The High Commission of India marked International Women’s Day on 10 March by bringing together influential voices to discuss how women are shaping leadership, public discourse and change across different sectors.
The event featured a panel discussion titled ‘Voices of Impact: Women Leading the Public Discourse’, with speakers including Lottie Birdsall-Strong, Chief Impact Officer at Shakespeare’s Globe; Jasmine Dotiwala OBE, broadcaster and senior media leader; Dr Reshma Rao, Assistant Professor at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change; and Shobana Iyer, barrister at Swan Chambers. The discussion was moderated by Shehla Raza Hasan, Director and Head-UK at the Confederation of Indian Industry.
“Being here almost feels like what it must be for a woman in a room full of men at many events in government and business,” said India’s High Commissioner to the UK, HE Vikram Doraiswami. “But the encouraging reality is that change is coming. It may have taken too long, but the trend is clear and we have every reason to see the glass as half full.”
Reflecting on his early career, he noted that when he joined the Indian Foreign Service 34 years ago, typically only one woman was part of a batch of about 12 officers. “That number has steadily increased, despite the challenges women face in balancing professional careers and societal expectations,” he said.
Doraiswami also highlighted how women were once discouraged from joining the service. “In the 1950s and early 1960s it was extremely difficult for women to enter the Indian Foreign Service, until a pioneering woman officer challenged the rule in court and helped change the system.”
Today, he said, India has seen remarkable progress, with women serving as foreign secretaries, ambassadors and high commissioners in major global postings. “This shows how far we have come, though there is still much more to be done.”
Emphasising the shift towards women-led development, he said the government is focusing on providing women with legislative, financial and institutional support, including access to education, entrepreneurship opportunities and safe facilities.
“Revolutions do not always happen with a bang; they happen step by step,” he added. “Every step taken by women in India contributes to a larger transformation.”
Doraiswami highlighted the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, saying, “it’s inspiring to think that it was negotiated by two women,” while noting that such contributions often go unnoticed, adding it “took somebody in your parliament… to make that register.”
Emphasising collaboration, he said, “one of the things that we all learn from working with our women colleagues is to re-examine partnerships and to see how partnerships can help us make progress,” and described the event as “a celebration of partnerships.”
He added that women “find ways of avoiding confrontational approaches and finding solutions,” and said this approach strengthens diplomacy, noting that ties with the United Kingdom are at “a wonderful stage where the future is in our hands to redefine.”
Discussion highlights women leadership, confidence and inclusion
During the panel discussion on women’s leadership and inclusion, Jasmine Dotiwala OBE reflected on the progress and persistent challenges within the creative industries. Drawing on her three decades of experience in media, music and the arts, she noted that diversity initiatives often move in cycles. “I’ve spent three decades watching the same patterns repeated in my industry,” she said, recalling that she was the first Asian to host a mainstream entertainment show on Channel 4 in the 1990s. While the industry attracts many women at entry level, she said the real challenge is retention and progression. “Women come in, but they don’t see themselves at decision-making tables… they’re navigating networks historically created by men.” Dotiwala added that although data shows improvement, the industry must evolve to better reflect women’s life journeys. “Yes, things are improving, but we need to redesign the industry so it takes into account a woman’s career path.”
Speaking about inspiration and access in sport and the arts, Lottie Birdsall-Strong shared how she often had to disguise herself as a boy to play football in local parks as a child. Her ambitions were shaped by the film Bend It Like Beckham, directed by Gurinder Chadha. “I remember watching it and saying, ‘I’m going to do that,’” she said, referring to the idea of earning a scholarship to the United States, something she later achieved. Birdsall-Strong later worked with the film’s creative team on the stage musical adaptation, calling it a “full circle moment.” She added that football gave her a strong sense of belonging and inspired her to focus on the social value of sport and the arts. “Sport gave me a community… and made me think about how accessibility in sport can benefit individuals, communities and whole nations.”
Discussing her journey in STEM, scientist Dr Reshma Rao highlighted the challenges women face when progressing from education to research careers. After moving to the UK in 2010 to study mechanical engineering at University of Southampton, she found that the path to becoming a scientist was unclear. “There were four women in a class of 150,” she recalled. Rao stressed that mentorship is crucial in helping women see a path forward in science. “When you say, ‘Now I want to become a scientist,’ that pathway becomes quite hard,” she said, adding that both male and female mentors can play an important role in guiding young researchers.
Barrister Shobana Iyer spoke about unconscious bias within the legal profession in England and Wales. Quoting the Sanskrit proverb “Yatra Nāryastu Pūjyante Ramante Tatra Devatāḥ”, meaning where women are respected, divine blessings follow, she emphasised the need to recognise biases in professional spaces. Although around 40% of barristers are women, she noted disparities in career progression and case allocation. “If you deep dive into statistics, you’ll see many women pushed towards less lucrative areas,” she said. Reflecting on her own career, Iyer said overcoming self-doubt and challenging structural barriers were key to her success. “We all sometimes think, ‘Are we good enough?’ But recognising those barriers is the first step to overcoming them.”
Speaking about multicultural heritage and leadership in the creative industries, Jasmine said that growing up British with Indian roots initially made her feel the need to hide parts of her identity. However, over time she realised that dual heritage was a strength. “Being of dual culture and heritage is a superpower,” she explained, noting that growing up speaking Gujarati and English and celebrating multiple cultural festivals taught her adaptability and empathy. These experiences, she said, shaped her leadership style. “Leading is about code switching all the time; adaptability, flexibility and emotional intelligence.”
Reflecting on leadership and confidence, Lottie said her approach is strongly influenced by her background as an athlete. She emphasised the importance of teamwork and building strong, high-performing groups. “How do I take a group of people and make them stronger than the sum of their parts?” she said, noting that the same principles apply in sport and the workplace. She also highlighted a confidence gap she often observes among young women entering the workforce. “There is often a disconnect between their capabilities and their confidence,” she said. Encouraging women to step forward, she added that leadership does not depend on a formal title. Quoting former US footballer Abby Wambach, she said, “You can lead from anywhere, whether you’re on the field or on the bench.”
Discussing challenges faced by women in academia, Dr Reshma said the most difficult period often comes in their 30s, when career progression in science overlaps with personal decisions about family. While many women pursue undergraduate and master’s degrees in STEM, she noted that the pathway to becoming a scientist is long and uncertain. “By the time you complete a PhD and postdoctoral work, you’re already in your 30s, often on short-term contracts,” she explained. Without job security or structured support systems, many women leave academia. “There isn’t a well-defined system to help women return after career breaks,” she said, calling for stronger institutional mechanisms to retain female talent in research.
Addressing gender and intellectual property rights, barrister Shobana stressed the importance of strengthening legal frameworks to support women entrepreneurs, particularly in the creative economy. She pointed to the need to protect traditional knowledge and ensure fair recognition of women’s contributions. Referring to a recent dispute involving the luxury brand Prada and traditional Indian footwear, she said, “It’s important that the economic value created by artisans flows back to them and that the origins are properly credited.” Iyer added that greater awareness and legal literacy are crucial for women-led businesses. “If you’re passionate about an area, step forward. Lead with compassion, courage and curiosity,” she said.
