Accelerating Action: International Women’s Day Special

This Sonic episode features a powerful panel with Shilpa Harsh, Sharmaine Timothy, and Sandhya Manoj, hosted by Ranjini Rangarajan, to mark International Women’s Day. The conversation explores relevance of IWD today, allyship (especially from men), feminism as fairness, intersectionality, and everyday ways to advance gender equity at work and in society.

What You’ll Learn 

Why International Women’s Day remains a key moment to reflect on progress and renew commitment to women’s rights and equity.​
How allyship from men and all genders drives better decisions, cultures, and business outcomes.
​Feminism as fairness and human rights, not a threat or “women versus men.”​
The difference between equality and equity, and why some women need more support to reach the same starting line.
​Practical advocacy: education, awareness, amplifying women’s voices, protective policies, and a real seat at the table.
​The role of mentorship, returnship, flexibility, and sponsorship (“your success is my success”) in women’s careers.
​How women leaders can push the needle: equal opportunity, equal pay, inclusive policies, women-owned businesses, and challenging bias.
​What intersectionality means and why overlapping identities compound barriers for many women.
​The core call of “Accelerating Action”: step up, speak up, speed up change, and take the first step now.

 Transcript  

Hello and welcome to Sonic, everybody. Ahalia here keeping you company for a short little while because we’re here today to celebrate, or rather kick-start, our celebrations for International Women’s Day, dated 8th of March on everybody’s calendars.​

The best way to initiate progress is always to spark a conversation, and Sonic is the perfect platform to do just that. Today, we’re diving into a conversation with three wonderful speakers:​

Shilpa Harsh, Executive Vice President – Global Corporate Communications, CSR, DEI and ESG
Sharmaine Timothy, author and founder of Mind Space
Sandhya Manoj, founder and CEO, Hummingbird

Hosted by the wonderful Ranjini Rangarajan. So buckle up and let’s dive into why International Women’s Day is still relevant, how we can push the needle forward, accelerate action, and make the most of the moment.
​Ranjini: Hi everyone, and thank you so much for joining us. This is my favourite time of the year and we have with us three leaders, each of whom has set standards in the DEI and inclusion space in their own right. Thank you so much for joining us, ladies.

​Let’s start with you, Shilpa. Why do you think there is a need to celebrate International Women’s Day in this day and age?
​Shilpa: Thank you, Ranjini. First and foremost, it’s great to be on Sonic. We’ve made progress over the past few years, but more work is needed to create an equitable future. International Women’s Day is a crucial opportunity to reflect on progress, continue to promote women’s rights, and advocate for change.

​This day helps raise awareness about ongoing issues women face globally, such as inequality, bias, discrimination, and violence. The awareness and conversations that happen can inspire action and change. For me, this day reminds us of the work still needed to achieve equality and to push for policies and initiatives that support women’s rights and empowerment.

​Celebrating women’s achievements can inspire future generations of women and girls to pursue their goals and challenge societal norms. They gain role models, they hear their stories, and it all becomes part of the many celebrations happening across organizations.

​At HGS, our women – and men – look forward to this day because we all come together, even though our initiatives and policies run throughout the year. On this day, we foster solidarity and a sense of shared purpose and community in the fight for equality and change.

