NITI Aayog’s distinguished fellow and former Nasscom president Debjani Ghosh on April 8 called out the diversity agendas of the companies that appear to offer women leadership position on the basis of gender while not appreciating their capabilities.
“Focus on diversity didn’t do much for the cause of women, it in fact started hurting the cause. We were seen as someone who deserved the seat because of our gender and not for our capabilities. I have always fought against that. I have always stood against that. I think having a more inclusive charter saying that talent will fly,” Ghosh said at a panel discussion at News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi.
She added that given the opportunity to right quality education, women will thrive. “Women have the mindset and hunger, and the hunger is just growing.”
Ghosh believes that the reason there aren’t more women in leadership positions is because most of them are men with only a few exceptions. And when these male leaders hire, they want someone just like them.
She was in conversation with fellow panelists Sindhu Gangadharan, Chairperson, NASSCOM & MD, SAP LABS India and Dr. Sangita Reddy, Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Group & Chair - G20 Empower India.
Reddy said, “483 million women in the working age group contribute about 18 percent of the GDP. 343 million women are working but in the unorganised sector. We first need to recognise and acknowledge the care economy.”
Gangadharan shared that SAP India has neared its target of having 50 percent women in the workforce.
“In the tech sector, there were 10.8 percent women in the workforce in 2022, now it’s close to 15 percent – that’s a significant rise. At the entry level we are doing great. India as a demographic we have 35% women in tech sector. We have the largest number of STEM graduates globally and that too includes the most women graduates,” she said.
Gangadharan added, “As women grow up the ladder, there is a “drip effect”, women are leaving the workforce particularly in the mid career levels.” She highlighted organisational challenges and self-doubts being some of the key issues for them.
“Men tend to apply to roles when they match 60 percent of the criteria, whereas women would look to match 200 percent,” she added.
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