Author: Admin

“Women at work” was considered a basic phrase for women who were at work while in the home. Decades ago, women were entirely meant to stay at home working, and the working meant taking care of the household chores, husband, family, children, and in-laws. This has been the scenario for the past many years until there was a revolution in every heart of a woman. In this gender-biased community, women were barely allowed to work and even if they did, they had to face severe criticism from the society, workplace and including their families.

With the advent of computers and internet, the lives of women started witnessing a transition. Gradually, there was a significant development in the society with an increase in the literacy rate of women and employment. Eventually, women became capable of leading and working equally with men in every field. The society, however, was not fully convinced to let women lead though, as gender discrimination was clinching in every inch of the world. Despite the challenges, few women have made their way to the top standing as an example to other women to follow their dreams. “The world is a place for both men and women and not just men alone”, they convey.

The pace at which technology is getting advanced these days there is no denying fact that the impact of technology today is huge. The advancements in technology have greatly influenced the various fields of Healthcare, Education, Communication, Manufacturing, Banking, etc. For instance, technological improvements in health care have given a chance to doctors to treat their patients in a virtual environment using video conferencing as a medium. Many women are now in the field of sciences, offering their services to the nation.

Earlier, what took days to make a transaction at the banks, is now done instantly all because of the digital technology. Mobile banking has enabled many women to make financial transactions related to their business operations from anywhere using their mobile devices or electronic gadgets.

Technology has made it possible for women to communicate with people all over the world through email, instant messaging, Skype, social media, etc. It has enabled women to strengthen relationships between friends, relatives, and colleagues. It has further made them globalize their business standards and streamline their business processes.

When considering the women in the past to the trending age, there can be seen a huge transformation in the lives of women. The manifestation that took place is considered to be just the beginning as there is much more to achieve. Many women leaders like Sarojini Naidu, and Indira Gandhi and Jayalalithaa who have had a continuous term of their reign, women CEOs in India, Chanda Kocchar, Ekta Kapoor, Vinita Bali, Renu Sud, Nita Ambani, Preetha Reddy, and others, are all a part of this wonderful transformation. Not only them, entrepreneurs, sportswomen, media celebrities, journalists, women in government services, etc., prove that transformation has indeed manifested in a new era of successful women.

If you educate a man you educate an individual, however, if you educate a woman you educate a whole family. Women empowered means mother India empowered.” – Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

To begin with, there is a positive relationship between education and women empowerment. Education is considered as a basic requirement and fundamental right for every individual irrespective of their caste, creed, gender, religion and economic background. For any nation to develop economically, education is the only way aspired. It’s not just the male community alone who take up the burden on their shoulders, but the women as well without whose equal contribution a nation cannot move forward. Why education indeed is an important aspect of women empowerment? Here are a few reasons below:

1) Education empowers women to know their rights, make their own choice of decisions in every aspect of their life. It further builds them to stand up for anything that comes against them.
2) Education enables a woman to choose the career professions on their own and earn for herself and her family. Education gives a sense of financial security to women, who no longer have to bow before men for money.
3) Women who are educated contribute to the national economy becoming a driving source for the development of the nation.
4) Education helps women to achieve self-respect and confidence, and gain self-esteem.

Ever since the evolution of technology in education, it had a major impact on the lives of women. Technology has made it easier for every woman to get educated and further become employed. Technology in education has enforced women to become more inclined towards education thereby increasing the literacy rate. They eventually started occupying higher positions with men in the organizations.

The role of women, technology, and education have changed dramatically. With the widespread use of technology in the field of education, many online education platforms have taken birth reaching out to learners globally. Education was globalized making it possible for everyone to access from anywhere around the globe, eliminating the geographical boundaries and time barriers. Women, irrespective of their economic background, could access the global platform, communicate and perform business operations through technology. Further, technology has even enabled women to start their business organizations and become successful entrepreneurs making them stand tall along with men.

The role and status of women in India traditionally were confined to the four walls and the family, however, it was treated a superior status by the community. Over the past decades, the status of women has been subjected to many changes. Our country has also witnessed a transition in the status of women with the inclusion of women in diverse fields and excelling in them equally to the so-called higher gender. From homemaking to administration, this transition period had women in the most intrinsic roles in all the fields including literature, science, finance, and astrophysics.

Women, however, were equally competent and intelligent as their men counterparts. They were talented enough in the respective roles of their organizations that even persuaded men to show themselves superior to women. Nevertheless, women were inclined to prove their might and change the perception of the society which once believed women were incapable of. Against all odds, women could achieve equal rights and roles as men giving a befitting reply to all those who questioned their credibility.

Here are few women heroes who were the first in their roles and designations in their respective fields.

Kiran Bedi – First Woman IPS officer

Kiran Bedi was India’s first woman to join the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service. She remained in service for 35 years before taking voluntary retirement in 2007 as Director General, Bureau of Police Research and Development. Also named The Iron Lady, she was the first woman in uniform to lead the all-male contingent of the Delhi Police at the Republic Day Parade in 1975. She was also a social activist, former tennis player and politician who is the current Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.

