasingly moved into entrepreneurship and social-impact initiatives. Although her surname naturally attracts attention, she has been working to establish an identity based on her own interests and projects.
Her approach to women’s empowerment is closely connected with her understanding of the changing workplace. After spending years working closely with women, she believes the opportunities available to them have expanded considerably.
One of the biggest changes, according to Navya, has been the rise of the internet and digital platforms. These tools can allow women to learn new skills, find employment and explore entrepreneurship without necessarily depending on traditional career routes.
For women who may have limited access to conventional professional networks, digital platforms can open doors to opportunities that were previously difficult to reach.
Why AI Has Become Part of Her Mission
Navya’s latest focus is also connected to one of the biggest changes taking place in the workplace: artificial intelligence.
She recently spoke about the GenAI Ready Naari programme, an initiative launched through the Nimaya Foundation, which she is associated with alongside Samyak Chakrabarty. The programme aims to help women understand and use generative AI as the technology becomes increasingly relevant to professional and everyday life.
Navya believes young women should not simply watch the AI revolution from the sidelines. Instead, they should learn how these tools can be used in their jobs, businesses and daily activities.
Her message is particularly focused on preparing women for the future rather than only addressing the challenges of the present.
Women Already Have Skills That Matter
While discussing equality, Navya also pointed to something she believes women already possess: the ability to handle multiple responsibilities.
From managing households and supporting families to solving everyday problems, she believes women develop skills that can also prove valuable in professional environments.
The challenge, therefore, is not necessarily a lack of ability. It is often about whether women receive enough opportunities to turn those abilities into professional strengths.
Her comments suggest that empowerment should involve giving women access to skills, technology, employment and entrepreneurship rather than treating equality as a competition between men and women.
Equality Is About Moving Forward Together
Navya’s perspective on equality is notably collaborative. She does not describe women’s progress as something that requires men to fall behind.
Instead, she believes both can succeed together.
In her view, women and men can perform well in their respective careers while contributing equally to society and the economy. This approach places the emphasis on opportunity rather than comparison.
Her outlook appears to have been shaped by the women she saw growing up. Watching her grandmother work gave her a personal example of professional independence, while the support of her mother and other women in the family strengthened that foundation.
A Legacy That Goes Beyond Bollywood
Navya belongs to one of India’s most recognisable film families, but her current work represents a different side of that legacy.
Rather than pursuing acting, she has chosen entrepreneurship, technology and women’s empowerment as key areas of interest. Her comments about Ritu Nanda suggest that this direction is rooted partly in family experience.
For Navya, her grandmother’s influence was not about inheriting a profession. It was about witnessing a woman create a working life of her own and understanding that ambition could have a place alongside family responsibilities.
That lesson now appears to be influencing the causes Navya chooses to support.
As workplaces continue to change because of technology and AI, she wants more women to have the confidence and skills to participate in that transformation. Her journey, she suggests, began with a simple but powerful example from home: watching her grandmother work.
Today, Navya is attempting to turn that personal inspiration into a broader message — that women should have the knowledge, digital skills and opportunities needed to build careers, start businesses and shape their own futures.
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