What it takes to build women leaders in tech?

Forget the old boys’ club. A new league of women are storming India’s tech bastions, not just fitting in but flipping the script. They are coding, leading, selling, and building billion-rupee dreams. And they’re just getting started.

Here, these three trailblazers discuss bias, breakthroughs, and how to take ownership of the boardroom.

The Playbook: How They’re Changing the Game

Bias? Smash it. These women don’t just overcome bias—they use it as fuel.

Empathy = Superpower. Emotional intelligence isn’t “soft.” It’s strategic.

Flexibility is the future. Hybrid work, mentorship circles, and return-to-work programs are their secret weapons.

Inclusion isn’t a checkbox. It’s a culture, a system, and a daily decision.

From Systems Admin to Cybersecurity Leader

Sharda’s story begins in the mid-1990s at Reliance Infocomm, where she was the lone woman in a room full of systems administrators. “I was often underestimated, but I made sure my work was impeccable,” she recalls. Her early fascination with cybersecurity evolved into a passion that propelled her through roles in technical support, enterprise sales, and eventually leadership.

At Trend Micro, Sharda leads a team that safeguards enterprises against cyber threats—a role demanding not just technical expertise but strategic vision. “Cybersecurity is a battlefield where trust is currency. Women bring empathy and discipline that enhance how we protect clients.”

Sharda credits mentorship, continuous learning, and a refusal to be sidelined as keys to her success. She advocates for organizations to recognize women’s multitasking abilities and emotional intelligence as leadership assets.

Curiosity, Courage, and Challenging the Status Quo

Hemapriya’s career trajectory defies conventional planning. “I never had a roadmap. I followed my curiosity and hunger to learn,” she says. Within two years of her career, she was leading a 60 member team— without a formal title.

Her journey was punctuated by subtle biases: “People questioned my potential because I was married, young, and female. But I let my results speak.” Hemapriya stresses the internal battle women face between societal expectations and personal ambition.

At Agilisium, she is a vocal champion of systemic inclusion, pushing for data-driven hiring, transparent promotions, and emotional intelligence as a core leadership competency. “Inclusion isn’t a program—it’s a culture to be lived every day.”

Reimagining Financial Inclusion Through Fintech

Hardika Shah’s path is a powerful blend of social impact and technology. After two decades in management consulting, she founded Kinara Capital to address a critical gap: access to credit for India’s MSMEs.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, yet they face enormous hurdles in financing,” Hardika explains. Through tech-enabled credit delivery, Kinara Capital has disbursed over USD 1 billion, empowering thousands of entrepreneurs, many of them women.

Her leadership style combines vision with execution. “Women leaders bring empathy and a deep understanding of underserved markets. We’re not just breaking glass ceilings—we’re building new floors.”

Hardika is intentional about gender diversity at Kinara: “From day one, we have had a women-majority management team, with our entire leadership team helmed by women. Having women in leadership roles is crucial to addressing the challenges around inclusion and success. Women leaders inspire other women and create a more inclusive work environment.”

She stresses concrete steps: “We foster a culture of inclusivity and equal opportunity, actively hire, mentor, and promote women across traditionally underrepresented areas—tech, credit, collections, field operations. We ensure interviews avoid gender-biased questions, and our leadership team mentors women employees, helping them progress into leadership roles.”

Hardika highlights the power of mentorship, referencing research that “women in tech with mentors are 77% more likely to stay in the industry for three years.” She also emphasizes workplace safety: “We have strict policies for zero tolerance on harassment, discrimination, and gender-based violence, with regular sensitivity sessions and a vigilant mechanism in place.”

Her advice to companies? “Don’t wait for diversity to happen organically. Design for it. Hire with intent and embed inclusion in everyday practices. The results speak for themselves—our Net Promoter Score is 89%, and we scored 88% on the Women’s Empowerment Principles Gender Gap Analysis Tool, earning recognition as a leader.”

The Unique Strengths Women Bring to Tech Leadership

Emotional Intelligence: The Hidden Advantage

All three leaders emphasize emotional intelligence (EQ) as a game-changer. Sharda notes, “EQ helps in understanding client needs, managing teams, and navigating crises.” Hemapriya adds, “EQ fosters trust and collaboration—critical in complex tech environments.” Hardika agrees, highlighting empathy as central to leading diverse, underserved markets.

Multitasking and Perspective

Women’s ability to juggle multiple roles and view problems through diverse lenses enriches decision-making. Sharda points out, “Women leaders often bring a 360-degree view, balancing short-term results with long-term vision.”

Resilience and Adaptability

Facing bias and structural barriers builds resilience. Hemapriya says, “Every challenge is a lesson in adaptability. That grit is invaluable in tech, where change is constant.”

The Systemic Changes Needed to Boost Women in Tech Leadership

Culture Shift: From Tolerance to Inclusion
Organizations must move beyond tokenism to genuine inclusion. This means creating environments where diverse voices shape strategy.

Structural Support: Flexibility and Mentorship
Flexible work models, return-to-work programs, and formal mentorship are vital. Hardika emphasizes, “Women often juggle multiple responsibilities. Flexibility enables sustained leadership.”

Transparent Processes: Data-Driven Decisions
Using metrics to inform hiring, pay, and promotions reduces bias. Hemapriya advocates for “clear, objective criteria that reward merit and potential.”

Micro-Interventions: Daily Inclusion Practices
Simple actions—like inclusive meeting facilitation and bias awareness training—can shift culture. “Inclusion is built in the small moments,” Hemapriya says.

Building a Pipeline of Women Leaders

Early Identification and Development
Identifying leadership potential early and nurturing it through training and stretch assignments is critical.

Valuing Diverse Leadership Styles
Organizations should value emotional intelligence, collaboration, and empathy alongside traditional metrics.

Creating Safe Spaces and Networks
Women-centric forums, mentorship circles, and peer networks provide support and accelerate growth.

Data and Trends

The Legacy and the Road Ahead

The stories of Sharda, Hemapriya, and Hardika are more than individual triumphs—they are blueprints for systemic change. Their vision is clear: an Indian tech industry where women lead with confidence, supported by inclusive cultures and equitable systems.

As India’s tech ecosystem matures, embracing gender diversity is not just a moral imperative—it’s a business imperative. The future belongs to those who build it boldly, inclusively, and with empathy.

Hardika sums it up:

“Don’t wait for diversity to happen organically. Design for it. Hire with intent and embed inclusion in everyday practices. The results will speak for themselves.”

She adds a powerful closing thought on legacy:

“I want to be remembered as a changemaker who championed diverse perspectives and built better, more resilient systems. Through initiatives like our HerVikas program—which has disbursed over INR 1,000 crores to women MSME entrepreneurs, sustaining over 37,000 jobs and increasing incomes—we are driving transformative socio-economic change. It’s about creating equitable solutions that truly level the playing field.”

Dataquest salutes these trailblazers and invites the tech community to join the movement to rewire Indian tech—one empowered woman at a time.