Priya Jhingan – First Woman to join the Indian Army

Many of us are aware that women were not allowed to join the Indian Army. It wasn’t until 1992 that, a young determined lady, sent a letter to the Chief of Army Staff, General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, demanding that the services should open a gate for women as well. She then became the Indian Army’s first female officer. Priya, the young and fierce lady, also being the daughter of a police officer, wanted to wear a uniform and serve the country from her tender age.

Chanda Kochhar – India’s First Female Bank CEO

Chanda Kochhar is the first woman to run a bank in India. She is the Managing Director and CEO of ICICI bank. She was ranked four in the Fortune magazine’s list of most powerful women in business outside the United States. She also became the first Indian woman to receive the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Award for Global Citizenship, joining the ranks of Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice.

Indira Gandhi – First Female Prime Minister of India

Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi, the only child of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was so far the only female Prime Minister of India. She served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and then again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984, making her the second-longest-serving Prime Minister after her father. She was an Indian stateswoman and central figure of the Indian National Congress in the 20th century.

Pratibha Patil – First Woman President of India

Pratibha Devisingh Patil, an Indian politician and a member of the Indian National Congress, is the only woman to hold the office. She also served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2007. She became the first woman Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. She made history when she flew in fighter jet Sukhoi 30 MKI (SB 139) in Pune, becoming the first woman head of state to fly in a warplane at the age of 74.

Homai Vyarawalla – India’s First Female Photojournalist

It was post-independence, when India was still under the regime of the British, fighting for its liberty. It was that period when women were hardly allowed to be educated. Against all odds, Homai Vyarawalla, then chose to take up the profession of photography equally with men, hence becoming India’s first female photojournalist. Vyarawalla was known for photographing the best moments of the history post-independence, after independence and many leaders. She played a significant role in documenting the important events during India’s independence movement.

Homai Vyarawalla was born to a Parsi family on December 9, 1913, in Navsari, Gujarat. Ms. Vyarawalla and her family moved to Mumbai in 1932, where she went on to study at the Bombay University and JJ School of Art. Homai was married to Manekshaw Vyarawalla, accountant, and photographer for the Times of India. She picked up the art of photography from her husband, and eventually went on to build a career in the same field. She launched her career in the 1930s and worked on the onset of World War II. The black and white images that she published in The Illustrated Weekly of India magazine, earned her respect.

Vyarawalla’s contribution to the photojournalism was immense. She had photographed the first Indian flag that was hoisted at the Red Fort on August 15, 1947. Her contributions also included photographing Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s last press conference in India, and several political leaders, including former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Some of her best works that photographed Nehru addressing the crowds in Delhi, Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, departure from India, and Gandhi’s funeral, left an impeccable impression. She even photographed Queen Elizabeth’s and former United States President Dwight Eisenhower’s visits to India.

Soon after her husband’s death, in 1970, she gave up photography. After she retired, she passed on her photos to Delhi-based Alkazi Foundation for the Arts. She died at the age of 98 in 2012 in Vadodara. Vyarawalla’s decision to take up the profession of photography was a bold step then, as women were not encouraged to do so at that time. She initially published her work using the pseudonym ‘Dalda 13’, which was attributed to her birth year.

It was her contribution and her determination to work equivalent to men during the Independence movement, that has made everyone to remember her (works) to this day. Honoring the first female photojournalist, Google Doodle on December 9, 2017, paid tribute with a doodle on her 104th birth anniversary.

In this technology-driven world where most of them(men) are tech-savvy, it often stands as a question if there are any women who are equally technical as men are? And the answer is an absolute yes. There are women in digital who are entirely capable of making a difference. Women in digital are the actual face of trendsetters. These are those leading lady executives in the field of technology who are navigating their company towards digital development and innovation.

Technology had always been a boon to women enriching their skills to contribute their part to the global economy. The mobile phones, social networks, and digital platforms have been of much benefit to the female entrepreneurs, connecting them to the global market, providing them a platform to communicate with other women entrepreneurs and finally making them successful women entrepreneurs in the technology fields.

Ever since the widespread adoption of technology, women who were once meant to be backstage have now come into the limelight becoming the most accomplished and ambitious entrepreneurs. Technology has pitched a stage for many women as such to come with a startup company of their own, encouraging other women as well and ignite the motivation in them.

Despite a significant gender gap or gender discrimination, technology has moderated women entrepreneurs to outperform their male counterparts. Technology has given them the power to work from anywhere in the world. Rather it has given them a medium wherein their voices could be heard, their stories could be read and their experiences were taught as lessons to the upcoming young women entrepreneurs.

There can be seen plenty of hopeful opportunities for Women in Tech to explore new career opportunities. There is only constant support needed for them from society and their male counterparts to help them strive, thrive, build and sustain relationships and opportunities.