​Ranjini: Fantastic. Thank you so much, Shilpa. You mentioned the role of allyship, so this is a pertinent question for you, Sandhya: why do we need men to advocate for women’s rights and what is the role of allyship, irrespective of gender?
​Sandhya: Thank you, Ranjini, it’s a real pleasure to be here. Gender equality is about women, but it’s not just a women’s issue and that needs to be understood from a larger perspective. Everyone benefits when a woman thrives economically, socially, and culturally.
​Research shows that diverse and inclusive environments make stronger decisions, are more creative and innovative, and build better communities. Real change never happens in silos; it needs collective action, and men are an integral part of this ecosystem.
​From an organizational lens, it’s a business imperative. Data shows that organizations with diverse leadership are significantly more likely to outperform in profitability. Diverse teams make fewer errors and better decisions, so it’s a smart financial decision too.
​Power dynamics in boards and senior leadership are still skewed towards men. When men in positions of privilege and influence actively advocate for women and call out biases, they challenge stereotypes and break down both visible and invisible systemic barriers. They help build fair, inclusive workplace cultures and normalize these conversations.
​Allyship is not just about words but about active action: calling out biases, supporting policies, and being consistent even when no one is watching. Real allyship is part of a leader’s ethos and values, and it’s something you live every day, not just on International Women’s Day. At its core, gender equality is the right thing to do.
​Ranjini: I love what you said about allyship being the right thing to do and real allies doing it throughout the year. Sharmaine, coming to you, and this is my favourite question in this episode: how can we turn feminism into something that people are not threatened by or afraid of?
​Sharmaine: That’s such a great question and one I get asked often. At its core, feminism is really about fairness and equality for everyone. Unfortunately, some people misunderstand it as favouring one group over another, but in reality it’s about leveling the playing field so all of us can thrive together.
​When I talk to my daughters, I explain that feminism is about being treated equally whether you’re a boy or a girl. I want them to understand it’s not just about women’s rights, but human rights. When we support feminism, we support a world where equality and equity are the baseline, and that’s something we should be proud of enabling, not afraid of.
​Ranjini: Absolutely. Equity is something people are still coming to terms with – how we provide a level playing field knowing our different backgrounds, struggles, and the fact that it takes more for certain people to reach the same ground others take for granted.
​In that context, Sandhya, how do we advocate for women’s rights in today’s times?
​Sandhya: For me, first and foremost, it’s about educating people, creating awareness, and sensitizing them to gender equality. Many people are blissfully unaware of the biases until someone names them, and that’s the starting point for change.
​Second, it’s about amplifying women’s voices. Give them platforms to speak and create clear communication channels internally and externally. If you’re making policies about women, give them a seat at the table – the affected group should help shape the guidelines.
​Organizations must also create structures to protect women from discrimination and violence and ensure legal recourse is possible. Mentorship is a powerful tool, and “returnship” programs have gained momentum for women who’ve taken career breaks.
​In many women’s careers, professional and personal tracks run in parallel, and often they’re forced to choose, with most giving up careers for family. Beyond returnships, can we pre-empt this by offering more flexibility, including flexible timings and short-term leave that recognizes caregiving responsibilities?
​If we do this, the pyramid – where women are 50% at entry level but under 10% at board level – may become more robust. Beyond mentorship, sponsorship is critical: when someone is personally committed to your success. Sponsorship should be encouraged because “your failure is my failure, your success is my success,” and that’s what is needed today.
​Shilpa: I’d like to add that sponsorship is key because men can help women navigate the ecosystem. Many women may not know how to overcome systemic barriers, so “your success is my success” is very powerful.
​Also, many organizations have progressed by giving women a seat at the table; the next step is to truly hear women’s voices at that table. There is still work needed there.
​Ranjini: Shilpa, you’re a big advocate for sponsorship and allyship, but if we turn the lens on ourselves as women – we juggle primary caregiving and multiple responsibilities. How can we push the needle forward for ourselves and for the women to come?
​Shilpa: As women, we straddle many areas – offices, homes, and our personal lives – and we must ensure we take time for ourselves. If we don’t, we may not be able to fulfill our roles or support moving the needle forward.
​In our leadership positions, we can drive empowerment daily by promoting equal opportunity, mentoring, and sponsoring career growth. We must be vocal advocates for ourselves, our teams, and our colleagues. That includes pushing for equal pay, maternity leave, and policies that work for us.
​We must also ensure merit-based diverse hiring and more women in leadership. At HGS, for example, we support women-owned businesses and women-led enterprises to uplift them beyond our organization and build a wider ecosystem.
​Finally, we must challenge bias by speaking out against discrimination and advocating for equality wherever we see it. If we don’t challenge discrimination, no one will do it for us; we owe it to ourselves.
​Ranjini: Fantastic, Shilpa. Powerful words. Often, in caring for others, we forget to care for ourselves, but there must be moments where we choose “I choose me.”
​Sharmaine, could you talk about intersectionality, how it plays a part in women’s journeys, and how we can equitize this gap among women?
​Sharmaine: Intersectionality is a powerful concept coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw to describe how different inequalities – like race, gender, and class – don’t just coexist, they amplify one another. For women, experiences are shaped not just by gender but by all parts of identity.
​One of the most important ways to honour this is by actively listening and asking the right questions. We must recognize that a woman’s challenges may be compounded by more than just gender, and that calls for diverse leadership and representation at the table.
​Women from different backgrounds bring unique perspectives that help shape decisions aligned with the realities of all women, not just a few. It’s not about diversity as a checkbox but truly valuing diverse voices to drive meaningful change.
​This is critical because women often are primary caregivers. If leadership doesn’t consider this, policies and opportunities won’t reflect the diversity of needs and we risk leaving behind those who need support the most.
​Ranjini: As we come towards the end of this Sonic episode, I’d like to hear from each of you on this year’s theme, “Accelerating Action.” What is one message you would like to tell women on what accelerating action means and how we can do this for ourselves? Sandhya, can we start with you?
​Sandhya: So many thoughts, but if I had to choose one word: speak. Your voice is powerful and you can only see the change you want if you voice it out. Don’t be hesitant; ask for opportunities and don’t let self-doubt monopolize your thoughts.
​Sharmaine: Accelerating action is key and there is a sense of urgency. Change doesn’t happen when we wait for the perfect moment; it’s about seizing opportunities and taking steps forward now.
​All of us have a role in creating a world that is inclusive, equal, and full of opportunity. Let’s challenge the status quo, break down barriers, and make meaningful progress. And when things get stormy and difficult, remind yourself that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
​Shilpa: It’s about embracing and owning your voice. Every action counts towards creating impactful change. We must believe in our abilities, support each other, and remember that progress starts when you take that first step.
​Ranjini: What I heard from all three of you: we have to step up, speak up, and speed up. Thank you so much for making this such a wonderful and personal Sonic episode. Wishing you all a very happy International Women’s Day.
​Ahalia: That’s a wrap on this episode. Thank you so much for tuning in to Sonic and wishing all of you a very happy International Women’s Day. Never be afraid to spark the conversation and make the most of the moment. Catch you on the next episode. Sonic Sonic, you’re listening to the voice of HGS.