Breaking Boundaries:

Women in Tech is a global movement that boasts a total membership exceeding 3,00,000 volunteers across the world.

New Delhi: Women in Tech (WIT) Global, a prominent international organisation that works for the cause of women’s advancement in technology, announced the official launch of its India chapter. The grand event was organised at the prestigious French Embassy in New Delhi last week. The launch of the India Chapter marks a significant step for the rights and empowerment of women across the globe. Most importantly, the launch aligns with WIT Global’s ambitious goal of empowering five million women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) by 2030.

The launch of Women in Tech (WIT) Global in India aims to equip Indian women with vital tech skills, support women entrepreneurs and bridge the digital divide that exists in the society. WIT Global, in alignment with the World Economic Forum (WEF), supports mentorship programs and skill-building initiatives to help women move towards successful careers in tech.

Neha Ahuja, Director, Head of Marketing – Spotify, Vanaja Pillai, President, 22-Feet Tribal Worldwide, Rachna Barua, Founder, Madchatter, Reeti Saha, Senior Director – Delivery and Customer Success, Areteans

About Women in Tech

Women in Tech is a global movement that boasts a total membership exceeding 3,00,000 volunteers across the world. Women In Tech has made a significant impact on the lives of over a third of a million people worldwide, aligning with and contributing to the achievement of seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim is to educate, equip, and empower women and girls with the necessary skills, confidence, and opportunities to succeed in STEAM studies & career fields. Women in Tech is a global movement of people advocating gender empowerment in STEAM. 

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France in India, said, “France is strongly committed to promoting women in science. In our international relations, we advance gender equality through our feminist foreign policy, which is translated into action in our bilateral cooperation with India. I would like to cite two instances: the “Women in Science” programme led by our Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research (IFCPAR/CEFIPRA) and the targeted network initiative of the French Development Agency (AFD), GroW: Greening of Finance by Women, which aims to empower women in India by facilitating their access to the Indian financial system. I am therefore delighted that the Paris-based association Women in Tech, is launching its actions in India. They can count on our full support.”

Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France in India

Commenting on the announcement, Radhika Iyengar, Country Head, Women in Tech India, said, “The Women In Tech India team is enthused by the traction the chapter has gained in a short span. Having soft launched just a few months ago, we have grown from 3 to 500+ since November 2023. The formal launch of the India Chapter marks a pivotal moment in Women in Tech Global’s collective effort to empower 5 million women and girls in STEAM by 2030 while also tailoring our local activation outreach and programs to address India’s pertinent issues. The dropout rate of girls in STEAM careers, the gender paradox in India are all alarming. We know the problem, but we also see that global partnerships have helped generate mediums that can retain women in STEAM.. In pursuance of this, we would want girls and women to traverse the growth path in Tech, be it in academia, careers or decision-making roles, in more empowering yet simpler ways and have more enriching & enjoyable journeys ”

Deepthi R, the CEO of ‘We Hub’, and one of the panellists on the show discussed the launch of Women in Tech (WIT) India, where she talked about various points that need our urgent attention.

• On We Hub: She said that the organisation ‘We Hub’ helps women across various backgrounds transition from job seekers to business owners.
• Women in Tech: A crucial initiative, especially considering the low participation of women in tech careers despite strong STEM education backgrounds.
  • Praised WIT’s focus on building a strong foundation in STEM education for girls and mentorship programs for women in mid-career.
  • These initiatives are essential for retaining women in the workforce.

Women’s situation in India: There’s progress but room for improvement. (Quote: “I’m not going to say that you know it’s great but at the same time, we are not lagging behind any country.”)

Deepti Rai, Women in Tech India’s Regional Director for South (also a Principal Data Scientist at Microsoft), spoke at the launch of the India Chapter, where she emphasised their goal of empowering women in tech, particularly considering the low representation in India (around 12–15% in engineering). Moreover, Deepti Rai also stressed the importance of men as allies in achieving gender equality. 

At last, she talked about the solutions to tackle this challenge, wherein Women in Tech India would focus on:

1. Building a strong, pan-India women’s tech community through meetups across chapters in major cities of India like Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, and the Northeast.
2. Hosting events aimed at developing skills and propelling women’s careers in technology.