Industrial Economist(IE): How would you define women empowerment?
Sindhuja Rajaraman(SR): Like every coin has two sides, I have two views. Understanding the reality, women have a lot of problems. Call it launching themselves professionally or trying to climb the workforce ladder, women have to do everything in excess to make it to a small point. But there is this other side. Things are now changing for the positive. Women participation in the workforce is getting a lot of recognition. This change should continue and it cannot be framed by anyone else. It should be within women to cultivate themselves, set boundaries, claim their own space and define their own standard of success.
IE: Your thoughts on gender bias?
SR: I think, the current generation is far more global in outlook and increasingly gender-neutral in its approach. They no longer see women differently. When someone faces a challenge, the instinct is to support, not to judge. Going forward, the emphasis must be on skills and competence — not on gender or other peripheral factors. If we focus on skills rather than peripheral factors, I think we would fit in even better in the coming years.
IE: Any policies or initiatives that can be taken so that women shine even brighter?
SR: Artificial Intelligence is going to liberate a lot of people. Not everyone requires a fancy office, title, or hierarchy to prove themselves. It takes 100 years of habit to break something like hierarchy or gender disparity, but AI has definitely made the ground level equal for a lot of people. If we really believe in ourselves and think we want to do something, all of this knowledge becomes unlimited. So, policies focusing on artificial intelligence can bring a lot of change to society, for both men and women.
IE: Your thoughts on more women taking to STEM?
SR: Recently, I attended an event called ‘She Wills’ at an engineering college run by a woman student. It was an initiative focused on encouraging girls to enter coding, helping them network and discover more opportunities. Something that stood out was seeing that room filled with young women who were genuinely interested and excited about technology. There is a growing acceptance that any profession is not defined by gender. It’s not about competing with men; I think it’s about women feeling confident to step into spaces they care about. It was truly uplifting to witness that energy and a room full of ambitious young women
IE: Your personal motto and some advice for the young women?
SR: My personal motto is to have a purpose in life. Everyone should latch on to their purpose. The more we tune into our purpose and the more we are true to that purpose, the more change it will bring to society.