Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Indian Companies Urged to Advance Mid-Career and Senior Women
Saundarya Rajesh says companies should do more than count how many women they employ.
They should also see who is listened to, promoted and allowed to make important decisions.
She believes having more women at work helps companies compete and grow.
She says women are still missing from many leadership jobs even though many are highly educated.
Rajesh believes hidden bias can affect hiring and promotions.
Companies often focus on hiring young women but overlook experienced women.
Some experienced women leave work because of childcare, eldercare, health needs or menopause.
Rajesh says companies should create better ways for these women to return and progress in their careers.
Saundarya Rajesh says companies should measure influence, not merely diversity representation.
She urges CEOs to track who gets heard, promoted and involved in decision-making.
Rajesh argues that DEI should be viewed as a competitiveness and growth priority, not charity.
Women hold about 20% of leadership roles in corporate India, despite strong female higher-education enrolment.
She identifies mid-career and senior women as an overlooked talent pool requiring targeted support.
- Who
- Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director of Avtar Career Creators Ltd, discusses workplace inclusion and women’s advancement.
- What
- She calls on companies to move beyond diversity targets and create measurable improvements in influence, promotion and decision-making.
- When
- The interview does not specify a date; it refers to current corporate practices and priorities.
- Where
- India, particularly corporate India.
- Why
- Rajesh says advancing women is necessary for organisational competitiveness, economic growth and genuinely inclusive workplaces.
- Speaker
- Saundarya Rajesh, Managing Director, Avtar Career Creators Ltd
- Key focus
- Moving from measuring representation to measuring influence
- Influence indicators
- Who gets heard, promoted and involved in decision-making
- Women in leadership
- Women hold about 20% of leadership roles in corporate India
- Education trend
- Female enrolment in India’s higher education has exceeded male enrolment since 2017–18
- Overlooked talent pool
- Mid-career and senior women
- Suggested support
- Returnships, childcare and attention to eldercare, menopause and health needs