The Young Global Leader
Deepika Padukone once revealed in an interview that nothing scares her. She is honest, never afraid to embrace her personal story. An equal pay champion, she doesn’t settle for less than what she deserves. In 2021, she made headlines by turning down a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film because she wasn’t getting paid as much as her co-star and also her husband, Ranveer Singh. Padukone has shown us the other side of stardom. A few years ago, the actress opened up about her struggle with depression. “I would just feel empty and directionless,” she had said, recollecting that phase. She dared to be vulnerable and the entire nation listened. The same year, Padukone founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation, an NGO to destigmatise the mental health conversation in India. To date, the foundation has educated almost 2 lakh students on mental health and sensitised 20k+ teachers through school drives. Her zealous efforts towards mental health awareness have catalysed the conversation in the country.
During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Padukone launched the Frontline Assist on Instagram. Under the program, she supported Sangath’s COVID-19 wellbeing centres with sale proceeds from The Deepika Padukone Closet. In 2020, she received the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum for her contribution to mental health awareness.
Power Move
In 2021, Padukone joined the list of the Young Global Leaders (YGLs) compiled by the World Economic Forum. The actress secured her place in the program for extending mental health support platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will now be part of a five-year programme, which will offer executive education courses and opportunities to collaborate and test ideas among a trusted network of peers. Today, Padukone is one of the world’s most influential women. She is well aware of the power she wields. Padukone has taught us that there is power in vulnerability as long as we know what we deserve.
The POPxo Power Women List is an annual list that celebrates incredible Indian women from diverse domains who make power moves that have a real impact. With The POPxo Power Women List 2022, we celebrate 22 phenomenal women. To see the entire list, click here.
