Sydney International Women’s Day

Join us in Sydney for the 4th annual Brown Boss Babes Australia International Women’s Day event, proudly hosted by Brown Boss Babes Australia (BBB) and the South Asian Foundation of Australia (SAFA). We are proud to say we are Australia’s only line up representing South Asian Women on this day.

The day is about celebrating South Asian women’s leadership, creativity, resilience, and ambition, and creating a space where meaningful connections can happen across business, careers, community, and culture.

Expect an uplifting program featuring an inspiring keynote speaker (to be announced), real conversations, and the kind of room that reminds you what’s possible when women come together with intention. Whether you are building a business, growing your career, exploring a creative path, or simply looking to reconnect with community, you are welcome here.

Come as you are. Leave with new connections, fresh perspective, and the energy to keep backing yourself and the women around you. Speakers: Tasnia Alam Hannan (Arise Foundation | UNSW Centre for Social Impact)

Tasnia Alam Hannan is a social impact leader, academic, and advocate for women’s economic justice. She is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the Arise Foundation and a Lecturer at the UNSW Centre for Social Impact, teaching social impact investment, collaborative leadership, and business for social impact. A PhD candidate at Western Sydney University’s School of Law, her research focuses on intersectional Gender Lens Investing frameworks for refugee women entrepreneurs. Through Arise, she has supported more than 150 women through trauma-informed employment pathways and works at the intersection of research, community advocacy, and systems change.

Gunjan Aylawadi (Flyover Fritterie)

Gunjan Aylawadi is an industrial designer, computer science engineer, self-taught artist, and chef who uses food as a lens for culture and storytelling. Raised in India and now based in Sydney, she founded Flyover Fritterie in 2019, an award-winning Indian chaat and chai bar created to honour the street food entrepreneurs who shaped her love of food. Through creativity, design and authenticity, Gunjan challenges narrow stereotypes of Indian cuisine and builds community through India’s living, evolving vegetarian food culture.

Shankari Chandran (Author | Miles Franklin Award winner)

Shankari Chandran is an Australian Tamil novelist whose work explores power, injustice and the afterlives of conflict. She is the author of five novels, including Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, winner of the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award, and Song of the Sun God, longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Before writing full-time, Shankari worked for over two decades as a human rights lawyer in the UK and Australia, leading international law reform and pro bono programs. Several of her works are currently in development for screen.

Jaspreet “Jas” (BollyOn)

Jaspreet, known as Jas, is the founder and lead dance instructor at BollyOn, which she launched in 2016 with a mission to spread joy through dance. Trained in classical Odissi and with further study in styles including Bollywood, Bhangra, Kathak, contemporary and hip hop, Jas brings both depth and energy to every room she leads. Since moving to Sydney in 2009, she has delivered workshops, performed across major cultural events, and choreographed for community and stage productions, building one of Sydney’s most loved Bollywood dance communities.

For sponsorship opportunities please email office@brownbossbabes.org