In New Delhi, leading female executives emphasized the urgent need for corporate India to redesign workplace systems to bridge the mid-career drop-off and empower women in leadership roles, as young women enter the technology sector with unprecedented confidence. They highlighted the shift from mere participation to sustained leadership and accountability.
While the industry has moved past basic representation challenges, a consensus among leading women in the Indian tech and corporate ecosystem emphasizes the importance of sustained leadership and accountability.
Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO of Salesforce South Asia, stated that young women are rewriting the rules, fundamentally changing how tech leadership looks, prioritizing sustainable growth, inclusive innovation, and human-centered design.
Sindhu Gangadharan, MD of SAP Labs India and Chairperson of Nasscom, noted that young women are actively building products and leading innovation in AI, data science, and engineering. She believes that the coming decade will be transformative for gender representation in India's technology sector.
Pallavi Katiyar, CIO of Tech Mahindra, expressed optimism about the confidence and clarity with which young women are approaching technology careers, shaping the ecosystem in areas like AI and cybersecurity.
Despite the progress, challenges remain, particularly in reaching senior leadership positions. Resham Sahi, Senior Vice President of Technology at A.P. Moller-Maersk, pointed out the disparity in the talent pipeline.
Industry leaders are calling for a fundamental overhaul of corporate structures rather than superficial policy tweaks. They emphasize the need to build inclusive workplaces that support women across different life stages, particularly during relocation, family transitions, and raising children.
Executives highlighted the necessity of structured mentorship, sponsorship from senior leaders, and transparent career progression frameworks to help women step into complex roles.
The corporate conversation has fundamentally shifted from "Can women lead?" to "Why aren't more women leading?", adding that companies today are "embarrassed by all-male leadership teams."
As the digital economy expands, the message to the next generation of female technologists is clear: build deep competence and take charge.