MAKERS India Inaugural Conference to be Held in Bengaluru in March

Sudha Murthy, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Nivruti Rai will take the conference stage
‘Women Who Make India’ theme to inspire and ignite change for inclusive workplace
Conference will be launch pad for first-of-its-kind community of women

Bangalore: MAKERS India, a Verizon Media brand accelerating the women’s movement in the country, today announced its inaugural conference in India, which will take place on March 13 and 14 in Bengaluru at Hotel Conrad.

Since its launch in October 2019, MAKERS India has amplified the voices of women breaking down cultural and societal barriers to take their place in the country’s workforce. The MAKERS India conference will bring together influential women leaders from diverse fields for the first time, to explore ways to advance equality in the workplace. It will bring new perspectives to conversations that can propel action on themes like equality and inclusivity for women in the workplace. From policy trends to entrepreneurship and diversity initiatives, the conference will take a fresh look at the possibilities that can come with new pathways and more power to Indian women. 

The MAKERS India conference will connect women from different fields -- business to entertainment, tech to finance, politics to sports and the social sector -- to achievers who can inspire and guide them to raise their game. Trend-setters and powerful leaders like Sudha Murthy, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, Nandita Das, Actor and Filmmaker; Nivruti Rai, VP (Data Center) and Country Head, Intel (India), Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Filmmaker, Shaheen Mistri, CEO of Teach for India, Anuja Chauhan, Author and Screenwriter will be among those taking the conference stage. 

The theme of MAKERS India’s first conference, Women Who Make India, is inspired by the growing number of women surging ahead in areas previously closed to them, winning on their own terms. As India aims to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025, women will have an increasingly crucial role to play as contributors to economic growth, helping India realize its demographic dividend. The first MAKERS India conference will explore the rise, contribution and impact of this increasingly powerful section of Indian women who are making India, one breakthrough at a time. The two-day experience will illuminate their incredible stories to inspire many more Indian women to join the workforce, ignite real action and change.

The MAKERS India Conference will act as a springboard to create a first-of-its-kind, inclusive pan-India community of women who are inspired and empowered to take action, bringing the change they want to see, especially at the workplace. 

“We are at a pivotal moment in India’s history, with women driving a new narrative for greater equality at the workplace. Women Who Make India are rising in every field, influencing a new direction for women across the country. But this is a revolution that needs exponentially more voices to succeed. The MAKERS India conference will give Indian women a platform from which to launch the change they want to see and a community to lean on as they speak up and act boldly, to break gender barriers in their world,” said Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media.

“As we embark on this new decade, it is only fitting that we recognize the role of women in shaping the new India narrative. The women of India are today at the forefront of change, challenging stereotypes, breaking gender barriers, and redefining socio-economic norms. YourStory is proud to partner with Verizon Media to shine a spotlight on the inspiring stories of these intrepid women who make India. Through MAKERS India Annual Conference, we're also honored to have the opportunity to inspire millions of women across the country to push the boundaries of what is possible”, said Shradha Sharma, Founder, CEO and Chief Editor of YourStory.

Nandita Das, Filmmaker & Author said, “Diversity and inclusion are not just words but precious humane ideas that are under serious threat. All identities need to be respected without being boxed or judged. As a part of the MAKERS India community, we need to hasten the process of change towards a more equal world. And we as women can lead that change.”

Madhurima Aggarwal, Director, Engineering Programs and Leader, NetApp Excellerator at NetApp said, “Though the representation of women in technology is going through an upward trend in India, we need more women to join the conversation to push for greater inclusion in our workforce. There is so much more to be done and it starts right now. This is our moment to rally as part of the MAKERS India community and push the agenda for all women in India, because we are in this together!”

The India event follows the MAKERS Conference in the US – an annual global leadership event that convenes the most powerful names in business, entertainment, tech and finance.

MAKERS India Conference 2020 is supported by NetApp, AWS, OncoSTEM, Naturals, Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship, Eurokids to name a few.

For more information on The 2020 MAKERS India Conference, please visit in.makers.yahoo.com.

About MAKERS: MAKERS, is Verizon Media’s brand dedicated to accelerating the women’s movement through stories of real life experiences that ignite passion and action. With the largest video collection of women's profiles ever assembled, live events, Emmy-nominated documentaries and award-winning digital content, MAKERS has been uniting women in every industry, at every level, around the issues that matter most, one story at a time. MAKERS@ is the brand's partnership program to connect and inspire executives at the forefront of equality initiatives, impacting real change at work and beyond. For more information, visit MAKERS.com. 

About Verizon: Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York City, generated revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The company operates America’s most awarded wireless network and the nation’s premier all-fiber network, and delivers integrated solutions to businesses worldwide. With brands like Yahoo, TechCrunch and HuffPost, the company’s media group helps consumers stay informed and entertained, communicate and transact, while creating new ways for advertisers and partners to connect. Verizon’s corporate responsibility prioritizes the environmental, social and governance issues most relevant to its business and impact to society.