Empowered women drive innovative, inclusive manufacturing

Women remain deeply under-represented in India's manufacturing sector, in technical and leadership roles. Through WIMA, we aim to change this by building skills, confidence, and opportunities for women across engineering, digital operations, and Industry 4.0 domains.

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To strengthen this mission, we are delighted to feature Dr Pramod Kumar, Founder Director of Arience India & UK, a global advisor who has mentored over 30,000 professionals in strategy execution, project management, value engineering, and digital transformation. In this conversation, Neelam Pathak, Founder of WIMA (Women in Manufacturing & Allied Industries), speaks with Dr Pramod and shares how Al, digitalisation, inclusive leadership, and structured mentoring can unlock new pathways for women in manufacturing, and why diverse teams accelerate innovation and value. Dr Pramod also highlights that the future of manufacturing will be more innovative and inclusive when women are empowered to lead.

Neelam: As a leader in project management and value engineering, how do you see digital transformation and Al opening new pathways for women in the manufacturing sector?

Dr Pramod: Digital transformation and Al are rewriting the rules of manufacturing. For women, this shift opens doors that were previously inaccessible.

Today, manufacturing is less about physical force and more about smart systems, analytics, simulations, digital workflows, and integrated decision-making. These are areas where women can excel naturally with their strengths in collaboration, attention to detail, and structured thinking.