What Not to Miss at the Acclaimed MAKERS Conference First India Edition (Virtual) on March 12-13
Get yourself a virtual front-row seat and join us in taking forward women’s equality with some of the finest minds in India and the world, through provocative conversations, compelling storytelling, and inspiring narratives at the first-ever The MAKERS Conference, India 2021.
On March 12 and 13, 2021, the MAKERS Conference, India 2021 will bring together influential women leaders from diverse fields for the first time to explore ways to accelerate women’s equality. The event will bring new perspectives and initiate conversations that can spark action on themes like equality and inclusivity for women at the workplace. From discussing policy trends to entrepreneurship and diversity initiatives, the conference will take a fresh look at the possibilities that can come with creating new pathways and giving more power to Indian women.
Marking its first India edition, The MAKERS Conference is a milestone in India’s journey towards gender equality at work. It intends to inspire people to action via provocative conversations, compelling storytelling and pledges to advance change through a two-day immersive experience.
Women Who Make India
Women have historically remained invisible in India’s independent journey, despite their valuable contributions and remarkable achievements. But as India aims to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025, the role of women can no longer be ignored.
As we work towards building a community of empowered women, these two days will see influential women leaders from diverse fields come together to explore ways to accelerate women’s equality via provocative conversations, talks, fireside chats, panels and more, including an award ceremony to recognise leading and emerging voices that are striving to ensure gender equality in India.
What to expect on Day One
Day One is all set to be filled with inspiring stories as the lineup brings together influential women leaders from diverse fields for the first time to explore ways to take forward women’s equality.
Accomplished writer, educator and Founder of Katha, Geeta Dharmarajan, and Shaheen Mistri, Founder and CEO, Teach for India, will talk about building an inclusive educational ecosystem to achieve diversity and equality at large.
Kristiana Carlet Stagno, VP International Sales, Verizon Media will talk about #Won’tGiveUp: moving forward with resilience and agility
We’re pleased to have tech veteran and entrepreneur champion Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM who will speak about creating diversity in entrepreneurial India. Close on its heels is a fireside chat with another notable entrepreneur evangelist and storyteller - Shradha Sharma, Founder and CEO, YourStory who will be talking about championing the untold stories of entrepreneurship in India.
As one of the very few women CTOs in a large MNC, Rathi Murthy, CTO, Verizon Media will draw from her own experience and insights as a working woman and global tech leader in her session that will outline how more women can carve out a path to the c-suite.
Some of the country’s top business leaders such as Malika Sadani, Founder and CEO, The MomsCo; Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder, CashKaro and EarnKaro; Namita Thapar, Executive Director, Emcure Pharmaceuticals; and Megha Chawla, Partner, Bain & Company will be on a panel to discuss how to boost diversity and inclusion by enabling more women leaders.
Another great panel to watch out for is the one featuring Archana Vohra, Director, Global Business Group, Scaled & SMB India, Facebook; Sheta Mittal, Co-Founder, &Me; Deep Bajaj, Founder and CEO, Sirona (PeeBuddy); and Rachana Gupta, Founder, Gynoveda; on enabling the success of Indian SMBs.
An interesting panel featuring some of the key women in tech including Dr Geetha Manjunath, Founder and CEO, NIRAMAI; Mabel Chacko, Co-founder and COO, Open Financial Technology; Sharmin Ali, Founder and CEO, Instoried; and Sonia Parandekar, Head of Engineering for Commerce, Atlassian who will discuss their playbooks for achieving greater diversity in tech leadership in India.
If you’re interested in building or rebuilding your personal brand as a leader, don’t miss out on the session on personal branding by Suhasini Mehta, Founder and MD, Stellant Communications Pvt Ltd.
Finally, if you’re interested in the financial sector, do check out the session on narrowing the investment disparity and how to become an enabler in the Indian ecosystem. The session will feature Hardika Shah, CEO and Founder, Kinara Capital; and Aditi Gupta, Investment professional, Stellaris Venture Partners.
What to expect on Day Two
Day Two aims to follow suit with a plethora of inspiration as it brings together more influential women leaders from diverse fields to explore ways to accelerate women’s equality.
The day will begin with a brief talk on diversity and inclusion in action, and how to embrace differences to achieve success at work by Ramcess Jean-Louis, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Verizon Media.
We’re thrilled to have Padma Shri Rani Rampal, Captain of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team, talk about striking glory for India on the world hockey stage.
Critically acclaimed and multiple award-winning filmmaker Alankrita Shrivasatava and Bollywood actor Rasika Dugal will discuss reimagining the role of women in society.
Nina Lekhi, MD and Founder of Baggit — the woman who started at the age of 18, and went on to build a Rs 111 crore revenue brand with Baggit — will be talking about how you can start small even when you dream big. Another inspiring founder, Vineeta Singh, CEO, SUGAR Cosmetics, will be sharing her insights on parenting a high growth business.
We’re also excited to have transgender activist Akkai Padmashali, who is also the Founder of Ondede — an advocacy and social justice group in Bengaluru committed to trans and queer rights. Akkai will be speaking on building an inclusive society, where are we today, and why we need to ramp up our efforts to achieve true equality.
A session to watch out on Day Two would be the panel on how to be an effective leader in an ever-changing workplace featuring Megha Chawla, Partner, Bain & Company; Shweta Bhatia, Partner and Head of Technology, Consumer and Financial Services, Eight Roads Ventures India; Usha Srikanth, Senior Partner, IBM Global Business Services; and Priya Sharma, CFO, COO and Co-founder, ZestMoney.
Don’t miss out on another notable panel on how a STEM mindset could be the key to a better future for girls in India featuring Arunima Sen, STEM Designer and Innovator; Tithi G Tewari, Founder and MD, Trezi; and Madhurima Agarwal, Director - Engineering Programs and Leader, NetApp Excellerator.
Finally, if you’re keen on impact investments and women-led innovation, don’t miss the panel featuring Vinutha Rallapalli, Director, T-Hub Hyderabad; Geeta Goel, Country Director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation India, LLP; and Ragini Bajaj Chaudhary, Director Strategic Initiatives, Caspian Debt.
Financial enthusiasts will also appreciate the session on narrowing the investment disparity in the Indian ecosystem featuring Hardika Shah, CEO and Founder, Kinara Capital, and Aditi Gupta, Investment professional, Stellaris Venture Partners.
Awarding leading and emerging voices of inclusion
A key part of Day One would be the presentation of two sets of awards to honour leading and emerging voices of inclusion.
First, the Women Who Make India Awards will honour iconic women leaders who have been doing trailblazing work in their chosen fields. This will be followed by the Emerging Women Entrepreneur 2021 Awards, that will celebrate and acknowledge new and emerging voices of inclusion in the ecosystem.
Tickets are now available
Get your All-Access pass to join the MAKERS Conference, India 2021 on March 12 - 13, 2021.
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