From Stereotypes to Leadership: The Evolving Role of Women Engineers
National Engineers’ Day is observed in India every year on September 15 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of the country’s most celebrated engineers. Engineers’ Day pays tribute to his vision, ingenuity, and enduring legacy in advancing engineering practices and nation-building. On the occasion of National Engineers’ Day, Saket Newaskar, Director & Head of AI Transformation, Expleo, spoke to The Hans India; Expleo is a global engineering, technology and consulting service provider that partners with leading organisations to guide them through their business transformation, helping them achieve operational excellence and future-proof their businesses.
The engineering profession, once a predominantly male domain, is undergoing a profound transformation. Women are actively dismantling entrenched stereotypes across various specialisations, bringing novel insights and increasingly assuming leadership positions. As India positions itself as a global talent hub, this evolving landscape presents more opportunities for talent and organisations. While under-representation persists in core engineering sectors and leadership positions, the pipeline of women engineers is strengthening and is effectively supported by education, mentorship, and progressive policies. This evolution is not merely about numbers. In lieu, it represents a cultural shift where women are shaping sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, and technology. They are also efficiently supporting innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity in engineering practices.
Breaking boundaries, driving change
Previously, women faced entrenched stereotypes and limited access to engineering education. Even today, while nearly 15 lakh engineers graduate annually in India, only 2.5 lakh secure relevant technical roles. Among women, the gap between education and workforce participation is particularly striking: 40 percent of STEM graduates in India are women. Nevertheless, only 14 per cent make it into the workforce. This highlights structural barriers such as societal expectations, work-life balance pressures, and the scarcity of visible role models.
While barriers exist, women engineers are making significant strides across various sectors, including IT and high-tech industries. For instance, in aerospace, India stands out globally, with women comprising 15 percent of its pilots. Nonetheless, women's overall representation in engineering and technical roles remains in the single digits. Following this, policies such as the DGCA's gender equality advisory aim to increase female participation in aerospace to 25 per cent by 2025. This, in turn, showcases a strong commitment to bridging the gap. Likewise, the automotive sector, traditionally male-dominated, is now experiencing women leading advancements in electric vehicles, sustainable mobility, and user-centric design.
What makes this evolution more powerful is not just entry into these fields. Instead, it is the ability of women to challenge norms. Women engineers bring perspectives that drive inclusive design. They also actively utilise technologies that cater to diverse users, improve safety, and enhance accessibility. In industries where artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability goals dominate the future roadmap, women are leveraging technical expertise. Moreover, they are taking advantage of diverse thinking to deliver solutions that balance efficiency with social impact.
Promoting leadership through inclusion
The next phase of growth lies in ensuring that women engineers not just enter the workforce but also ascend to leadership roles. Presently, the representation of Indian women in boardrooms and executive positions within engineering-intensive industries remains low, signalling the absence of a strong talent pipeline. Grassroots interventions are critical here. Mentorship programs, leadership workshops, and women-focused training forums are steadily equipping professionals with the confidence and skills to take on executive roles. In tandem, specific recruitment efforts, such as women-only hiring drives, are laying the groundwork for a more gender-diverse leadership pipeline in the engineering and tech domains.
Furthermore, corporate initiatives are also making a difference. Policies addressing equal pay, flexible work models, and structured diversity programs are creating pathways for long-term careers. Importantly, men in leadership positions are increasingly acting as allies. They are sponsoring women into critical roles and shaping inclusive workplace cultures. Such collaboration reinforces systemic change by positioning diversity as a shared organisational priority rather than a standalone initiative.
States like Tamil Nadu, which contribute 17 per cent of India's annual engineering graduates and host one of the most gender-diverse manufacturing workforces. This further underlines the importance of inclusive regional strategies in India. Notably, women from Tamil Nadu make up nearly half of India's factory workforce. As a consequence, this accentuates the state's commitment to gender inclusion. Such a strong foundation of education, policy support, and workforce diversity has made Tamil Nadu a preferred destination for organisations looking to invest and grow.
On the whole, the journey of women engineers, notably in India, reflects both remarkable achievements and persistent gaps. Industries such as automotive and aerospace are beginning to demonstrate the value of diversity. Nevertheless, the role of deeper systemic reforms remains crucial. Early STEM exposure, scholarships for technical education, targeted mentorship, and visible role models are effectively helping sustain the momentum.
The future, however, is poised to be shaped by AI-driven engineering and sustainability mandates. AI is altering day-to-day operations in design, manufacturing, and maintenance. Women engineers, with their increasing presence in IT and other novel technologies, are positioned to lead this transformation. In parallel, global sustainability goals demand innovative approaches in energy efficiency, green mobility, plus climate-resilient infrastructure - domains where women will lead projects and influence design philosophies in the years to come.
If nurtured with the right ecosystem, women engineers can not only bridge the gender gap but also spearhead India's leadership in frontier sectors. Their evolving role is no longer just about breaking stereotypes; it is about steering industries toward a future defined by innovation, inclusivity, and resilience.