In the symphony of India’s burgeoning Global Capability Center (GCC) ecosystem, one of the most transformative undercurrents is the steady rise of women in leadership roles. While GCCs have long been at the vanguard of technological innovation and operational excellence, they are now also becoming incubators of inclusive leadership. Among the multitude of shifts shaping this landscape, the strategic pursuit of gender parity has emerged not as a footnote but as a foundational priority.
What began as a deliberate attempt to correct representation is now a potent movement. Senior leadership teams across global enterprises have recognized that maintaining a balanced gender ratio is not just a matter of equity; it is a business imperative. According to a 2024 report by NASSCOM, women now constitute 35% of the 1.9 million-strong workforce in Indian GCCs, a significant leap from 26% in 2016. Two key factors have accelerated this shift: the need to expand the talent pool beyond traditional boundaries and the rapid urbanization of tier 2 and tier 3 cities, which has significantly enriched the supply side while optimizing operational costs.
Yet, this transformation must not be transient or tokenistic. It demands sustained vision. It must be systemic, intergenerational, and rooted in intentionality. Over the past two decades, as IT services firms scaled to meet the rigors of a global marketplace, women have risen steadily through the ranks, from coders and analysts to strategists and CEOs. Their growth has been both organic and hard-won, catalyzed by shifting societal norms, corporate interventions, and their own indomitable spirit.
Rising Women Leaders: The Silent Architects of Change
Today, a new league of women leaders is emerging from India’s most dynamic tech hubs, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai. While their rise may be devoid of spectacle, its significance is undeniable.
These women are steering high-impact initiatives across digital transformation, data science, cybersecurity, enterprise modernization, and ESG frameworks. Whether leading global teams or anchoring strategic delivery models, they exemplify the kind of multi-dimensional leadership required for today’s volatile, hyper-connected business world.
More importantly, they are breaking the long-held myth that technology leadership is a male domain. They are not merely entering boardrooms; they are shaping them. They are not just occupying spaces; they are redefining them.
“The real transformation is not in symbolic representation but in the seismic impact women leaders are making on how businesses innovate, govern, and grow,” notes Kumar Rajagopalan, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Country Head at Dexian India.
The Aspirational Arc: From Capability to Credibility
Today’s women professionals are driven not only by ambition but by a deeper sense of purpose. Their aspirations are no longer limited to climbing the corporate ladder; they seek to leave a mark, influence decisions, inspire others, and create legacies.
Armed with academic credentials, international exposure, and a resilient mindset, women in GCCs are consistently delivering results that rival, and often exceed, industry benchmarks. A 2023 LinkedIn Gender Insights Report found that women-led teams in tech roles are 25% more likely to meet quarterly targets than male-dominated ones.
Their approach to leadership is layered: blending strategic rigor with emotional intelligence, assertiveness with empathy, and vision with humility. What distinguishes this leadership cohort is its authenticity. These are not leaders molded in traditional corporate archetypes; they are redefining leadership through collaboration, inclusivity, and a people-first ethos.
Strategic Shift: From Support Hubs to Innovation Engines
GCCs have evolved dramatically, from back-office process centers to critical nodes in global innovation networks. India alone houses over 1,580 GCCs as of early 2025, contributing ~$46 billion in annual value to their parent organizations, according to a joint NASSCOM-Zinnov study.
As this evolution unfolds, women are increasingly at the helm of initiatives that matter, enterprise AI programs, next-gen platform modernization, customer experience engineering, and cybersecurity governance.
This paradigm shift has enabled women to transcend operational roles and step into the core of strategy, transformation, and influence. They are leading with data. They are ideating with design. And most importantly, they are humanizing technology.
“As GCCs transition into global value creators, the presence of women in leadership ensures that the transformation is not just efficient, but equitable and empathetic,” adds Rajagopalan.
Women Entrepreneurs: The Next Frontier
Except for a few family-owned businesses, India’s entrepreneurial landscape has historically been resistant to women. Societal constructs, financial access limitations, and entrenched biases have kept many talented women on the sidelines of enterprise creation.
