Empowering women IT professionals achieve their potential, infusing workplaces with more opportunity for women
eWIT has emerged as a strong forum for exchange of ideas and pioneering initiatives for growth of women in IT
Chennai, March 28, 2019: Empowering Women in IT (eWIT), a voluntary, not-for-profit forum for women IT Professionals in India, celebrates its 13th anniversary at Hotel Savera, between 2:30 pm-6:30 pm. Founded in 2006, eWIT has been serving as a premier forum for exchange of ideas and pioneering initiatives to harness the potential of women and their growth in the IT industry. #BalanceforBetter was chosen as this year’s theme for the event keeping in line with the theme of International Women’s Day 2019.
eWIT brings women in IT and decision makers to a common platform to address challenges and aspirations of the women work force. With over 300 IT professionals both men and women along with eWIT’s partner organizations the event was well attended.
At the international level, the Women’s Day theme of #BalanceforBetter focuses on creating a gender balanced world.
The event’s Chief Guest was Intuit Vice President of the Consumer Group’s Speed and Trust team, Krithika Swaminathan. Her keynote focused on the overall event theme, #BalanceforBetter. In addition to sharing what the phrase meant to her personally and highlighting examples throughout her impressive career journey where she has strived for balance for better, she encouraged the attendees to be the source for change. “Seek ways to help those coming up behind you. Be a mentor. Be a sponsor. Lead.”
Ms.Bhargavi Sunkara, Global CIO, Corporate Technology, BNY Mellon Technologies was the Guest of Honor and spoke qbout “Thoughts to Destiny”..
A lively panel discussion with four speakers of repute, Ms. Pinky Talreja, AVP Service Delivery, Sutherland Global, Mr. Kumaran Meenatchi Sundaram, Manager – Project Services, IBM, Ms. Pallavi Shome, Chief Operating Officer for India, BNY Mellon Technologies, Mr. Jahabar Sadique, Co-Founder & CEO, Chai Kings, made the audience ponder over issues of women empowerment and the way to #BalanceforBetter. The panel discussion was moderated by Ms. Bhanurekha Condur, Vice President – eWIT & Associate Vice President – Service Delivery, Sutherland Global Services. This was followed by a Q & A sessions.
eWIT Excellence Award for the year 2019 was given away under several categories. A eWIT Souvenir was also released during the event.
Nirmala Gopalakrishnan, President–eWIT and Senior Delivery Manager, Skillsoft delivered the presidential address. She summed up the various events conducted by eWIT through the year. While speaking on the event theme ‘#BalanceforBetter’ she reminded everyone that this theme is relevant not only to our work life but also to our life outside of work. She reminded women to challenge statements that limit women and constantly work on barriers that hold up women’s progress.
Some key activities of eWIT:
The eWIT Excellence Award competitions, held annually to encourage young talent enjoy wide participation.
Academic Initiative where we network with Colleges / academic institutions across Tamil Nadu. Colleges become Institutional members of eWIT. Senior women associated with eWIT conduct interactive sessions, give lectures, motivational talks etc to students to encourage them to take up careers in IT and also explain industry practices.
Vaapas, a return-to-work initiative by eWIT helps women find suitable openings and resume their career after a break.
eWIT conducts workshops for POSH IC members to improve the overall awareness on POS laws, Policy and role of Internal Committee, how an investigation must be conducted and how to close a case.
About eWIT:
Empowering Women in IT (eWIT) is a women’s forum conceptualized by a group of IT Professionals in India. Considering the high growth of the IT industry in India, its vast global coverage and the huge employment potential that it offers, the need has been felt to create a separate platform that addresses women’s issues in the IT industry. All companies in the IT/ITES space and all women associated with the IT/ITES industry by education and/or profession in India and abroad can become members of eWIT.
eWIT has a threefold objective – Expanding the women workforce at all management levels, enabling them to tread the career path by equipping them with necessary skills, and facilitating a better ‘work – life’ balance in IT/ITES Sector. To achieve the above objectives, focus is on conducting networking events, facilitating gender inclusivity in organizations and influencing governmental policies that would facilitate women to sustain their careers in IT. eWIT has a large number of corporate and individual members and it works with partner organizations such as SPIN, CSI, Prajnya, TiE etc. For more information, please visit http://www.ewit.co.in
