New Delhi:- A new book “India’s AI Through Her Lens” written by Ms Nimisha Jha published by Synergy Books India has been recently released by Hon’ble Minister of Law Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Hon’ble Minister of State for Women and Child development Smt. Savitri Thakur at IGNCA.
India’s AI Through Her Lens, a thought-provoking book on artificial intelligence, gender inclusion, and public policy, authored by Ms. Nimisha Jha, a civil servant of the 2009 batch, was officially released by Hon’ble Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Hon’ble Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi.
Book launch function details:-The book release ceremony was hosted by IGNCA under the Ministry of Culture and witnessed the presence of eminent policymakers , academicians , thought leaders working at the intersection of technology, governance, and women’s empowerment. Those present on the dais included Prof. Ramesh Gaur, Dean (Administration), IGNCA; Shri Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA; Ms. Radhika Chakraborty, Additional Secretary, National Commission for Women; and Ms. Anna Roy, Head of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform NITI Aayog .
About The Author: Ms. Nimisha Jha is a civil servant of 2009 batch and is currently serving in the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Prior to this, she has served in various positions in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Housing, NITI Aayog, as well as the Government of Chhattisgarh. She is an alumna of the Delhi School of Economics and the London School of Economics and is also a Chevening Scholar and this is her second book.
Drawing upon her experience in public policy and governance, this book initiates an important conversation about society, technology, and responsibility at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming economies and societies across the world.
About the book:- India’s AI Through Her Lens examines how AI is increasingly influencing everyday lives thus shaping decisions in healthcare, education, agriculture, financial services, employment, and public service delivery. While AI presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth, the book raises a critical question: Are women adequately represented in the datasets, institutions, and leadership that are shaping the future of artificial intelligence?
The book introduces the concept of “algorithmic inheritance,” arguing that AI systems often inherit and amplify existing social inequalities when the underlying datasets are not representative. It highlights that technology is not neutral; rather, it reflects the biases and blind spots of the societies that build it.
The author also draws attention to India’s gender paradox in technology. While India produces one of the world’s largest pools of women STEM graduates, the representation of women steadily declines across the technology pipeline from education to workforce participation and eventually leadership positions. Women constitute nearly 46 per cent of STEM graduates in India, yet their representation in AI-related leadership roles remains disproportionately low. The book describes this phenomenon as a “leaky pipeline” and advocates for targeted interventions to ensure that women are not merely beneficiaries of AI, but active participants in designing its future.
Positioned within the broader vision of the IndiaAI Mission and India’s aspiration towards Viksit Bharat 2047, the book makes a compelling case that the question before us is not whether India is ready for AI , India is already embracing technological transformation. The more important question is whether AI is ready for India: ready for its diversity, its complexity, and its aspiration to leave no one behind.
The book serves as an invitation to policymakers, technologists, educators, industry leaders, and citizens to ensure that women are placed at the centre of India’s AI journey.