But this too is changing. A 2024 Bain & Company report shows that women now lead 18% of India’s 100,000+ startups, a significant increase from 10% just five years ago. Especially in digital, fintech, and D2C domains, women founders are gaining traction.
Governmental interventions such as the Stand-Up India scheme (which has supported over 1.8 lakh women entrepreneurs with loans exceeding ?21,000 crore), startup incubation programs, and skilling initiatives are enabling this shift.
To truly dismantle gender bias, what’s needed is not just policy, but purposeful mentorship, access to capital, and visibility in networks. If the state, private enterprise, and society coalesce around this vision, India could witness a renaissance in women-led entrepreneurship.
Enablers of Change: Creating a Conducive Ecosystem
Women’s ascent into leadership does not occur in a vacuum. Structured leadership programs, executive sponsorship, inclusive workplace policies, and mentorship networks are key accelerators of this journey.
Organizations that are serious about gender equity have implemented interventions such as:
Equally pivotal is the support triangle, family, organization, and society. When spouses, leaders, and communities collectively endorse a woman’s career journey, the results are transformative.
GCCs, by virtue of their scale and strategic mandate, are proving to be fertile ground for cultivating such change.
Cultural Impact: More Than Just a Numbers Game
The influence of women leaders is not restricted to performance metrics. It manifests in organizational culture. Workplaces led by women are more likely to be empathetic, collaborative, and psychologically safe. These environments foster creativity, trust, and long-term commitment.
India’s aspiration to become a global digital powerhouse hinge on leveraging its full talent spectrum, and this includes enabling women not just to participate, but to lead.
Historically, Indian society has witnessed periods of gender equality at the helm, whether in the Vedic age or during the modern freedom movement. Leadership was then, as it must now be, a function of merit and wisdom, not gender.
GCCs, with their future-facing orientation, are embracing this ethos. They are championing leadership based on competence, curiosity, and character.
Challenges that Persist
Despite progress, challenges remain entrenched. Mid-career attrition among women in tech is as high as 45%, often driven by caregiving responsibilities, lack of flexible roles, or absence of growth pathways.
Unconscious bias still lingers in hiring, appraisals, and leadership opportunities. Breaking these patterns requires more than intent; it calls for institutional accountability.
Creating allyship among male leaders, embedding DEI into business KPIs, and regularly auditing organizational culture are steps that can no longer be optional.
Conclusion: The Silent Revolution That Speaks Volumes
The rise of women in India’s GCC leadership is not a fleeting phase; it is a tectonic shift in the making. Quietly, yet unmistakably, this revolution is rewriting the rules of engagement in corporate India.
These women are not asking for space; they are redefining the very architecture of leadership. They are steering organizations toward sustainable, inclusive, and future-proof outcomes. Their influence is not just measured in quarterly results but in the cultures they shape, the talent they nurture, and the visions they uphold.
The world may not always pause to applaud them. But make no mistake, their revolution is real, resilient, and irreversible.
About the Author
Kumar Rajagopalan exemplifies transformative leadership as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Country Head at Dexian. With over 30 years of industry experience, Kumar has propelled Dexian into a global growth powerhouse, redefining the role of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) across international markets. His visionary strategy and pragmatic execution have driven exceptional innovation and operational excellence, positioning Dexian as a leader in its field.
Kumar’s remarkable journey from finance to technology leadership underscores his adaptability and strategic insight. Initially a Chartered Accountant, he seamlessly transitioned into technology, leveraging his expertise to streamline enterprise solutions and system consolidations. His work has enhanced Dexian’s financial modeling and ERP systems, supported successful mergers, and solidified the company's market dominance.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Kumar is deeply committed to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). His initiatives, such as the partnership with the Head Held High Foundation, address critical societal issues and empower marginalized communities. Kumar's human-centric approach fosters an inclusive and supportive work culture, balancing professional success with personal well-being. His leadership drives business excellence and creates meaningful societal impact, making him a transformative force within and beyond the corporate world.