Women in Engineering:
Shaping the Future
Meet the women engineers at GE in India who are helping build a better tomorrow.
Anees Fathima: Breaking the glass ceiling
“There’s a powerful saying - when you educate a woman, you educate a generation,” says Anees Fathima, a GE engineer on a mission to foster equal opportunities in the workplace.
Anees Fathima's passion for problem-solving and her curiosity about how things work led her on the path towards engineering. She also aspired to be the first female engineer in her family, driven by a desire to break barriers and inspire others.
Anees always dreamt of a career in science, having graduated as an engineer in polymer science and technology. It was her experience in manufacturing that was a game-changer.
Today, Anees leads the Technology Development & Materials vertical within LM Wind Power’s Engineering function. “GE has helped me break the glass ceiling by becoming the first ever female Director, Senior Director, and now an Executive in the Engineering and Technology division of LM,” says Anees.
Anees advises women to seize opportunities and leverage mentors to accelerate personal and professional growth.
Gauri Gole: Redefining the design process
Fascinated by the inner workings of machines, Gauri Gole found her calling in mechanical engineering. She started her career at GE as a Graduate Engineer Trainee in the Hydro business' design department in 2008, and there’s been no looking back since!
From crafting meticulous drawings and material lists to helming the design process itself, Gauri’s growth at GE has been exponential. She contributed to standardising the entire MIV design process, significantly reducing the time taken to complete a product's design cycle. Experiencing the full lifecycle of a product has been immensely fulfilling for Gauri. After this, she transitioned to the Tendering department to expand her professional horizons.
She says she could pursue her dreams at GE thanks to its powerful ethos, which fosters deep learning and great leadership.
Gauri’s message to aspiring women engineers is simple but profound: “Believe in yourself.”
Lakshmi Priya: Taking pride in making an impact
When most children were enchanted by fairytales, Lakshmi Priya demanded logical and rational answers to questions about life’s everyday mysteries. From there, it was a short leap to earning degrees in Civil Engineering and Operations Management. Lakshmi joined GE's Operations Management Leadership Program, and now, as the Cost-Out Leader for a new wind blade project, she takes pride in knowing that her work impacts all GE employees.
One of her landmark projects was developing an epoxy blade for LM Wind Power, which traditionally produced only polyester blades. Her role in standardizing the manufacturing process, enhancing efficiency, and achieving profitability was deeply rewarding.
At GE, Lakshmi appreciates the daily emphasis on diversity and inclusion, never feeling marginalized due to her gender.
She urges women engineers to embrace their uniqueness, saying, "Your solution to a problem might be the most unique and effective one. Remember, you are important."
Lakshmipriya Rajaram: Leading tech transformations
Lakshmipriya Rajaram's career aspirations were greatly influenced by her family of engineers. While her passion for computer science was ignited during the growth of information technology in the early 2000s, it was after interning at the DRDO Centre for Airborne Systems’ R&D department that she was inspired to pursue a career in software engineering.
Her journey with GE began in 2001, joining the Technology Services group in GE Aviation as a software engineer and middleware technologist. Over the course of her career, she embraced varied roles across diverse GE projects, enhancing her skills and driving significant tech transformations. Today, Lakshmipriya Rajaram is the Director of Enterprise Application Engineering at GE Aerospace.
Beyond her project accomplishments, Lakshmipriya serves as a mentor and guide, fostering a collaborative environment and contributing to the professional growth of her team members. She appreciates GE's commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, and gender equality.
Her advice to women seeking a career in engineering is to define their unique brand and embrace continuous learning.
Misha Gupta: Discovering engineering in her DNA
As a child, Misha Gupta was always cracking puzzles and figuring out the mechanics of creative toys, thanks to her father, an electrical engineer who wanted her to learn the fundamentals of science and mathematics early. Misha graduated with a degree in Electronics and earned a Master's degree in Controls from IIT-Bombay.
She joined GE in 2017 as an Edison engineer in GE Transportation and moved to GE Research in 2018. Today, she is a Lead Engineer at GE Research. A combination of raw talent and unwavering commitment to her work earned Misha the GE India Technology Award in 2021 and GRC Tech Award in 2022.
Among her achievements is spearheading the Pitch Bearing Analytics project for GE Renewables. The project, which Misha helmed from ideation to deployment, is expected to provide significant value to the company once fully deployed and improve turbine maintenance operations.
Misha credits GE's supportive environment and mentors for offering her an ideal platform for growth. She has a simple formula for aspiring women engineers, “Embrace challenges and never stop learning.”
Nidhi Sheth: Raising the bar
Nidhi Sheth’s fascination with engineering was ignited during her school days, when she wondered how energy powered millions of homes. There was only one career path for her – one that started with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Joining GE Renewable Energy-Hydro in 2021 as a Commissioning Engineer allowed Nidhi to finally witness the energy transition from water to wire.
Since then, she has consistently raised the bar, leaving a trail of remarkable achievements in her wake. These include a prestigious CEO award for completing the wet commissioning of the Bajoli project in just 11 days; restoring two 12-year-old Automatic Voltage Regulator units for the Subansiri project; and now overseeing AVR and Generator auxiliaries.
Nidhi says GE's commitment to a safe and inclusive work environment has enabled her to flourish. She credits GE's supportive environment with nurturing her professional and personal growth.
Her message to women in engineering is, "Embrace failures as opportunities to learn, adapt swiftly, and keep pushing forward.”
Reena Bhagat: Going with the flow
Reena Bhagat drew her strength and inspiration from her mother, the first working woman in their family. She encouraged Reena to pursue a career in engineering as she had an interest in mathematics, and motivated her to attempt engineering entrances.
