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Women in India contribute to around 18 per cent of the GDP and the number would be higher if non-monetary services like care at home are considered.
(From left to right): Sangita Reddy, joint MD of Apollo Hospital Group and the chair of G20 Empower India; Sindhu Gangadharan, chairperson of Nasscom and the MD of SAP Labs India; and Debjani Ghosh, distinguished fellow of NITI Aayog.
Women in India contribute to around 18 per cent of the GDP and the number would be higher if non-monetary services like care at home are considered, according to women entrepreneurs. They also said the number of women in the technology sector is also rising and the next generation would not even need support as they have mindset and the hunger.
On why it makes sense to prioritise women, Sangita Reddy, joint MD of Apollo Hospital Group and the chair of G20 Empower India, said, “Everybody know why it makes sense but the main question is why is it taking so long to get it done. However, if you take the numbers, 483 million women in the working age group are contributing about 18 per cent to India’s GDP. A total of 343 million women are working in the organised sector. Also, we do not recognise and acknowledge the ‘care economy’, the work that women do at homes. Therefore, we have created this number that says 18 per cent of the GDP comes from women. What if you have quantified the care economy as well?”
If women had equal opportunity, equal pay, and equal ability, the contribution to India’s would be more than $770 billion, she said.
On Women’s Entrepreneurial Spirit
“I have spoken to women who have done garment businesses, grocery businesses, etc. So, the entrepreneurial spirit, the need to make money, the need to be relevant, is all translating now into this. It is the beautiful moment in time when we can take it to the next level,” she said.
We need to bridge the gap, Sangita added.
Women In Tech
On asking about tech being equaliser, Sindhu Gangadharan, chairperson of Nasscom and the MD of SAP Labs India, said, “If we look at data, the number of women in tech is already rising. In 2022, we had close to 10.8 per cent of women in workforce in technology, which has now increased to nearly 15 per cent. It is not too much but it is getting there.”
We have around 35 per cent women in tech currently and the number is growing. Today, India is the largest in tech graduates in STEM.
‘Drip Effect’
Discussing ‘drip effect’, Gangadharan said women in India drop off during their mid-level career point due to family pressure, absense of role models, organisations not having flexible policies, self-doubts, etc.
On Impact of Backlash on DEI Initiatives
On the impact on women of the backlash on diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) initiatives globally, Debjani Ghosh, distinguished fellow of NITI Aayog, said, “There will be no impact. I personally feel diversity and the focus on diversity did not do much for the women. We were almost being treated as someone who deserve that seat due to our gender, not because of our capabilities. I have always been against that.”
Having a more inclusive charter to say that talent will thrive, irrespective of anything else, she said.
“Women have mindset, they have the hunger. The next generations don’t even need support. The hunger is growing,” she said.
