“For the first time in three decades, India has moved from a below 30% women’s participation rate to an above 30%, actually moving upto 34% rate,” Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President, Avtar began her welcome address by stating a milestone fact of the recent times at the 16th edition of Segue Sessions. This milestone signifies a crucial shift for Indian women professionals (IWP).Dr. Saundarya emphasized the importance of representation. Low numbers have silenced women’s voices in the workplace. This breakthrough, however, provides a powerful platform for them to be heard. Numbers translate to strength, and a stronger women presence brings a multitude of benefits.

“Avtar conducts India’s largest diversity analytics exercise Best Companies for Women in India and Most Inclusive Companies Index. The representation of women in these participating companies has grown steadily over the 9 years since the study’s inception. They see greater creativity, better problem-solving capability and more profits arising from innovation. This is what a higher number of women do for companies,” she said.

Amidst cheers and applause, she spoke about Avtar’s annual longitudinal study, Top Cities for Women in India. This research reveals significant geographical variations in India’s receptiveness to women in the workplace. “When you have more women you have more security, when you have more women in any space, then that space becomes equal not just only for women but men too. Any organization that is a great employer for women is a fantastic employer for men. And that is the reason why we are talking about powering the shift,” she added.

“Powering the shift comes from the fact that as women we undergo so many shifts in our lives and how can we take that shift and make it a powerful one that catapults us to better stages. That is what this edition of Segue Session is,” Dr Saundarya concluded.