An Interview with Preeti Sharma, Executive Director of Pragati Software Pvt. Ltd., on Innovation, Inclusivity, and Empowering Women in IT and Beyond
In this enlightening interview, we speak with Preeti Sharma, Executive Director of Pragati Software Pvt. Ltd., a trailblazer in innovation and inclusivity.
Preeti shares her insights on how the company is shaping the future of IT through cutting-edge technology while championing gender diversity. She also discusses her personal journey and the importance of empowering women in tech and beyond.
Your journey as a visionary leader has seen you drive significant changes in both the IT industry. Can you share a defining moment in your career that solidified your commitment to empowering women in these fields?
Preeti Sharma: A pivotal moment in my career came when a major client told me that our technology training program had revolutionized their team’s performance. Seeing the immediate impact our work had on their efficiency made me realize the untapped potential in the industry.
It wasn’t just about delivering IT solutions—it was about creating environments where people, especially women, felt empowered to contribute. This reinforced my commitment to breaking barriers for women and creating opportunities that encourage growth, both for my teams and our clients.
As the Executive Director of Pragati Software Pvt. Ltd., you’ve helped transform the company into a leader in corporate IT training. What strategies have you implemented to foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity within your teams?
Preeti Sharma: Our clients are at the heart of everything we do. To foster innovation, we actively listen to customer feedback, ensuring that our training solutions evolve to meet their needs.
This customer-centric approach has led us to embrace technologies like generative AI, which we’ve integrated into our programs to help companies future-proof their teams. Inclusivity, on the other hand, is fostered by building diverse teams.
When people from different backgrounds work together, the solutions we create are more comprehensive and cater to a wider spectrum of customer needs.
You have been recognized with several prestigious awards for your contributions to entrepreneurship and leadership. How do these accolades influence your motivation to advocate for women in business, and what message do you hope they convey to aspiring female entrepreneurs?
Preeti Sharma: Awards are not just milestones—they are reflections of the trust our customers place in us. They remind me that what we do at Pragati Software resonates with people and creates real value.
For aspiring female entrepreneurs, I want these recognitions to serve as proof that staying customer-focused, adaptable, and resilient leads to success. It’s a message that encourages women to embrace opportunities in male-dominated fields, knowing that their contributions can drive meaningful change for their clients.
With your experience in managing two companies, how do you balance the challenges of leadership in the tech sector with the traditional aspects of running a family business in printing? What lessons have you learned from each role?
Preeti Sharma: Running a tech company like Pragati Software means staying on top of rapid changes in technology and customer expectations.
On the other hand, managing a family printing business brings the challenge of maintaining tradition while meeting the evolving needs of central government departments.
In both, the key lesson is customer connection. Whether delivering high-end IT training or printed material, it’s about listening to what customers truly need and delivering value in ways that exceed their expectations.
You co-founded Pragati Software at a time when corporate IT training was still evolving in India. What insights can you share about the early challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them to establish your company’s reputation?
Preeti Sharma: When we started Pragati Software, corporate IT training was not seen as a strategic investment by many companies. We overcame this by demonstrating the tangible benefits our training provided—improved productivity, better project management, and streamlined operations.
I remember one early client whose entire IT team was struggling with a software transition. Our hands-on, customized training turned their challenge into a success story, and that word-of-mouth credibility helped establish us in the industry.
As a mentor and speaker on women’s entrepreneurship, what common misconceptions do you encounter about women in leadership roles, and how do you address these in your advocacy work?
Preeti Sharma: One misconception I often encounter is that women in leadership roles may not be as decisive as their male counterparts. I address this by highlighting the fact that decision-making is about understanding both data and people.
My approach to leadership, which combines empathy with clear, actionable insights, has helped our customers navigate complex challenges, proving that women bring a valuable and balanced perspective to the table. By sharing these stories in my advocacy work, I help dispel these myths.
Your mission emphasizes the importance of resilience and innovation in leadership. Can you provide examples of how these principles have played a crucial role in navigating challenges during your professional journey?
Preeti Sharma: A recent example is the way we navigated the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our customers needed to transition to virtual working environments rapidly, and they relied on us for upskilling their teams.
Our ability to quickly innovate, redesign our offerings, and create robust virtual training platforms ensured that our clients didn’t just survive the crisis—they thrived.
This resilience has become a cornerstone of our value proposition, assuring customers that we are partners who can help them adapt to any challenge.
Looking to the future, what initiatives do you believe are essential for fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment for women in technology and printing? How do you envision your role in driving these changes?
Preeti Sharma: The future of technology and printing is inclusive and driven by diverse perspectives. For our customers, it’s essential that we bring more women into leadership roles, ensuring that products and services reflect the needs of all users.
My role will be to continue advocating for equitable work environments and ensuring that Pragati Software remains a platform where talented women can rise. This, in turn, ensures that our clients benefit from the innovative, inclusive solutions that diverse teams create.
Preeti Sharma’s vision for innovation, inclusivity, and women’s empowerment is paving the way for a more equitable tech industry.
Her leadership at Pragati Software continues to inspire change, fostering an environment where innovation thrives alongside gender equality.
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