To know Dr. Malini Saba is to know her multifaceted identity. Professionally, Malini is a distinguished self-made businesswoman with over three decades of experience and celebrated accomplishments in the corporate world. She’s a brilliant researcher, a published author, and is also a compassionate psychologist. Personally, Malini is a single mother, fitness enthusiast, and creative cook with a love for food.
What’s distinct about Dr. Saba is this: deeply-rooted in her career path and personal life are a passion and commitment to making the world a better place. Malini is a fierce human and social rights activist, philanthropist, and advocate for the physical, social, and economic advancement of women and girls across the world. Every organisation she’s built from the ground up serves as a catalyst for uplifting humanity.
Dr. Saba has an extensive business background in international, multi-cultural environments and highly engineered systems. She is the founder and former chairman of Saba Group, a privately-held company investing in the people and businesses of the future. Saba Group operates in several markets across 20 countries, including agriculture and trades, pharmaceuticals, fintech, real estate, hospitality, entertainment, and gold mining. Malini is most known for her successes in the industrial commodities markets for rice, oil, and gas. Half of all profits raised by Saba Group helped Malini fund initiatives for accessible education, health, art, culture, and livelihood generation.
Malini Saba has since transitioned away from Saba Group to focus her attention on her philanthropic efforts. She continues to run the Anannke Foundation, formerly known as the Saba Family Foundation, which she established in 2002. Anannke is a Greek goddess who is believed to have created the world, which symbolizes Malini’s aspiration to create a more equitable world for women and children from diverse backgrounds.
Malini has set her sights on helping one billion people through the Anannke Foundation. The foundation analyses the root causes of underlying factors behind socio-economic hurdles prevalent in developing nations. This foundation operates through two distinct branches — Samskaara and Upcaara. Samskaara focuses on education, extending scholarship programs and college preparation funds to underprivileged girls globally. Meanwhile, Upcaara, an integral non-profit under Anannke, provides life-saving healthcare access to vulnerable women facing significant risks.
The foundation has partnered with many organisations and renowned individuals. Collaborations include Bill Clinton, Stanford University Medical Center, as well as associations with entities such as Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) in Mumbai, the Women Refugee Commission, Concern Worldwide, LAC + USC Medical Center, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), and more.
In addition to her involvement with Anannke Foundation, Dr. Malini Saba holds positions on the Advisory Board of the Mother Teresa Foundation and on the Board of Directors for Comfycare12 and Woman’s Company.
Malini’s efforts have earned her the title ‘Ambassador of Peace’ by the Universal Peace Federation. She’s also been honored with Kalpana Chawla’s 2005 award for ‘Outstanding Woman Of The Year,’ the ‘Mother Theresa’ award in 2004, ‘Entrepreneur Of The Year’ from the Business Women’s Network in Washington D.C., and ‘Philanthropist Of The Year’ by both Pratham and Genty Hall of Fame.
Dr. Saba has taken the stage as a keynote speaker at prestigious global conferences in an effort to reshape the operations of governments worldwide while also sharing her insights to empower fellow business owners. Her steadfast dedication revolves around bolstering businesses led by women and that benefit women on a global scale. She offers guidance to numerous female entrepreneurs and has helped them grow their revenue, develop profitable programmes and training, and secure media appearances.
As a self-made executive, Malini aims to ignite a spirit of independence among all women. Her articles on this subject have graced publications like Entrepreneur India, Times of India, and Huffington Post. She’s also been featured in prominent publications like India Today, one of the most widely circulated magazines in the country, Femina, and Forbes 400.
Entrepreneurship wasn’t initially on Dr. Malini Saba’s radar. Considered an “accidental entrepreneur,” she diverted from her aspirations of becoming a doctor to pave her own path as a business owner instead. Her entrepreneurial pursuits have served as an opportunity to address social issues, foster economic growth, and empower community members to establish and expand local businesses.
Born into a middle-class immigrant family, Malini was raised by hardworking parents. This upbringing instilled in her a robust work ethic and a deep sense of empathy for the less fortunate. Since childhood, her aspiration has been to earn enough to contribute significantly to charitable causes. Beyond her foundation, Malini has personally kick-started the world’s first Heart Research Center for South Asians at El Camino Hospital with a $1 million donation and pledged $10 million for the rehabilitation of victims in areas ravaged by the Tsunami in India and Sri Lanka.
In her free time, Dr. Saba indulges in writing and the culinary arts. She penned her cookbook, The Abbreviated Cook, a compilation of recipes gathered during her extensive global travels spanning a decade. Additionally, she wholeheartedly embraces her role as a devoted mother to her daughter and nurturing a household that includes five dogs and four cats.
