Isha M Ambani, Director of Reliance Industries Limited, emphasized the need for systematic change to increase women's participation in science and technology at the Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day India 2024 in New Delhi, highlighting the gender gap in India's tech workforce.
Isha Ambani emphasized the need for innovation in India's tech workforce, highlighting the gender divide. Despite progress, only 36 per cent of India's tech workforce is women, mainly due to societal stereotypes. She addressed India's demographic advantage for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and called for more girls to pursue STEM careers. She emphasized the importance of women in leadership roles for innovation and holistic development, focusing on the need for societal development.
Isha stated, "While women make up 36 per cent of India's tech workforce, their presence drops drastically as one looks up the corporate hierarchy. For instance, only 7 per cent of women held executive-level positions, only 13 per cent were working in director-level roles, and a mere 17 per cent held mid-managerial positions. Even the new-age start-up ecosystem is grappling with the problem of the dismal participation of women. Limited access to funding and resources for female-led start-ups and business continues to contribute to the under-representation of women in leadership roles."
