Mallika Srinivasan

About

Mallika Srinivasan, 66, chairman and MD of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), one of India’s largest farm equipment manufacturers, believes the country can achieve better productivity in agriculture—the sector that contributes 18.2% of the GDP. She broke the glass ceiling early on, when she interacted with farmers directly, took their insights and designed and delivered mechanised solutions to address their needs. Srinivasan considers business a social institution. Among her many initiatives is tWIN (TAFE Women Interest Network), which aims to provide an enabling environment for women to contribute to society. The pandemic and the debate around climate change have put focus on resilient and sustainable ways of farming. Hence, any innovation in the agricultural sector should take into consideration the health and sustainability of farmers and farming, says Srinivasan, who is also the chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board, Department of Personnel & Training.