A WORK IN PROGRESS

THE HEALTHCARE AND PHARMACEUTICAL SECTORS ARE EXPERIENCING A POSITIVE SHIFT WITH MORE AND MORE WOMEN MAKING BIG STRIDES. BUT, IT IS STILL A CHALLENGE TO REACH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS 

- NEETU CHANDRA SHARMA

WHEN NAMRATA VARDAM was researching career paths after her BSc in Zoology, followed by an MBA, she picked hospitality sales. But selling hotel rooms and banquets left her hungry. She switched to pharmaceutical sales. Today, Vardam, 33, is a product executive at Entod Pharma, a specialist in ophthalmic and ENT medicines, but has switched from sales to marketing. She is happy with her choice: she has a meaningful role in connecting science with people. "I'm fascinated by the blend of science and communication. The pharma industry offers a chance to make complex science understandable to a wider audience," says Vardam.

Healthcare and pharmaceuticals are being transformed by the entry of women at all levels-women who are creating a new era of inclusivity and diversity.

Possibly more than any other sector, India's healthcare and pharma have been known for a few decades now for women at the top, whether they were joining the family business (Sangita Reddy and her three sisters at Apollo Hospitals) or creating a world-class business (Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw of Biocon).

More women are getting boardroom seats, as consultancy EY says in its October 2022 report 'Diversity in the Boardroom: Progress and the Way Forward'. The EY report says India has made substantial progress, with women accounting for an average of 18 per cent of board seats in 2022, up from just 6 per cent in 2013.

This number, based on companies in the BSE 200 index, puts India among those with less than 25 per cent, such as Singapore (24.1 per cent), Brazil (18.2 per cent), Hong Kong (17.9 per cent), and Japan (14.7 per cent).

In India, the life sciences sector took the lead, with women holding 24 per cent of board seats in October 2022, followed by the media & entertainment sector.

THE BECKONING