Bengaluru: India’s tech sector is facing a severe leadership crisis, with only 8% of women represented in senior roles despite making up 36% of the entry-level workforce, revealed Shreya Krishnan, Managing Director – India at AnitaB.org, during an episode of the “What India Needs!” podcast hosted by Shutapa Paul.

Krishnan explained that deep-rooted cultural and systemic biases are causing a dramatic drop in female leadership, contributing to India’s poor rank of 139 on the global equity index and resulting in the loss of diverse expertise crucial for innovation and mentorship.

Highlighting the economic penalty associated with motherhood, she cited research showing that while men gain 4–6% in salary per child, women lose 5–7%, demonstrating how parenthood is rewarded for men but punished for women. The discussion also noted that the return-to-office push after COVID-19 reversed flexibility gains and led to reduced female participation due to uncompromising corporate structures.

Krishnan emphasised that academic conditioning reinforces stereotypical ideas like “science is not for girls,” shrinking the STEM pipeline from childhood and later widening the gap in tech leadership.

She further warned that biased academic and social systems will feed into AI, causing future algorithms to replicate past discrimination unless structural change occurs. Calling for meaningful inclusion beyond token metrics, Krishnan urged organisations to recognise employees holistically and provide women true agency in determining how they work.

The conversation concluded with a call for dismantling cultural taboos, reforming education, updating workplace policies, and addressing AI bias before pressures on women reshape the future of the workforce and technology. The episode is available on YouTube and Spotify as part of the “What India Needs!” podcast, a platform dedicated to addressing issues critical to India’s progress.

Watch the episode:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/_BRUhuUnro0 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3efPqKdOvKuAzFQDQgCRIP?si=kCnpA75vQWqKeD3_cCv6lw