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Seminar on Rise and Lead: Young Women Pioneering in Technology, Business and Public Life

Seminar on Rise and Lead: Young Women Pioneering in Technology, Business and Public Life

 Organised By  

SNDT Women's University, Mumbai and the Mini Auditorium

Venue: Google Meet 

Support From: Research Centre for Women's Studies (RCWS), UMIT

29th April 2024

 

No. of Participants: 200

Resource Persons: 

1) Dr. Padmaja Patwardhan Joshi (Senior Director at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)

2) Ms. Swati Pandey (Vice Chairman and Managing Director (VCMD) of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC)  

3) Dr. Megha Phansalkar (Founder- Tisser Artisans Trust)
 

The SNDT Women's University, Mumbai and the Mini Auditorium have jointly organized a seminar on the theme - Rise and Lead: Young Women Pioneering in Technology, Business and Public Life on 29th April 2024. The program was organised by Bharatiya Gyan, Sanskrit evam Yog Kendra (BHAGYASY) and Research Centre for Women's Studies (RCWS), with support from UMIT, at the Juhu campus of the SNDT WU.  The seminar aimed at highlighting the achievements, challenges, and opportunities for young women in various spheres of life, particularly in technology, business, and public leadership roles. The event sought to inspire, empower, and provide a platform for dialogue and networking among young women leaders and aspiring professionals.

The program began with the inauguration session, which was presided over by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor Prof. Ujwala Chkradeo. Also present were Smt. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson NCW New Delhi, Hon'ble Pro-Vice Chancellor of SNDT WU Prof. Ruby Ojha, Registrar Dr. Vilas Nandavadekar, the resource persons, Director BHAGYASY Dr. Jitendra Kumar Tiwari, Deans and faculty members. The inauguration began with the felicitation of the dignitaries and resource persons by Honourable Vice Chancellor Prof Ujwala Chakradeo and Honourable Pro-Vice chancellor Prof. Ruby Ojha.

This was followed by welcome address of Prof. Ruby Ojha Madam who briefly introduced the program and spoke about the collaboration with the National Commission for Women, New Delhi. The seminar proceeded with the speech of Honourable Vice Chancellor Prof. Ujwala Chakradeo. She addressed the audience with the importance of empowering the Women and various women centric projects initiated by SNDT Women’s University. She mentioned Empowering Women in Business, leadership in public life.

The program proceeded with the talk by Smt. Rekha Sharma. She mentioned, “We for You”. Force has to come from within women so that she can progress were her highlights of the speech. It is you, the women who have to make and break your life. She told about emerging technologies. She also mentioned Leadership of women in the corporate world where we are connected digitally and everyone should be connected digitally and economically. She mentioned Stand Up India and Start Up India. She told various points about SEED, economic empowerment, Panchayat se Parliament.

The session concluded by a Formal Vote of Thanks by SNDT Registrar Dr. Vilas Nandavadekar. Around 200 people have joined the seminar and students have actively participated during the question answer session.
 

  1. Speaker 1: Dr. Padmaja Patwardhan Joshi (Senior Director at Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
     

    Dr. Padmaja Patwardhan Joshi is distinguished expert with a wealth of knowledge in electronics, software engineering, and e-Governance. She earned her Ph.D. in Software Reengineering from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, blending a rigorous academic background with substantial field experience.

    In her talk, titled "AI and Drones," Dr Joshi provided an overview of drone technology. Dr. Joshi began by defining drones as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), illustrating their development over time. She shared several impactful applications of drones:
    Emergency Response: In scenarios like flood relief, where traditional methods of distributing food and medicine are hindered, drones prove indispensable for delivering supplies efficiently.
    Agriculture: Dr. Joshi explained the use of drones in agriculture for tasks such as pesticide application, which can be cumbersome for farmers. Drone technology simplifies these tasks, allowing for more precise and less labor-intensive farming.
    Military Surveillance: She highlighted the GARUDA initiative, a military application where drones are utilized for effective surveillance tasks.
    Underwater Exploration: Using the exploration of the Titanic as an example, she demonstrated how drones navigate underwater environments, enabling us to explore and document the mysteries of the deep sea.

