In our ‘She Matters’ series, we celebrate women who are breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated industries. This edition features Manjula Girish, Business Head of the EV Charging and Photovoltaic Inverter Division at Delta Electronics India. She talks about why gender-inclusive policies need to move beyond mere talk, how mentorship and visibility can open doors for women leaders, and why having more women in decision-making roles is crucial for long-term energy security and sustainability.

John Cockerill will help in establishing and expanding large-scale green steel downstream facilities in India, said Vivek Bhide, Regional President (India) and Group Transformation Officer, John Cockerill, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

In the fifth edition of our ‘She Matters’ series, we interviewed Dr. Mini Govindan, Senior Fellow, Social Transformation & CSR, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). She noted that the energy sector continues to be largely male-dominated, particularly in technical and leadership positions. Dr. Govindan identified the lack of gender-sensitive training and recruitment practices as a major barrier to women’s advancement in the field. She also emphasised the importance of policies that prioritise gender-disaggregated data collection and incorporate gender audits into energy programmes.

The shift to cleaner energy has driven the Indian genset industry into a transformative phase, said Jameson Mendonca, Power Generation Business Leader, Cummins India, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Serentica deploys advanced forecasting, AI-driven optimisation algorithms, and remote monitoring to ensure efficient, uninterrupted delivery of green power, said Shilpy Dewan, VP – Markets, Operations & Digital, Serentica Renewables, in an interview with Energetica India.

In the fourth edition of our ‘She Matters’ series, we speak with Er. Neha Sakka, Electrical Engineer, Leading TEVAOP Initiative, who highlights a ‘dangerous’ blind spot in energy policies and underscores the urgent need to mandate women’s inclusion in core technical leadership, while also addressing other barriers that prevent women from advancing in the sector.

As the ecosystem deepens in both technological capability and commercial sophistication, India will be well-positioned to transition toward more nuanced frameworks – ranging from ancillary service-based contracts to innovative BESS as a Service, says Satish Talmale, CEO, EnerGrid, in an interview with Mrinmoy Dey, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Anand Sri Ganesh, CEO of NSRCEL, and Sapna Bhawnani, VP - Communications & CSR, APAC at Alstom, in a conversation with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor at Energetica India, share insights on their collaborative efforts to drive sustainable mobility in India.

In the third edition of our ‘She Matters’ series, we speak with Vasudha Madhavan, Founder & CEO of Ostara Advisors, who sheds light on the structural barriers that continue to hold women back in the energy sector. She emphasises that targeted policies to address these barriers will not only close the gender gap but also accelerate India’s transition to a cleaner, more equitable energy future.

Last month, the Ministry of Power released the draft Energy Conservation (Compliance Enforcement) Rules, 2025, marking a significant shift from policy-setting to active enforcement under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. For the first time, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) will have explicit powers to detect, verify, and assess violations, and represent cases before adjudicating officers under State Electricity Regulatory Commissions. In an exclusive interaction with Energetica India, Rishi Agrawal, Co-Founder and CEO of TeamLease RegTech, shared his detailed insights on the implications of the draft rules, their impact on energy-intensive sectors, and the compliance frameworks companies must adopt to stay ahead of stricter enforcement.

A resilient power grid depends on a strong, trust-based threat intelligence network among government and energy entities, said Himanshu Kumar Gupta, Sr. Director – Government Business and Channels, India & SAARC, Trend Micro, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

India’s transition to renewable energy is both urgent and inevitable, but I have seen first-hand that the road is not without hurdles, said, Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in an interview with Energetica India Magazine.

In the second edition of our ‘She Matters’ series, Jharna Saha, Co-Founder & CMO of Enlog, highlights the policy blind spots, workplace bias, and structural barriers that limit women’s participation in the energy sector, while outlining practical ways to address them.

The renewable energy sector is growing rapidly, but our labour compliance frameworks haven’t kept pace, said Munab Ali Beik, Head - Compliance Advisory, Core Integra, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

I see hybrids becoming the default design in high- penetration zones, said Sanjay Gupta, CEO, Apollo Green Energy Ltd., in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Vir Mobility’s R&D is completely in-house, with a test–iterate–improve cycle rooted in actual rider feedback, said Sahil Uttekar, Co-founder and Director, Vir Mobility, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Our solutions address both immediate efficiency gains and long-term adoption of low-carbon technologies, said Satish Ingavale, MD, John Crane India, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

Our technology builds agility and resilience by providing comprehensive operational intelligence, said Chris Lee, Senior Vice President, AVEVA, Asia-Pacific, in an interview with Abha Rustagi, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

To accelerate the transition to renewable energy further, there is a need to streamline land acquisition, fast-track grid modernisation and connectivity, while establishing clear, long-term guidelines for energy storage deployment, said Ratul Puri, Chairman, Hindustan Power, in an interview with Mrinmoy Dey, Associate Editor, Energetica India.

The majority of women (60 percent) in the energy sector believe that gender-responsive policies are essential to achieving India’s ambitious target of 500 GW of clean energy by 2030, according to a recent report by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). The study, conducted across 26 states, highlighted the need for robust policy and regulatory frameworks to encourage greater participation of women in the sector. The report also revealed persistent challenges: 26 percent of respondents pointed to unconscious bias, lack of visibility, and structural barriers as key hurdles. They also stressed the importance of inclusive hiring practices, leadership development opportunities, and institutional support to strengthen women’s role in the industry. To better understand the ground realities, Energetica India spoke with leading women shaping the sector. In the first of our ‘She Matters’ series, we feature insights from Richa Varshney, Director and Business Head – Renewable Energy, Tembo Global Industries Ltd.