Country of origin
India
Which company do you work for?
Self Employed
What is your specific area of specialisation?
Mining, Mineral Processing, Geology, Innovation, Digital Transformation
How long have you been in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math’s (STEM) fields?
20
As a woman in a male dominated industry, what has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome it?
When I started my career in geology. I was working in remote fields with mainly men around, geology was not seen as a traditional woman role at that time in India and yes it required much more effort to establish yourself but that also gave me the liberty to carve my own path and diversify myself across the mining value chain.
What inspired you to join this industry?
For the love of rocks.
What changes, if any, have you seen with regards to women in your field?
It’s definitely has changed a lot and we are seeing more and more diversity in the workforce in mining year by year
How can we attract more women to consider a career in the STEM fields?
By celebrating role models in the STEM field is one way. Also, developing the STEM talent pipeline as early as pre-school through introducing STEM toys, books, etc. At the organizational level, shifting towards a more flexible work model and redefining work culture. I think the recent landing of Perseverance the Mars rover and Virgin Galactic first fully crewed space flight is definitely going to inspire the coming generation of students.
If you were to advise other young women starting their careers in the tech or within the STEM fields, what is the one thing you would say to them?
- Stay curious and invest in continuously upskilling yourself.
- Do not hesitate to ask for help and take new responsibilities or opportunities as they come along. The power lies in asking, do not assume something will not be given to you unless you ask. All my life, one thing I have had to learn is when you ask for something you often get it.
- Enjoy the journey and build on your network.
When not working, what do you do for fun?
Reading and gardening.
