Tech Leadership for Women Women constitute about 34% of India’s workforce. Often, women are limited to what counts as “pink jobs”, which, by default, society has assigned to women, such as nursing and caregiving. Only 7% of top Indian executives are women. In a social experiment participated by children, the cue word manager reminded them of a man in a suit, not a woman. This shows how many girls would have snuffed their dream of being a coder or a technology innovator even before the dream turned into fruition. Mrs. Chainika Singhal’s vision is to change this perception. Coming from a humble background, Chainika was focused on making it big in technology. Her degree and master’s in computer science prepared her skills, but her enthusiasm and vision helped her to not just survive but thrive in the highly competitive world of software technology. She has completed over a decade as Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of DiracERP and has led product development and business management from the front Why We Need More Women in Tech? Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are no longer catchphrases for companies on their career page; the movement and the response are quite real. Companies cannot simply avoid women and gender minorities in the workforce while catering to a clientele that includes them. Mrs. Singhal, who was a professor, took up the entrepreneurial journey after reflecting heavily on this disparity. She wanted to cater to industries like handicrafts, perfumes, and textiles, which employ women largely. She knew that as a woman, she could connect to the industry’s roots much better. She also noticed a pattern of exceptionally gifted women who excelled in school and academics, slowly fading into the background when it came to professional growth. Burdened by family and societal pressure, their skills are never honed, and they are asked to take up the easy jobs so they can “balance family and work.” She wanted to employ more women and help them realise their true potential. Women leaders like Chainika bring in passion and grit that can change the course of the industry. Their instincts are sharp and business-oriented. An opportunity to showcase their skill is all they ask for, and Chainika and hr team are ready to provide the same. Coding With The Sharks Women in engineering jobs are about 35%, though about 45% of engineering seats are taken by women. However, the core engineering jobs are quite disproportionate where only 26% of women are in core activities like coding. For Chainika, this number was disturbing. Coding is often considered a man’s job because it includes a lot of logic and reasoning – an area traditionalists would argue that men are better at because women have their empathy side stronger than their reasoning. Chainika worked on her coding skills and focused on the latest programming languages. Her expertise in Python was crucial in developing the product array of DiracERP. Chainika strongly advocates for more girls to turn to coding, as it is a field with broad possibilities and career growth, even in the era of AI. What made Chainika the tech leader she is today? Chainika is vocal about a few things. If you are a female aspiring to be in technology and progress to leadership, she would suggest you be at the top of your skill set. Take projects, consult, freelance – whatever you do, keep your skills polished and updated. She herself started her journey in the ERP sector with tech consultancy. Next is the mindset to take risks and refuse to bow down to failures. She recommends learning from your setbacks and creating something on your own. Be creative and stay grounded. Her entrepreneurial journey started with her desire to make a product that would outrun her competitors in the sector she focused on. Above all, stay strong and persist; your future awaits.
