Women Achievers
Published on : Tuesday 08-03-2022
The industry has welcomed the Union Budget 2022 presented by the Finance Minister on February 1, 2022,
terming it as progressive and growth oriented. Among the measures singled out by most are the focus on infrastructure through Gatishakti master plan and Atmanirbharata in Defence; the clear emphasis on energy transition through various measures like the continued emphasis on renewable energy and storage, and batteries and e-mobility. The zero fossil fuel policy, battery swapping policy and focus on charging infrastructure for EV ecosystem are measures that would provide impetus to a future ready electrical and allied electronics sector. War clouds are hovering over Ukraine at the time of writing this, and the hardening of oil prices is a matter of grave concern. If the month of February passed without any rise in fuel prices thanks to State elections, the first week of March will see the reality hit the headlines with substantial increase in fuel and LPG prices. The zero fossil fuel policy is a welcome move, indeed.
For the last 4 years, we at Industrial Automation have observed the International Women’s Day with a Special Feature in our March Edition by inviting women technocrats and entrepreneurs to share their stories with our readers. March 8th is universally celebrated as International Women’s Day, commemorating the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. Though women have always been part of the workforce, traditionally they were much less in numbers in the formal sector, and even more so in the technology domain, which is our area of interest.
The response this time has been overwhelming. Though the majority of the participants are from the technical field, there are a few who have excelled in other areas. Most have battled various odds in their journey to reach where they are today. The Zinnov-Intel Gender Diversity Benchmark Study 2019, released in early 2020 had some interesting statistics. Women in India make up 48.2% of the population, but massive gender disparity continues to exist in Indian workplaces. What is more, women form a mere 26% representation in IT and ITeS roles at corporates across India – a relatively low number compared to the overall 31% representation in non-technical roles, which itself is low. According to the LinkedIn Opportunity Index 2021, more women in India have experienced the impact of gender on career development when compared to the APAC region. The report states that 85% working women claim to have missed out on a raise, promotion, or work offer because of their gender, compared to the regional (APAC) average of 60 per cent. The proverbial silver lining is found in the views expressed by our respondents in this edition.
