India

US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), in partnership with US Agency for International Development (USAID), successfully hosted the third edition of the South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE) Annual Leadership Summit 2024 in New Delhi on December 16 under the broader theme of “Women Leadership in the Energy Sector”. The summit was supported by USAID under its South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP) program.

The day-long summit under the SAWIE’s Chairpersonship of Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson Sustainability, ReNew brought together prominent leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to champion women’s leadership in the energy sector. The summit featured a special address by Ambassador Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India, and a fireside conversation with Ms. Tahesha Way, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey, USA.

The summit addressed critical themes such as the role of mentorship and sponsorship in leadership, the unique challenges, and opportunities for women in renewable energy, importance of fostering an inclusive workforce for the future and financing women-led energy ventures. The SAWIE Summit provided a vibrant platform for collaboration, networking, and exchanging innovative solutions to empower women in the energy sector.

Distinguished speakers included Dr. Steven Olive, Mission Director – India and Bhutan, USAID; Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI); Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Ministry of Power, Government of India; Ms. Vartika Shukla, Chairman and Managing Director, Engineers India Limited; and Ms. Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson – Shell Group of Companies India & Vice President, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific, amongst others.

The event opened with a welcome address by Ms. Nivedita Mehra, Managing Director – USISPF, who highlighted the gender gap in the energy workforce and called for collective action.

Ambassador Eric Garcetti, in his keynote address, emphasized the U.S.-India partnership and its role in addressing global challenges through inclusivity and innovation.

Dr. Steven Olive, USAID Mission Director for India and Bhutan, further underscored the need for systemic change to empower women as leaders in the energy sector.

Industry Remarks by Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, emphasized women’s leadership in addressing energy and climate challenges. She highlighted SAWIE’s initiatives like mentorship programs and ReNew’s reskilling projects with Indian Institute of Technology – IIT Dhanbad and stressed engaging communities, including men, to overcome systemic biases. Ms. Sinha called for greater male participation and encouraged attendees to champion SAWIE’s vision of an inclusive energy sector.

The inaugural session was concluded with a SAWIE Report Launch of its flagship publication titled “Women in the Boardroom: A South Asia Perspective in the Energy Sector” a joint effort of USISPF and ReNew. This report maps the landscape of gender diversity in the South Asian energy sector, offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of play. It analyzes the specific challenges faced by women in the region, including cultural and societal barriers, lack of opportunities, and work-life balance issues. Furthermore, the report identifies best practices and successful case studies from around the world to inform policy-making and corporate strategies in the region.

This opening session was followed by five engaging discussions:

The first discussion, titled ‘Fireside Conversation on Stories from the Boardroom: Critical Role of Mentoring and Sponsorship’, was moderated by Mr. Parikshit Luthra, Senior Editor and Delhi Bureau Chief, CNBC-TV18. The panel featured Ms. Mansi Madan Tripathy, Chairperson – Shell Group of Companies India & Vice President, Shell Lubricants Asia Pacific, and Ms. Vartika Shukla, Chairman & Managing Director, Engineers India Limited, Government of India, The speakers shared personal anecdotes and emphasized the role of mentorship and sponsorship in advancing women’s careers. They discussed organizational responsibility in addressing unconscious biases and creating ecosystems that support women’s professional growth, ensuring equal opportunities at all career stages.

The second discussion, titled ‘Women Leadership in Renewable Energy: Opportunities and Challenges’, was moderated by Ms. Monali Zeya Hazra, Senior Regional Energy Specialist and Mission Environment Officer, Indo Pacific Office, USAID/India. Panellists included Dr. Tripta Thakur, Director General, National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Ministry of Power, Government of India, Dr. Rachana Garg, Professor, Head of Electrical Engineering Department, Delhi Technological University, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Ms. Gauri Jauhar, Executive Director, Global Energy Transitions & Clean Tech Consulting, S&P Global Commodity Insights, Ms. Mahua Acharya, Founder CEO, INTENT. Discussions highlighted the critical role of women in the energy transition, with an emphasis on capacity-building initiatives, mentorship programs, and targeted policies to break barriers in leadership roles within renewable energy.

The third discussion, titled ‘Creating an Inclusive Workforce for the Future’, was moderated by Ms. Namrata Mukherjee, Chief of Party, USAID South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP). The panel featured leaders such as Dr. Shalini Sarin, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Elektromobilitat, Co-chair, South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE); Mr. Ashish Aggarwal, Chief Administrative Officer, Cummins India, Ms. Ritika Thakur, Chief Commercial Officer, Honeywell India, Ms. Chitra Chhabra, Director – Human Resource, Emerson India, Ms. Swati Sahai, Director – Government Affairs, India, GE Vernova, Kiran Gupta, Chief (CE, Commercial & Govt Affairs), Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL). Panellists addressed the importance of structural changes in policies, such as flexible work arrangements and pay equity audits, to retain and promote women in the energy workforce. Mentorship and sponsorship were underlined as critical tools for advancing women into leadership roles.

The fourth discussion, titled ‘Financing Women-Led Energy Ventures’, was moderated by Ms. Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President and CEO of the Startup Policy Forum (SPF). Panellists included Ms. Mehnaz Ansari, Senior Regional Representative-South Asia, Indo-Pacific Region, US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Ms. Vibhuti Garg, Director, South Asia, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), and Dr. Suranjali Tandon, Associate Professor, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP); Visiting Senior Fellow, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change & the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science. The session focused on the financial challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the energy sector, including restrictive credit criteria and lack of representation in decision-making. Innovative solutions, such as gender bonds and catalytic funds, were proposed to support women-led enterprises and unlock their potential.

The fifth and final session was a fireside conversation on ‘Future of Leadership’, moderated by Mr. Aaron Schubert, Director, Indo-Pacific Office at USAID India. The session featured Lt. Governor Tahesha L. Way of the State of New Jersey, who shared insights from her leadership journey. She highlighted the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and inclusivity in addressing societal and environmental challenges, encouraging young women to embrace authenticity and leadership roles.

Concluding Remarks

Ms. Monali Zeya Hazra, Regional Energy & Clean Energy Specialist and Mission Environment Officer, Indo Pacific Office, USAID India, delivered the closing remarks, expressing gratitude to all participants and reaffirming SAWIE’s commitment to advancing gender equity in the energy sector. She alluded to the need for active engagement with policy makers in the respective line ministries of the government.