All India Celebration for Women in Computing

All India Celebration for Women in Computing (AICWiC 2024) is an annual community-building conference dedicated to increasing the participation, retention, and advancement of technical women. On 30th November 2024, the ACM-W India Celebrations took place at Carnegie Hall’s Rockefeller Building, Chitkara University. This event, organized by ACM-W India and the Centre for Research Impact and Outcome (CRIO), brought together distinguished leaders and around 300 participants to celebrate, empower, and honor women in computing.

The ACM-W India Celebrations commenced with the traditional Indian ceremony of lighting the lamp, symbolizing the dispelling of darkness and the pursuit of knowledge. Following this, Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Amit Mittal delivered a formal welcome, setting the tone for the event.

Dr Rutvi Shah, Chair of ACM-W India, addressed the gathering and provided an insightful overview of ACM-W and its initiatives to empower women in computing. She emphasized how ACM-W serves as a platform to support, celebrate, and advocate for women’s education and careers in technology. Dr Shah invited the young women in the audience to actively join the ACM-W community, highlighting its immense benefits and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

The event featured an expert lineup of speakers from across the region and beyond: Lay-Ki (Monash University, Malaysia), Arati Dixit (Chair, Regional Activities Committee, ACM-W Global Leadership Team, USA), Bimlesh Wadhwa (National University of Singapore, Singapore), Anuja Dharmaratne (Monash University, Australia), Rutvi Shah (Chair, ACM-W India), Heena Timani (iAnanya Datalytix, Past ACM-W Committee Chair) and Manik Gupta (BITS Pilani, Hyderabad, India). The organising team, led by Co-Patron Amit Mittal, Conveners Dr. Shalli Rani and Dr. Ayush Dogra, and their dedicated committee members and student coordinators, ensured the event’s success. It was a day filled with learning, networking, and inspiration for women in computing.

The speakers with organizers (L to R):  Ayush Dogra, Shalli Rani, Heena Timani, Anuja Dharmaratne,  Rutvi Shah, Arati Dixit, Madhu Chitkara, Manik Gupta, Lay-Ki, Divya Bansal, LivArprit Singh Sandhu, and Amit Mittal

One of the main highlights of the celebration was the final round of the Lady Ada Programming competition. ACM India-W annually hosts the Lady Ada Programming Contest for female students (enrolled in undergraduate and masters level CS/IT courses). This coding contest acts as a platform to develop and showcase coding talent, empowering young female techies across India. The competition creates opportunities and encourages female students to explore, enhance, and expand their coding skills.  This edition of the contest witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 1200 contestants across India. The top ten 10 finalist girls were given sponsorships to travel and participate in the final round at Chitkara University. The final round winners were awarded with trophies and cash prizes.

In addition to talks from inspiring speakers, the other highlights included the cultural activity performed by the students and the panel discussion. The panel on “Empowering Women through Tech-Driven Social Innovations” highlighted the transformative role of technology in addressing gender inequalities, particularly in education, employment, and resource access. Panellists discussed the barriers women face, such as the digital divide and societal biases, and proposed solutions like digital skills training and affordable technology. Strategies to increase women’s participation in STEM through mentorship, scholarships, and inclusive policies were explored. The session concluded with a call to action, urging young women to embrace technology and drive meaningful social change.

Panel Discussion on ‘Empowering Women through Tech-Driven Social Innovations’ by (L-R) Rutvi Shah, Manik Gupta, Heena Timani, Anuja Dharmaratne, Divya Bansal and Arati Dixit

The Celebration wasn’t just about learning and networking – it fostered a sense of belonging. Attendees left feeling inspired and equipped with new perspectives. The collective energy and enthusiasm highlighted the importance of these gatherings in creating a positive and empowering environment for women in computing.

See more at https://event.india.acm.org/celebrations/.


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