From Classrooms to Boardrooms: Women Leaders Drive the Vision of Viksit Bharat

The summit on ‘Women in Leadership for Viksit Bharat’, jointly hosted by WeSchool, the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS), and Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, brought together a cross-section of stakeholders from governance, academia, and industry to discuss a crucial gap in India’s growth story: the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles.

At the heart of the discussion was a paradox: while women constitute 48% of India’s higher education enrollment, only a fraction make it to decision-making roles. For instance, just 9–10% of women reach boardrooms, and a mere 12% occupy leadership positions, despite 41% of the country’s higher education cohort being female. These figures, presented and reiterated throughout the summit, underscore a pressing concern — that India’s demographic dividend is incomplete without addressing its gender leadership gap.

The event positioned itself not just as a ceremonial gathering but as a call to institutional action. Leaders stressed that India’s journey toward becoming a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047 must be inclusive by design, not by default. That means policy, education, and workplace ecosystems must align to enable women from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to step into leadership roles.

The summit’s sessions explored key barriers — lack of access, socio-cultural constraints, gaps in mentorship, and the invisibilisation of women’s work in both formal and informal economies. There was also a strong focus on the role of skilling and education in building leadership capacity, particularly in sectors like STEM, administration, entrepreneurship, and governance.

Countries like Rwanda, Finland, and New Zealand were frequently referenced as case studies where inclusive leadership models have translated into stronger national outcomes — from better health and education indices to more equitable economies. India, speakers noted, has the talent pool — but it needs structural and cultural shifts to realise its full potential.

Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director of WeSchool, pointed out: “While India sees 41% women in higher education, only 12% reach leadership roles — a gap we must urgently address. At WeSchool, we see education as a transformative force.”

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Dr. Apoorva Palkar, Founding VC of Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University, echoed that sentiment, highlighting that this isn’t just a gender issue — “It’s a missed opportunity for inclusive growth.” If women aren’t present at tables where decisions are made, she argued, “those decisions will never fully represent or benefit society at large.”

Government participation was also robust, with IAS officers including Mrs. Vinita Singhal, Mrs. Radhika Rastogi, and Mrs. Manisha Verma bringing grassroots perspectives on gender-inclusive policy design. Academic leaders like Dr. Ujwala Chakradeo and Dr. Upasna Agrawal discussed institutional reforms to embed leadership training early in educational pathways.

Industry voices such as Ms. Aarti Harbhajanka (Primus Partners), Dr. Tanaya Mishra (In-Solution Global Ltd.), and Ms. Poyni Bhatt (formerly of SINE–IIT Bombay) provided insights into how startup ecosystems and corporate governance structures can either accelerate or inhibit women’s rise to the top.

Throughout the summit, one theme remained constant: India cannot afford to exclude half its population from the leadership narrative. The path to a developed India must be paved with inclusive leadership, and that means reimagining how women access, navigate, and shape systems of power and progress.

The summit concluded with a shared resolve: to turn dialogue into design, and design into durable change. If Viksit Bharat is the destination, women’s leadership is the vehicle that can drive us there — faster, fairer, and stronger.

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