As the world continues on its path toward a clean energy transition, it is critical that this process be inclusive and provide every citizen more authority. Women have historically been selected for "softer" professions in the energy industry, which has historically been dominated by men, particularly in engineering, operations, and other technical roles. This trend has been caused by social conceptions, perceptions of gender-specific roles, and occasionally unjust biases. Even now, there remains an obvious gender disparity, with women making up a tiny portion of the energy workforce overall and an even smaller portion of top management in organizations.

Fortunately, the roundtable discussions showed that there are signs of change beginning to take shape. 

The number of women working for sustainable energy enterprises nationwide has increased, even though it’s still a little. Since they stand to gain greatly in many cases, women are now playing a crucial role in promoting clean energy solutions, particularly in the distributed renewable area. Meet the women leading a change in clean energy transition today.

Divya Sharma (PhD), Executive Director, Climate Group

She is a recipient of the Green Leadership Award and is an international authority on climate action, with a focus on energy and the environment. 

With over 21 years of combined experience, the core areas of competence include urban policy and planning, urban infrastructure, and climate resilience. 

Over 10 years of management and leadership experience. 

Outstanding regional expertise in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, and international discussions related to climate change. 

Worked with national, provincial, and local administrations in a variety of regions, including Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, South Africa, Indonesia, Nepal, and India. DFID, UNEP, USAID, the World Bank, AfD, ADB, the Rockefeller Foundation, C40, the Shakti Foundation, and the private sector are just a few of the customers you have worked with.

Ulka Kelkar, Executive Program Director, Climate, Economics and Finance, WRI India

She is an economist with twenty-five years of expertise in outreach, capacity building, and research on climate change. 

She works with Indian states, cities, and enterprises on climate action and low-carbon development routes. 

Working in interdisciplinary teams is something she enjoys, such as discussing climate model results with farmers or creating business plans for disaster-proof housing with bankers and architects. 

She has used quantitative household surveys and participative methodologies to undertake field research with rural populations in seven Indian states.

She served on the Earthshot Prize expert advisory panel and is the chair of the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign's fair share, equity, and justice working group. She served as co-chair of the official engagement group for India's G20 presidency, the Think20 task force on sustainable energy and green transformations. She worked on the long-term low emissions development strategy for the Indian government.

Rutvi Sheth, Head of Strategy, Advait Group

She is in charge of strategic communication and media activities for Advait Energy Transitions Limited and its subsidiaries as the Head of HR, Strategy & Public Relations. 

Her work propels the shift to a more sustainable and greener future by spanning power transmission, clean tech, renewable energy innovation, and infrastructure solutions. 

She brings a global perspective and extensive knowledge of media strategy from her BA in Media Communications from the University of the Arts London and her MSc in Strategic Communications from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She has experience managing successful public relations initiatives, making use of a robust media network, and guaranteeing favorable coverage on both traditional and digital media. Her passions include sustainability, community empowerment, and the use of communication as a means of effecting real change. She is committed to excellence and lifelong learning, and she thrives on teamwork and creativity to create powerful stories.

Preeti Bajaj, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Luminous Power Technologies

She has developed a career in the nexus of transformation and technology throughout the years. 

She has worked in the business worlds of Australia and Asia for almost 20 years.

She is skilled at creating and implementing plans that set the pace for long-term growth in a variety of companies, including startups, international corporations, and ASX-listed corporations. 

Currently serves as the managing director and CEO of Luminous Power Technologies, a pioneer in energy solutions innovation in India. 

She still assists Luminous in upholding its standing as one of India's most reliable companies in the home solar and power backup sectors. 

She contributes to the brand's mission by creating energy-efficient and sustainable solutions that enhance people's quality of life.

Monali Zeya-Hazra, Senior Regional Energy Specialist and Mission Environment Officer, USAID

She holds over 27 years of program management, policy design, and strategic leadership expertise which makes her a results-oriented clean energy professional an expert. 

She has led multimillion-dollar regional and bilateral clean energy projects throughout South Asia as a Senior Regional Energy Specialist at USAID/India since 2009.

She has beem promoting cooperation with governmental organizations, regulators, energy utilities, technical specialists, and private sector stakeholders. 

Adept at creating and carrying out successful initiatives in innovative technologies, grid integration, renewable energy, and cross-border power exchange. 

She has demonstrated proficiency in national and international policy advocacy, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement.

 

Kavita Gandhi, Executive Director, Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS)

She is a seasoned professional with a track record of managing groups and collaborating with environmental and renewables stakeholders. 

She has expertise in developing energy policies, programs, sustainable business, and sustainable energy. She has an MSc in Environmental Management from Wye College, University of London, and is a strong business development professional who is enthusiastic about creating and expanding the sustainable energy sector ecosystem.

She currently leads SEAS's entire operations, with the primary goal being to maximize value-added services for members and stakeholders in the areas of market access, enterprise growth, and training/learning. 

In order to help prospective organizations grow their industry sector, she spearheaded the initiative to obtain the Local Enterprise Association Development (LEAD) award, which is managed by SPRING/IE Singapore. After completing the first tranche successfully, she received LEAD II & LEAD IIII.

Farah Ahmed, Cross-cutting Lead, USAID South Asia Regional Energy Partnership (SAREP)

Farah brings a wide range of skills to the table, having worked with international corporate foundations on project planning, strategy development, monitoring and evaluations, impact evaluations, and fund raising.

She has also been instrumental in implementing rural livelihood projects at the grassroots level in Bangladesh, Laos, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and India. 

In the fields of agriculture (farm and non-farm), the environment, women, water and natural resource management, and sanitation, she has over 20 years of expertise in international development. 

She has expertise in knowledge management and communications product development, has created films and social media campaigns, consulted on fund-raising and partnership development, and has carried out extensive assessments at the national level.