Beyond her engineering prowess, Reena has an extraordinary ability to pivot and adapt to challenges and opportunities. It’s gifted her unique learning experiences as an engineer at GE Gas Power.
Reena started her GE journey in 2006 as an Aerothermal Computational Fluid Dynamics engineer, focusing on combustion systems for gas turbines. Over the years, she has been involved in new technology developments, problem-solving for existing fleets, and innovation. Today, as a Product Service Engineer at GE Vernova, Reena plays a pivotal role in the company, offering expertise on heavy-duty gas turbines to GE customers.
Reena brings a unique energy to her work as she revels in customer-facing experiences and collaborative teamwork. She describes her experience at GE in just one word – "Empowering".
Echoing her mother’s encouraging words, Reena advises aspiring women engineers to believe in themselves and follow their passion.
Shilpa Gupta: Challenging limits
As a child, Shilpa Gupta loved to take things apart and put them back together, just to see how they worked. She was further inspired to become an engineer by her father, a space scientist with the Government of India.
Shilpa started her career in the automotive industry, before moving to GE Aviation in 2014. Her natural leadership skills have seen her helm Advanced Technology teams in Aviation before moving to GE Gas Power as the India Engineering leader. Today, she is General Manager, India Engineering at GE Gas Power, and Site Leader, GE Vernova.
At GE, it’s the thrill of new challenges that keeps Shilpa excited about the future, whether it’s developing path-breaking technology or working towards decarbonizing the energy sector. She also believes that GE, as a workplace, is gender-agnostic, which is critical for growth and advancement.
To women choosing engineering as a career, Shilpa says, “We need more women in STEM, to bring in diverse perspectives, invent new technology and to help create a more equal world. The whole society will benefit from their representation in Sciences".
Shruti Koli: Seizing the moment
You could say she was always cut out for innovation, having shown an eagerness to build things even as a child. It was this same spirit that has dotted Shruti Koli’s career with awards and accolades.
Shruti joined GE as a Trainee Engineer in 2018. As a woman in manufacturing, she overcame challenges with ease while seizing every opportunity to grow and learn at GE.
Her contribution to a productivity-enhancement project at GE saw Shruti being promoted as a Production Engineer, managing a shop floor team of over 50 associates. Her exceptional performance also earned her the GE South Asia President's Award Q4 2021 for two projects. Leading the start-up and ramp-up of new technology blades was a pivotal point in her career, elevating her to the position of Advanced Engineer at GE Vernova. Shruti is grateful to her peers and managers for always pushing her to test her limits.
Her advice to aspiring women engineers is to celebrate their victories and acknowledge individual contributions. “Always seek mentors and aspire to be one.”
Sisira Sukumaran: Innovating to solve challenges
Sisira Sukumaran CP’s insatiable curiosity and passion for innovation drove her to pursue Polymer Engineering for her graduate and post-graduate studies. It set her up for great things, first at the Defence Research & Development Organization and next at GE, which she joined in 2013. Sisira now leads the Liquids team within the Material Engineering department, where she works with polymers and thermoset materials in the manufacture of wind turbine blades.
Among Sisira’s notable achievements at GE is her material qualification work on the company’s first epoxy-based turbine blade manufacturing project. Sisira also successfully qualified a second supplier for unsaturated polyester resins, which helped to break the existing supplier's monopoly and address supply chain disruption concerns.
She is all praise for the company’s work ethic, which prioritizes transparency and diversity, and the support and inclusivity she has experienced, especially during her maternity period.
Sisira's advice to women in engineering: "Engineering will hone your decision-making and problem-solving skills. Believe in yourself and embrace challenges."
Suma MN: Growing onward and upward
Raised in a small village in Kerala, where STEM careers were virtually unheard of, Suma MN has more than 50 patents to her name today. Her astonishing career in science has been inspired by early role models, including her father, her secondary school physics teacher, and her physics professor during graduate studies.
Suma joined GE as a Ph.D. intern at the Global Research Centre in 2007, and has since been the recipient of many awards. One of the pioneers in developing a wireless power transfer portfolio for GE, Suma is now the Technology Manager – Electric Power at GE Aerospace Research. She currently manages the Aerospace Research Electric Power group, leading an exceptional team that is working on inventing the future of electrified flight.
Suma says her achievements speak for GE’s work culture, which encourages excellence and supports diversity and inclusiveness.
Her advice to women in engineering is, “Believe in yourself, stay curious, and be open to exploring and learning new areas. Also, learn to work with diverse multi-disciplinary teams.”
Vidya Venkataramani: Patenting her success story
How many engineers can boast a patent as a reward for their accomplishments? Vidya Venkataramani is one of these rare engineers. It was a crowning achievement for someone whose fascination for science and mathematics drove her towards doctoral and post-doctoral studies in engineering.
Vidya started her career at GE as a Research Engineer 14 years ago, and then transitioned to the Services Engineering division in the Aerospace business. She received a patent for automated inspections in a journey marked by challenging roles such as leading some of the GE9x certification tests. Today, she heads the Advanced Design Tools organization.
Vidya is grateful for GE’s supportive and inclusive ethos. "At an interview for an interesting role, I was three months pregnant. This meant I would have to take maternity leave shortly after assuming the position. Upon sharing this with the hiring manager, they merely congratulated me, expressed appreciation for sharing the joyful news, and asked how they could assist me."
She advises aspiring women engineers to approach life's challenges with an engineering mindset: “Define the problem, find the root cause, and design effective solutions.”