Rise & Inspire: Women in Tech Leading the Way

Lakshit

Microsoft

Apr 04, 2025

Inclusion in tech isn't just about presence—it's about power, perspective, and partnership.

Historically, the tech industry has been predominantly male comprising 75% of the jobs in tech industry, but today, we see many talented women making significant strides, reshaping the landscape, and creating opportunities for themselves and others. These women are not only succeeding but excelling in the industry. Their journeys are marked by genuine challenges, perseverance, and a steadfast commitment to making a meaningful impact.

We spoke with several female MVPs - Shrushti Shah, Poornima S, Apoorva Sharma, Shristi Kumar, Dr. Gomathi S, Haimantika Mitra, Ritika Agarwal, Arpita Das, Smita Nachan Navika Chhauda, C R Bhargavi, Kashish Sharma, who have not only built successful careers but also actively contributed to the community. Their stories reflect resilience, mentorship, and a passion for making the tech industry more inclusive.

The Power of Community

When asked about the impact of being part of the MVP community, the response was overwhelmingly positive. It’s more than just an award or recognition—it’s a space where women find encouragement, collaboration, and a platform to amplify their voices.

For many women, the MVP community has become a game-changer. Ritika shares her experience: “I have been a part of this community for the past five years, and the community is extremely welcoming and supportive. It’s an incredible experience filled with learning, networking, and collaboration.”

Apoorva Sharma echoes this, saying that being part of the community has been “a rewarding journey of giving back, learning, and growing together. It’s not just about receiving recognition—it’s about amplifying the voices of others and shaping a more inclusive future.”

Community as a passion can do wonders, and Navika has excelled in this- “I am passionate about #TechforGood and thus have been using technology for a good cause by empowering the visually impaired students and acid attack survivors with Microsoft technology, one of the initiatives being “Empowering TechVision”, wherein the aim is to prepare the visually impaired for Azure Fundamentals Certification.”

For many, the MVP community isn’t just about personal growth; it’s about paying it forward, as Dr. Gomathi says, “Engaging with communities like Code; Without Barriers, Microsoft Learn, and the MVP network has been instrumental in creating opportunities, sharing knowledge, and mentoring others.”

Challenges: More Than Just a Buzzword

Every woman in tech has a story. For Srushti Shah, it meant constantly proving her expertise in male-dominated spaces. But her resilience paid off—her dedication and community work led to a proud moment: standing beside Satya Nadella. A milestone that speaks louder than words.

These MVPs are shaping the tech ecosystem, & we totally resonate with what Kashish Sharma mentioned - “Women’s representation in tech has improved—there are more role models, communities, and initiatives supporting women than ever before. It’s a matter of sharing your experience, sharing knowledge through content creation, mentoring aspiring designers and developers, and engaging in discussions around product, design, and web experiences.”

So, how do they overcome these challenges? By advocating for themselves, showcasing their value and empowering others to do so too. Resonating to what Haimantika mentioned, “Start somewhere. If you want to be a web developer, start with HTML, show up every day and talk about it. Building trust is a skill, and you do that by showing up every day, and taking one step at a time.”

Beyond the Job: Building the Tech Community

Many of these leaders don’t stop at their professional roles—they are shaping the community in powerful ways:

📌 Mentoring: Arpita Das is an AI MVP and being a mentor has been important for her. “Beyond my job, I actively mentor aspiring engineers, especially young women who are trying to find their place in tech.”

📌 Blogging & Content Creation: Sharing knowledge and technical insights. Our AI MVP, C R Bhargavi actively contributes to the tech community through mentoring, blogging, and speaking at events. She has published 30+ articles and 10+ blogs, reaching 90,000+ readers, and conducted 100+ sessions, impacting over 7,000 individuals.

Content creation is crucial in 2025 and one of MVP Shristi has cracked the model. "Beyond my job, I dedicate time to building a personal brand sharing my Excel learnings with the community of 269k+ followers over Instagram.

📌 Speaking at Events: Empowering more women to step into leadership roles. One of our MVPs takes it to another level, with a community of 9600, Smita Nachan, a co-organizer of Pune Tech Community keeps up an inclusive ecosystem for avid learners & professionals interested in Microsoft technologies.

📌 Open-Source Contributions: Helping build technology that’s accessible to all.

“With a year full of growth and impact, I reached a milestone of 100 videos on YouTube, 25+ articles, mentoring 300+ underprivileged talent in rural areas,” said Dr. Gomathi S.

This kind of grassroots effort is exactly what helps more women enter and thrive in technology.

Where Do You Start? Advice for Women Wanting to Contribute

Many women hesitate to step into community contributions, unsure where to begin. The advice from these MVPs? Just start.

✅ Find a community: Join meetups, tech forums, or online groups.

✅ Attend and speak at events: Even if you start as a listener, you’ll soon feel confident enough to share.

✅ Share your knowledge: Write blogs, make videos, or contribute to open-source projects.

✅ Don’t let perfection hold you back: Your voice and experience are valuable.

"Start small—write a blog, join a discussion, or mentor someone. Every contribution matters." — Apoorva Sharma

"The first step is always the hardest, but once you start, you’ll see how rewarding it is." — Shristi Kumar

Change is Happening—But There’s Still Work to Do

Women’s representation in tech has improved over the years, but there’s still a long way to go. "There’s a visible change—more women in leadership, better policies—but biases and representation gaps still exist,” commented Poornima S

Our M365 MVP Ritika Agarwal says, “When I became an MVP, I think it was just 2-3 women MVPs in India, but that representation has changed a lot since then. More and more women are inclined towards taking part in tech activities nowadays and it is a great step. And with the MVP Mentorship Circle, we aim to grow stronger, join us now.

Final Thoughts: Rise & Inspire

The journey of women in tech isn’t just about breaking into the industry—it’s about staying, thriving, and leading. Ritika had a wonderful reflection and said, “If I could change one thing to make the industry more inclusive for women, I’d try to create awareness in a way, that it is not always a woman who is behind a successful man but there are also men who are behind successful women.”

The women we spoke to are not just part of the tech community; they are building it.

If you’re looking to contribute, take the leap —know this: you belong here. And there’s an entire community of women ready to rise and inspire alongside you. If you’re already on the path, bring others along with you. The future of tech is diverse, and it’s being shaped by women who refuse to be sidelined. Be a part of the Code; Without Barriers Program, an initiative to empower women with industry skills, become a mentor today and bridge the gap for tomorrow. There’s an entire community of women ready to rise and inspire alongside you. If you’re already on the path, bring others along with you. Are you ready to rise and inspire?