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When I boarded my flight from Colombo to Chennai in 2008, I noticed something unusual for the subcontinent: a woman in military uniform was conducting the final security pat-down. There were no separate lines for men and women. In India, you would expect female security personnel to screen women and male personnel to screen men. But here was a uniformed soldier—gun holstered at her side—checking passengers regardless of gender.
Curious, I turned to a fellow Sri Lankan passenger and asked him about it.
His answer was simple and direct:
“We are at war,” he said, “and we need every resource.”
When war breaks out, the rules change. Nations look for capable soldiers, industries look for skilled workers, and societies suddenly remember that talent is not defined by gender. During World War II, as America went to battle, women ran factories, economies, and even codebreaking units.
Yet the moment stability returns, old norms return. Leaders trusted in crisis rarely become architects of peacetime progress.
If women can guide nations through war,
Why are they not seen as equal partners in building the future?
This pattern can also be seen in India’s corporate culture. How many companies in our predominantly male-dominated manufacturing sector have actively hired women? JCB India stands out. At its Jaipur factory, around a third of the shop-floor workers are women, and at its Vadodara facility, nearly half are women. This was not because of a quota but because JCB’s leadership believes talent isn’t confined to one gender.
Many women who do enter the workforce eventually leave, and it is not because of a lack of ambition but because the system works against them. Studies show that about half of the women returning from a career break might quit again if workplace policies do not address challenges like childcare.
Even venture capital industries have not helped the situation. Less than two per cent of venture capital funding goes to all-women startups, despite data showing higher returns per rupee invested. It is sad that women make up almost half of India’s population, but only one in seven holds top leadership positions.
Corporate India challenges can be seen in India’s family-run enterprise (our economic backbone) as well. Leadership is often passed from father to son, generation after generation. Yet a few families have broken this cycle. Consider the Srinivasans of the Amalgamations Group. Mallika Srinivasan chairs Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE), expanding its domestic and international presence. Her rise in a patriarchal structure highlights a fact :
When family businesses prioritise competence over custom,
They gain leadership and a future unbound by outdated norms.
Still, these examples are exceptions because women form a significant part of the next generation in family businesses, but few occupy top roles.
Many women have told me they are met with scepticism if they speak up about these inequalities. However, if I say the same things, I will be applauded for being progressive.
Because at the end of the day, it is not just about how many women sit at the table. It is about how many shape the conversation.
Hence, I believe corporate India should focus its Women’s Day events on educating male leaders about actual change. It should ask: Are women confined to support roles, or do they lead revenue functions? Does its recruitment strategy treat female talent as merely a box to tick, or does it view inclusion as a business and leadership imperative?
In a world where economic slowdowns, geopolitical tensions, and pandemics loom more often, organisations that fail to harness every capable mind will inevitably lag.
These pieces are being published as they have been received – they have not been edited/fact-checked by ThePrint