Industry leaders across sectors marked International Women’s Day by emphasizing the importance of expanding opportunities for women in technology, entrepreneurship, climate finance, and the workplace.
Manisha Dubey, Head of IDEMIA India Foundation and Vice President – Marketing Communications & Brand at IDEMIA, said empowering women with skills and opportunities can have a broader impact on communities and economic growth. She noted that the foundation’s initiatives focus on advancing digital inclusion by providing access to learning, mentorship, and career pathways in technology and innovation, particularly for women from underserved backgrounds.
Vasudha Madhavan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ostara Advisors, highlighted the growing presence of women entrepreneurs and investors in climate finance and clean energy sectors. She said women are increasingly contributing to ventures and investment initiatives aimed at supporting a low-carbon and resilient economy, while also encouraging greater participation of women in climate technology and sustainability-focused industries.
Simmi Dhamija, Chief Operating Officer at AIONOS, pointed to challenges related to gender representation in artificial intelligence development. She said that while awareness of bias in AI systems has increased, women remain underrepresented in teams building these technologies. According to her, greater diversity in development teams and improved datasets are essential to ensure AI systems are designed and evaluated with fairness in mind.
Kavitha Ramachandragowda, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Routematic, said gender equality in workplaces requires structural changes in hiring, leadership opportunities, and support systems. She added that safe and reliable mobility solutions can play a role in enabling greater workforce participation for women, particularly in urban work environments.
Together, the leaders underscored the need for continued efforts to expand access, representation, and inclusive systems across industries.
