25/04/2026
We are incredibly proud of Mana Mandlekar, our Woman Exemplar, who has won a Bronze Medal for India at the 15th Silent Night International Karate Cup 2026 in Malaysia.
A 2019 cohort member, Mana overcame financial barriers to continue her education, often travelling long distances to study. In college, she discovered Karate, which became a turning point, building her confidence and discipline. She now trains young girls, enabling them to find their voice and shape their futures.
Today, as she stands on an international podium, Mana reflects on what this moment truly means:
โToday, I feel both proud and deeply emotionalโค๏ธ
Winning a Bronze Medal ๐ฅ for India in the Senior Women Team Kumite at the 15th Silent Night International Karate Cup 2026 in Malaysia is not just an achievement for me โ it represents my entire journey of struggle, hard work, setbacks, and strong comebacks.
From a small village to an international platformโฆ this journey was never mine alone.
๐ My heartfelt thanks to my coaches, team, the Tinka family, and you โ you didnโt just support me, you believed in me, even when the path was not easy.
This medal belongs to all of you.
And this is just the beginningโฆ there are many more girls to empower and many more milestones to achieve together. ๐ชโจ"
Join us in celebrating Manaโs journey, and in supporting many women like Mana through the Woman Exemplar Program. Read more about the Program at https://ciifoundation.in/woman-exemplar-program.
Confederation of Indian Industry CII Indian Women Network Sunil Misra Shivani Kumar Priya Shirali Megha Milan