Senior female leaders reshape perceptions of women in manufacturing

In a thought-provoking conversation between Meghana Mulay, Joint Managing Director at Poona Couplings Pvt. Ltd., and Neelam Pathak, Founder of WIMA (Women in Manufacturing & Allied Industries), Meghana reflects on her journey as one of the few women leaders in India's manufacturing sector. As a second-generation entrepreneur, Meghana shares how early exposure to her family business, combined with a rich career in diverse industries, shaped her leadership vision. She speaks about overcoming stereotypes, building credibility, and driving innovation while ensuring inclusion in a traditionally male-dominated space.

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Neelam: As one of the few women leaders in the manufacturing sector, what has your journey been like, and what inspired you to step into this space?

Meghana: As a second-generation entrepreneur, I was introduced to the family business at a young age and grew up closely observing it. Guided by my father's leadership, I was inspired to challenge norms, pursue technological problem-solving, and create opportunities for others.

Before embarking on my entrepreneurial career, I worked in various sectors, ranging from small companies to multinational corporations and even in public trusts, to learn the best practices and explore diverse areas of the business. My specialisation is in marketing, and when I joined the company after 20 years of service in other companies, I had the opportunity to sit on both sides of the table and understand both perspectives, challenges and growth opportunities for my team. After a long-standing employment career, I could have a reasonable judgment in the problem areas and come up with impactful solutions in my entrepreneurial journey.

Neelam: Poona Couplings has been a strong player in the engineering and manufacturing domain. Could you share a little about the company's key focus areas and growth journey?

Meghana: Poona Couplings was incorporated in 1984 to manufacture flexible couplings. We are an engineering company formed and run mostly by engineers. Since inception, we have specialised in the design, manufacture, and export of high-performance couplings, catering to a wide variety of applications and industry segments. Our intrinsically safe solutions are suitable for industrial applications and mechanical power transmission systems, including those driven by electric and diesel power. We have successfully delivered projects in complex and highly critical environments for a wide range of applications.