From empowering working mothers to strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s healthcare workforce, Upasana Kamineni Konidela and Nara Lokesh bring a people-centric vision to the CII Partnership Summit 2026
Swati Bhat
The conversation around women’s empowerment is moving beyond equal opportunities to creating workplaces where motherhood and professional ambitions can thrive together. Highlighting this important issue, entrepreneur and philanthropist Upasana Kamineni Konidela, along with Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, has brought attention to the importance of supporting the modern working mother, popularly celebrated as the ‘Corporate Mom’.
At the 31st CII Partnership Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam, Upasana proposed an ambitious initiative titled ‘Andhra Second Career’, aimed at helping 10,000 mothers return to the workforce. The initiative seeks to address one of the biggest challenges faced by women professionals restarting their careers after motherhood.
Sharing her perspective, Upasana emphasised that becoming a mother should never mean giving up professional dreams. She pointed out that India invests in educating its daughters and nurturing their ambitions, yet many talented women step away from their careers after embracing motherhood. According to her, this is not simply a women's empowerment issue but also an economic concern, as the country loses valuable skills, experience and talent.
The proposed Andhra Second Career initiative focuses on three essential areas: professional reskilling, flexible working opportunities and childcare support. Through these measures, the vision is to create an environment where mothers can confidently return to professional life without having to choose between their families and careers.
Upasana also highlighted the larger ambition of making Andhra Pradesh one of India's most working-mother-friendly states. Her message is simple yet powerful: working mothers do not need to be superheroes; they need supportive workplaces, accessible childcare and a society that recognises their ambitions.
Carrying Forward a Legacy of Healthcare and Social Impact
The discussion also connected with a broader vision of healthcare development inspired by Dr Prathap C. Reddy, founder of Apollo Hospitals and Upasana's grandfather. His vision of Atma Rakshanam, centred on access to quality healthcare, continues to inspire conversations about strengthening healthcare services and creating opportunities in the sector.
Upasana and Nara Lokesh have also expressed an aspiration to position Andhra Pradesh as a global healthcare talent hub. The idea is to develop skilled healthcare professionals from the state who can contribute to India's growing healthcare needs as well as serve communities across the world.
With the proposed Andhra Second Career initiative and the broader healthcare vision, the conversation at the CII Partnership Summit highlights how women's participation, employment opportunities and human potential can contribute to the state's development.
Ultimately, celebrating the Corporate Mom is about recognising that motherhood and ambition can coexist. By creating pathways for women to return to work, Andhra Pradesh could take an important step towards building a more inclusive and opportunity-driven professional ecosystem.