By SheLit | Empowering Voices. Igniting Change.
India’s tech industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world — powering global software, digital finance, AI, and innovation. But behind the servers, the screens, and the code, are women who have shaped this revolution, often without the spotlight they deserve.
From coding pioneers to tech CEOs, from village innovators to scientists at ISRO, Indian women are rewriting the rules of technology — and it’s time we celebrated their stories.
🚀 The Trailblazers You Should Know
🔹 Ruchi Sanghvi – The First Female Engineer at Facebook
An Indian-origin engineer, Ruchi played a key role in developing Facebook’s iconic News Feed. She later co-founded Cove (acquired by Dropbox) and became a voice for women in tech leadership.
🔹 Tessy Thomas – The ‘Missile Woman’ of India
A scientist at DRDO and the first woman to lead a
missile project in India, Tessy broke barriers in a
male-dominated defense-tech world.
Her work on the Agni missile made her a national icon.
🔹 Neelam Dhawan – The Corporate Tech Titan
With top leadership roles at HP, Microsoft India, and IBM,
Neelam has shown how women can lead in boardrooms and
tech strategy. She is one of the most influential women in Indian IT.
🔹 Debjani Ghosh – President, NASSCOM
As the first woman president of NASSCOM, she has led efforts
to promote digital skilling, inclusion, and innovation.
Under her leadership, NASSCOM continues to push for more
women in tech.
🌍 The Grassroots Innovators Changing Lives
Not all heroes wear lab coats — some innovate in silence.
🔸 Anshu Vaish – Tech for Education
A former secretary in the Ministry of Education, she was
instrumental in pushing ICT (Information & Communication Tech)
into government schools, changing the way rural students learn.
🔸 Ajaita Shah – Solar-Powered Solutions
Founder of Frontier Markets, she’s bringing solar tech and
digital tools to rural India, empowering women
to become local tech entrepreneurs.
🔸 Arunima Sen – The Rural Coder
A software engineer turned rural educator,
she trains girls in small towns to code, proving that
technology doesn’t belong only in metro cities.
📊 Stats Speak Loudly
- Only 36% of India’s tech workforce are women (NASSCOM, 2023), yet they contribute over 50% of STEM graduates.
- Women-led tech startups are growing at 2x the speed of male-led ones in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
💡 Why Their Stories Matter
Women in tech are not just part of the system — they are redefining it:
- Building inclusive AI
- Designing safer digital spaces
- Creating solutions for climate, education, and healthcare
- Inspiring millions of young girls to dream beyond boundaries
Yet, many remain underpaid, overlooked, or outnumbered. We can’t talk about a digital India without ensuring it’s also an equitable India.
🎯 What Needs to Change
- Equal pay and promotion opportunities
- Safer workspaces and anti-harassment tech policies
- Access to funding for women-led startups
- Tech education and mentorship in rural India
🌟 Let’s Celebrate and Support Them
At SheLit, we believe that every woman innovator deserves to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Whether she’s building code or breaking codes of silence — her story matters.
📣 Know a woman changing the tech world?
Tag us or write to us at SheLit. Let’s bring her story to light.