REVA University honoured the Top 10 Women Tech Leaders India Awards 2026 at Taj West End, Bengaluru, on 25 September. Held during RACEx 360, the technology conclave jointly organised by REVA Academy for Corporate Excellence (RACE), REVA University and ET CISO, the ceremony recognised ten women whose work is shaping technology and expanding opportunities for others.

Now in its fourth edition, the initiative has recognised 40 women leaders across four cohorts. This year’s honourees span founders, enterprise technology executives and specialists building practical solutions in education, security, industry and finance.

The 2026 awardees

Aditi Prasad — Founder and CEO, STEMPlay Labs. Her screen-free learning products, including Wonder Briks and PictoMath, make STEM more accessible to children; she also co-founded Indian Girls Code.

Chitra Sukumar — Senior Vice President, Digital Engineering and Technical Debt, Schneider Electric. She leads engineering digitisation and brings experience in global research and development and mentoring.

Dr. Ramkumari Harisankar Iyer — CIO and AI Security Governance Director & Auditor, Reliscale. She advances cybersecurity and responsible AI governance, while mentoring emerging professionals.

Anshuma Singh — India IT Head and Site Leader, Applied Materials India. She drives digital transformation and has helped establish more than 15 computer labs in underserved schools.

Lekshmi Nair — Global Capability Head, NTT DATA Managed Services. A cybersecurity leader, she co-founded WiCyS India and has mentored more than 100 women.

Swathi Nelabhatla — Founder and CEO, SITHA and SheJobs. Her work helps caregivers and women returning to work find new career opportunities.

Sindhu Gangadharan — Managing Director, SAP Labs India, and Head, Customer Industry Solutions. The first woman to lead SAP Labs India champions technology that works for people.

Krithika Muthukrishnan — Chief Product Officer, Reliance Enterprise Intelligence. She brings more than two decades of experience in AI and product development to enterprise innovation.

Rajsri Rengan — Global Head of Product Development, Infosys Finacle. She leads banking technology development and has supported hundreds of women managers on their leadership journeys.

Kajal Shah — Co-Founder and CEO, Dreamfly Innovations. She is scaling battery technology for drones, aerospace and robotics while creating technical and manufacturing roles for women.

Stories behind the recognition

Released at the ceremony, the 2026 coffee table book gives the awardees space to tell the stories behind their achievements. Aditi Prasad describes her mission as making play purposeful and inspiring children to solve real-world problems. Chitra Sukumar writes that a career is “a journey of continuous learning, purposeful reinvention, and creating impact at every turn.”

The profiles also show how leadership travels beyond a job title. Anshuma Singh recounts her belief that “lattices create infinite possibilities for growth, discovery, and impact,” while Sindhu Gangadharan writes that technology fulfils its potential “when it serves people — all people.” Kajal Shah’s vision for Dreamfly is captured in her line: “Small, precise innovations create outsized, lasting impact.” These reflections connect advances in technology to access, mentorship and meaningful change.

Selection and a growing community

Nominees were assessed for innovation, measurable business impact, leadership and advocacy for diversity, equity and inclusion. The selection process involved senior industry and technology leaders Deepa Seshadri, Rama Kini, Latha Chembrakalam, Dr. Ram Kumar G and Sandeep Vijayaraghavan, alongside Dr. Shinu Abhi of RACE, REVA University. Deepa Seshadri and Latha Chembrakalam are themselves past awardees, from the 2021 and 2022 cohorts respectively.

“When we started this journey in 2021, we wanted to create not just an awards programme, but an archive of excellence that would inspire generations to come. This year’s awardees carry that tradition forward,” said Dr. Shinu Abhi, Professor and Director, Corporate Training, RACE, REVA University.

Dr. P. Shyama Raju, Chancellor, REVA University, said educational institutions can bring change in society and praised the awardees for the impact they are creating through their work.

Note: This article is a part of ETCISO’s Brand connect Initiative.

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