Sanjam Sahi Gupta’s entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by legacy, lived experience, and a strong sense of purpose. Growing up around shipping and logistics through her family business, Sitara Shipping, she was exposed early to how the industry functioned. The stories she heard from her father helped her understand the operational side of maritime and logistics, but they also made one gap very clear. Women were largely absent, especially in leadership and technical roles. This absence stayed with her and gradually became the driving force behind her work. She did not want to simply build a successful career within the existing system. She wanted to change the system itself. This vision led her to found Maritime SheEO and later expand her work into sustainability, policy advisory, and innovation, creating platforms and businesses that combine commercial strength with social impact.
Across her ventures, Sanjam focuses on solving two deeply connected problems. The first is the long-standing exclusion of women from maritime and logistics careers. The second is the slow adoption of sustainability, ESG, and circular economy practices in traditional industries. Through Sitara Shipping, she continues to serve clients who need reliable, efficient, and future-ready logistics solutions. Through Maritime SheEO, she supports women professionals, industry leaders, and policymakers who are working to create a more inclusive and fair maritime ecosystem. Her work through Bleu Éclairé helps companies adopt ESG frameworks, automate compliance, and move towards decarbonisation in ways that are practical and aligned with business needs. In addition, Ocean ReClaim promotes sustainable corporate gifting and uniforms made from recycled ocean plastic, showing how everyday business choices can support environmental responsibility while also creating livelihoods and raising awareness about marine pollution.
What started as a focused initiative has now grown into a multi-layered ecosystem. Maritime SheEO began as a platform for conversations but has evolved into a global movement with a presence in more than 77 countries. Today, it influences policy, research, training, and leadership development in the maritime sector. The work includes the world’s largest annual conference on gender diversity and inclusion in maritime, national and international research studies, structured mentorship programs, and a growing community of over 900 women professionals. This growth reflects Sanjam’s belief that impact and scale do not have to be separate goals.
“True leadership isn’t only about profit, but about building inclusive, ethical, and future-ready industries.”
In the Indian market, her work stands out because inclusion and sustainability are not treated as add-ons. They are built into the core of every solution. Whether it is logistics operations, leadership programs, or ESG tools, the approach is evidence-based, aligned with policy, and grounded in real human needs. Her work connects government bodies, industry players, and grassroots communities, creating a level of coordination that is still rare.
As a woman entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated and hierarchical industry, Sanjam has faced challenges around credibility and being taken seriously. There has often been an unspoken expectation for women to prove more or stay within defined limits. Another ongoing challenge has been scaling her work without losing sight of its original values and purpose. She addressed these challenges by remaining consistent, relying on data and results, and being clear and confident about her vision. Strong partnerships across sectors and geographies have helped ensure that the work remains larger than any single individual.
Innovation and technology have played a key role in her growth. Digital logistics systems, ESG automation tools, and technology-enabled training platforms have made it possible to scale impact efficiently. Technology has also helped widen access, allowing women to receive training remotely, companies to track emissions accurately, and MSMEs to meet global standards without high costs.
Sanjam leads her teams with trust, clarity, and accountability. She believes in hiring for intent and potential rather than only credentials. Her teams are diverse, collaborative, and purpose-driven, with a strong focus on flexibility, continuous learning, and mentorship, especially for women managing multiple responsibilities. When it comes to personal life and work, she believes in conscious prioritisation rather than perfect balance, supported by strong systems and capable teams.
Her leadership is guided by integrity, courage, and inclusion. Looking ahead, she sees India’s business ecosystem becoming more mature and impact-focused by 2026, with sustainability and gender equity viewed as strategic priorities. Her advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs is simple: start before you feel ready, build strong networks, and stay rooted in purpose. Her future plans focus on expanding policy advisory, ESG innovation, and circular economy solutions, while extending Maritime SheEO into new regions and sectors. Ultimately, she hopes to be remembered as someone who built pathways, not just businesses, and helped make leadership and sustainability more inclusive.
“I didn’t want to just succeed within the system. I wanted to change it by making leadership and opportunity more accessible.”