BENGALURU: "If we want to achieve our vision of Viksit Bharat, we must create the conditions for women to work, lead, and thrive. To do this, we need safe, inclusive, and enabling workplaces where women can perform without fear or bias" said Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chairman, Axilor Ventures.
He was speaking at the 35th edition of the Devi Awards organised by The New Indian Express (TNIE) here in the city on Saturday. In the 35th edition of Devi Awards, 11 women achievers from diverse fields, were honoured.
While we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our Devi Award winners, Gopalakrishnan said we must recognise a national challenge--India needs more women in the workforce.
"Women's economic participation is not just a question of fairness, it is a question of national strength and growth", the visionary technocrat noted.
Comparing India's women workforce with that of China, Gopalakrishnan said, "In China, nearly 60% of women participate in the labour force, one of the highest rates in the world. Women there are a major driving force in manufacturing, technology, and entrepreneurship. Their contribution, I believe, has been a key factor in China's rapid economic rise ".
In contrast, India's female labour force participation rate remains below 30%, he lamented.
The IT industry expert said that by increasing the women workforce, even modestly, India could add trillions of dollars to its GDP over the next decade.
Mentioning that we are living in an era of technological transformation, Gopalakrishnan said, "Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are reshaping industries, increasing productivity and creating entirely new types of work. The nature of workspace is evolving from fixed offices, to hybrid and flexible environments".
"Technology is giving people, especially women greater freedom and flexibility to manage their careers, families and aspirations in ways that were not possible before", Gopalakrishanan said and termed them these are times of great change and opportunities.
Leadership in the times of AI, will not be defined only by managing people but by managing change, technology and human values together, he said and that women with their empathy, adaptability and inclusiveness are uniquely positioned to lead in this new world, whether in technology, health care, policy or education.
While India aspires to become a developed nation by 2047, Gopalakrishnan said the country must evolve into an innovation led IT driven economy, one that creates world class products, technologies and research outcomes.
He said that the nations that lead the global economy today are those that own intellectual property in AI models, pharmaceuticals, semi-conductors or bio-technology. "India's future growth will depend on our ability to create, protect and commercialise its own intellectual property with women being integral to this innovation journey. We need more women researchers, entrepreneurs and investors shaping the technologies and policies that will define India's future. Careers in research and entrepreneurship are well suited for women.
Stating that another major transformation ahead of us is the demographics and India will soon have one of the world's largest older adults, He called to build a society where people can age with control, dignity and grace supported by innovative products and care-ecosystem. He added that women entrepreneurs with their insight and empathy can lead this by designing solutions to the ageing world.
Lauding the Devis, Gopalakrishnan said they represent the best of India and thanked TNIE for instituting the awards for celebrating women achievers across fields. He said, by telling the stories of the achievers we are creating living case studies and stories that inspire, educate and empower many more women and young girls, making them believe that they too can achieve.
Chairman and Managing Director of The New Indian Express Group, Manoj Kumar Sonthalia, TNIE Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla and others were present.
DEVI AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO THE FOLLOWING ACHIEVERS:
- Veda Krishnamurthy, former cricketer and broadcaster, for her contribution to the sport
- Sahar Mansoor, founder of Bare Necessities, for helping people live a zero-waste life
- Shraddha Srinath, multilingual actor, for excellence in entertainment
- Pragati Mathur, textile artist and handloom innovator, for weaving absolute magic
- Anita Nair, acclaimed author, for her brilliant writing across genres
- Nooraine Fazal, educationist and CEO of Inventure Academy, for her work in raising the bar for quality education
- Mayura Balasubramanian, founder of Craftizen Foundation, for making craft a tool for empowerment
- Deepthi Bopaiah, sports administrator, for driving systemic change in sports
- Hema Ravichander, management professional, for management of crises
- Divya Raghavendra Rao, co-founder of The Rameshwaram Café, for her visionary role in bringing authentic and hygienic food while transforming a humble idea into one of India’s most celebrated food brands
- Chayaa Nanjappa, social entrepreneur and founder of Nectar Fresh