Manisha Dubey, Head of IDEMIA India Foundation and VP – Marketing Communications & Brand at IDEMIA
“International Women’s Day is a reminder that empowering women with the right skills and opportunities can transform communities and economies. At IDEMIA India Foundation, we are committed to advancing digital inclusion by equipping women with future-ready skills in technology and innovation. Our initiatives focus on access to learning, mentorship, and meaningful career pathways, especially for those from underserved backgrounds. When women are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy, they not only build stronger futures for themselves but also drive sustainable progress for society. Investing in women’s potential is investing in a more inclusive and resilient tomorrow.”
Vasudha Madhavan, Founder & CEO, Ostara Advisors
“International Women’s Day is a moment to spotlight the growing role of women entrepreneurs and investors who are redefining the future of climate finance and clean energy. Across markets, more women are building ventures, mobilizing capital, and driving solutions that support a low-carbon and more resilient economy. The climate transition needs diverse leadership, and there is immense scope for women to shape how capital, technology, and policy come together to build the next generation of sustainable businesses. I strongly encourage more women to explore opportunities in climate tech and climate-focused sectors, where their ideas and leadership can make a real difference. Creating stronger support systems, access to funding, and leadership opportunities will help more women step forward and scale impactful climate solutions worldwide.”
Simmi Dhamija, Chief Operating Officer, AIONOS, said
“AI today is at an inflection point when it comes to gender inclusion. On one hand, we’ve made visible progress: there is far greater awareness of bias and more deliberate efforts to audit datasets and models. But the reality is, much of AI still reflects the structural inequalities it learns from. Nearly half of AI systems studied globally continue to exhibit gender bias and women remain underrepresented in the very teams building these technologies. This creates a deeper challenge: we are not just inheriting bias; we are at risk of scaling it. From hiring algorithms to healthcare models and even everyday interfaces, AI can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or overlook gender-specific needs. The shift we now need is from ‘bias correction’ to ‘inclusive design by default.’ That means diverse development teams, context-aware datasets and AI systems that are tested not just for accuracy, but for equity. Because the true measure of AI maturity will not be how intelligent these systems are, but how fairly they serve everyone.”
Kavitha Ramachandragowda, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Routematic
“Gender equality is no longer an emblematic dialogue; it is a strategic industry priority. Genuine progress is reflected in who gets hired, who advances into leadership, and who feels supported enough to build long-term careers. Inclusion cannot rely on intent alone; it must be embedded into systems, infrastructure, and everyday decision-making.
At Routematic, we recognise that safe and reliable mobility is a critical enabler of workforce participation, particularly for women. When organisations invest in equitable hiring, leadership pathways, and safety-first, technology-driven transport solutions, they remove structural barriers that often go unnoticed. Equality must be experienced in daily operations — not discussed once a year. The goal is simple: create workplaces where opportunity is determined by capability, and growth is accessible to all.”
