Women in Big Data India: 5 Years of Impact and Inspiration
On September 19, 2025, Women in Big Data India celebrated its 5th anniversary alongside the 10-year global milestone of WiBD, a powerful gathering that brought together over 135 attendees from six cities across India (including Pune, Hyderabad, Vadodara, Delhi, and Chennai). With registrations exceeding 160 and a full house of energy and enthusiasm, the day marked a major milestone in WiBD’s journey of empowering women in technology and data.
The event’s success was made possible by the generous support of sponsors Acceldata, Takeda, ServiceNow, Visa and Capital One , as well as the strong partnership of NASSCOM and community collaborators who shared in WiBD’s vision of advancing diversity and innovation in tech.
Highlights and Reflections
The celebration opened with a thought-provoking keynote by Professor Vasanthi Srinivasan, who reminded the audience that meaningful change begins with a spark — a shared purpose and the courage to act. Her reflections on conscious leadership, societal expectations, and the evolving role of women in AI set the tone for a day filled with wisdom and introspection.
The agenda featureda dynamic lineup of sessions and lightning talks, from “Ctrl + Alt + Innovate” by Dr. Sudeendra Koushik, which blended humor and insight to challenge how we think about creativity and problem-solving, to “Unlocking Value Through AI at Takeda”, showcasing how AI accelerates innovation in healthcare while staying rooted in human purpose.
In the Responsible AI panel, speakers explored bias, fairness, and transparency, emphasizing that inclusivity in data and human-centered design are essential for building ethical AI systems.
The event also featured sessions from Acceldata on data observability and Visa’s “From Big Data to Big Defense”, highlighting scalable, secure frameworks for next-generation data ecosystems.
Mentorship, Belonging, and Community
WiBD’s hallmark Shakti program, empowering women returning to the workforce, was celebrated throughout the day. Attendees shared heartfelt testimonials about how mentoring had reignited their confidence, guided career transitions, and helped them re-enter data and AI roles.
A standout sessionwas the Speed Mentoring segment, where mentors and mentees connected in rapid, meaningful conversations, atrue reflection of WiBD’s spirit of shared growth.
The event also featured an inspiring artwork by Yamuna Padmanaban, symbolizing mentors as roots and mentees as fruits, capturing the essence of support, growth, and interconnection.
Throughout the day, attendees spoke about transformation, not just professional but deeply personal. As one participant wrote, “I used to think tech conferences were about tools and techniques. This one spoke to the soul.”
A Movement Rooted in Purpose
The Bengaluru celebration reflected what WiBD India stands for: career guidance, upskilling, mentorship, and community for women in data and technology. As one speaker beautifully shared, “Surrounded by bold, skilled, and unapologetically aspirational women, I felt like I belonged.”
The event closed with gratitude, for the speakers, mentors, allies, and volunteers who made the day possible, and a collective sense of excitement for the road ahead.
Women in Big Data India’s journey over these fiveyears is proof that when womensupport women, the impact multiplies, creating pathways for generations to thrive.
Find he event snapshot here and full Bengaluru event video on the WiBD India Youtube Channel.