    The lecture also delved into various drone classifications based on wing types, size, payload capacity, drone range, power sources, and motor types. Dr. Joshi touched upon the synergy between blockchain technology and drones, suggesting that integrating these technologies could significantly enhance drone functionalities. Further exploring the versatility of drone technology, she noted its potential in remote charging of batteries, and its utility in providing solutions for disabled individuals by integrating AI to enhance their accessibility and independence.

    Addressing security concerns, she discussed the potential risks of drone hijacking and offered strategies to mitigate these risks. Dr. Joshi concluded her talk by reflecting on how drone and AI technologies simplify numerous aspects of life, transforming everyday tasks and expanding the boundaries of what is technologically possible.

  2. Speaker 2: Ms. Swati Pandey (Vice Chairman and Managing Director (VCMD) of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) 

    Introduction of the Speaker:
    With an expertise in Infrastructure and Project Management, Ms Pandey, currently as the Vice Chairman and Managing Director (VCMD) of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) plays a pivotal role in the company's operations and management of 7 airports of Maharashtra and namely Nagpur and Shirdi airports among others. She is avidly instrumental in delivering the airports at Amravati and Ratnagiri which are under process of construction to give wings to rural air connectivity.

    In second session on "Women in Public Sphere: Decision Making and Leading in Public Life,” the speaker Ms Pandey, highlighted the roles and challenges of women in leadership positions within the public sector. One compelling example discussed involved a hypothetical crisis scenario where bombs were placed at various airports, with a woman in a leadership role tasked with managing the situation. This prompted an engaging exchange between the students and the speaker, as they brainstormed potential solutions, illustrating the importance of decisive leadership in crisis management.

    Another example shared by the speaker was about the efforts of Mrs. Swati Pandey in aiding sex workers in Kamathipura. Through her initiative, the children of these workers were issued Aadhar cards, symbolizing a significant step towards recognizing and securing their rights and identities. Throughout the session, various other scenarios were discussed, which allowed the speaker and students to explore different strategic solutions. The speaker also addressed the issue of "missing women" in the Indian bureaucracy, shedding light on the underrepresentation of women in decision-making roles. She shared inspiring stories of how women are breaking barriers and making their mark in governance, thereby motivating the audience to consider the impact of inclusive leadership in shaping a more equitable society.

  3. Speaker3:  Dr. Megha Phansalkar 
    Introduction of Speaker: 
    Founder- Tisser Artisans Trust

    An Urban Regional Planner with an experience of 20 years in the development sector. Dr. Megha Phansalkar specializes in community led development in rural water supply, rural/urban sanitation, and rural development with focus on livelihoods.

    Her work in the livelihood space brought her closer to artisan segment and resulted in starting a social entrepreneur supporting rural artisans across 18 states, thus helping 10000 networked artisan families earn livelihood through the enterprise model.

    The main agenda of the talk was Becoming an entrepreneur. She mentioned Entrepreneurship is the process of identifying opportunities, marshaling resources, and taking calculated risks to create and grow a business venture. This report aims to provide insights into the journey of becoming an entrepreneur, highlighting key steps, challenges, and strategies for success.

    She mentioned about Identifying Opportunities, developing a Business Idea, Creating a Business Plan. She mentioned Entrepreneurship inherently involves risk-taking, but successful entrepreneurs are adept at managing and mitigating risks. They conduct thorough risk assessments, develop contingency plans, and make informed decisions based on data and insights. Embracing calculated risks is essential for seizing opportunities and driving innovation.

    She highlighted "Women are at the lowest part of the value chain". It is significant issue regarding gender inequality and the distribution of opportunities and resources within various industries and sectors.

    She asked how many students' mothers are working and how many of them are entrepreneurs. The situation was only 25% mothers are working and only one of them is an entrepreneur. Second question she asked was how many students wants to work. She gave example of Tai Ruziana who gives training of Warli Painting. She told points on Koushalya Sakhi. The session concluded with the remarks of Dr Medha Tapiawala, Dean Hmanities, SNDT Women’s University.

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