‘She Builds the Future 2026’: TechGig hosts Women’s Day leadership initiative

TechGig organised a two-day leadership initiative titled “She Builds the Future 2026 – Power, Presence & Progress” on March 7–8 to mark International Women's Day, bringing together women leaders from technology, engineering, marketing and human resources to discuss leadership journeys and workplace challenges.

The event featured multiple sessions including panel discussions and conversations on leadership development, workplace culture and the evolving role of women in the technology sector.

Panel discusses leadership representation and workplace inclusion

The opening session, titled “Women in Leadership Today: Progress, Gaps & the Road Ahead,” examined changes in women’s representation in leadership roles across technology and business over the past decade.

Speakers said that while visibility and participation have improved, achieving equal leadership representation remains an ongoing process.

Participants included Manisha Banthia, vice president and expert engineer for data and analytics at Fiserv, Sukanya Ramachandran, head of inclusion and belonging and people sustainability at Wipro Limited, and Tejshree Madhu, head of business excellence at Siemens Technology and Services Pvt Ltd.

Ramachandran highlighted the importance of integrating inclusion into everyday organisational practices.

“Inclusion is something that needs to be woven into everyday actions and the organisation’s culture. When it runs as a separate entity, it becomes another target to chase, and the real intent can get lost along the way,” she said.

The panel also discussed the role of global capability centres in building leadership pipelines for women in technology.

Leaders share personal career journeys

A session titled “Two Journeys, One Table: The Real Conversations Behind Success” focused on personal leadership experiences and career transitions.

Speakers included Sangeetha Yanamandra, vice president of software engineering research and development at OpenText, and Megha Chaudhry, senior vice president and global head of marketing and alliance management at C5i.

Yanamandra spoke about problem-solving and innovation in technology leadership.

“When the tool or technology doesn’t exist, go a layer deeper or build something, but make sure the problem gets solved,” she said.

Chaudhry said career growth often happens in unexpected ways.

“Most growth happens in the chapters we didn’t plan or anticipate. I feel fortunate to have had those experiences,” she said.

Closing session focuses on future leadership skills

The closing panel discussed leadership skills needed in workplaces increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change.

Participants included Nidhi Vinod, senior director for learning and organisational development at Epsilon India, Anupa Sadasivan, managing director for human resources at Wells Fargo India and the Philippines, Jyoti Pahadsingh, head of innovation practice at Societe Generale Global Solution Centre, and Shalini Tewari, founder and chief operating officer of CoolBoots Media.

Pahadsingh said mentorship and sponsorship play a key role in leadership development.

“Sponsorship doesn’t just shape your career, it also helps you see and define your leadership style,” she said.

Tewari added that leaders play an important role in shaping organisational culture. “Setting the right tone and context for culture is something leaders must consciously address, for everyone, across all genders,” she said.

The initiative brought together industry professionals to discuss leadership development, workplace culture and the future of work in the technology sector.