Mohali, 27 February 2025: The Udaiti Foundation has released a study showcasing the remarkable strides made by Mahindra’s Swaraj Division and Swaraj Engines Limited (Swaraj) in fostering gender diversity on shop floors.

The study highlights the efforts of Swaraj in increasing women representation - growing from just 1.5% in 2013 to over 10% in 2024, thereby setting a benchmark for India’s tractor manufacturing sector.  Women employees have lower absenteeism and higher retention rates, contributing to enhanced productivity and operational efficiency, hence making a strong case for their inclusion in the manufacturing sector.

Despite challenges such as limited enrolment in technical trades, cultural resistance, and safety concerns, Swaraj has implemented targeted initiatives to overcome these barriers.

One notable achievement is the integration of women into their foundry facilities, a traditionally male-dominated area requiring physical endurance and technical precision.

Key reasons for this transformation

• Workplace redesigns have played a pivotal role in making manufacturing roles more inclusive. Ergonomic adjustments, including robotics, raised platforms, and gravity mechanisms, have minimized physical strain while improving efficiency.
• Collaborations with 15 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), 5 polytechnics, and Advanced Technical Institutes have helped create a robust talent pipeline.
• Tailored training programs such as dexterity modules and on-the-job training have equipped women with the skills needed to excel.
• Safety measures such as GPS-enabled transport, buddy systems, and women security guards ensure a secure and supportive environment.

Swaraj has also actively engaged with communities by conducting parental counseling and organizing shop floor visits, addressing cultural concerns, and encouraging women to explore careers in manufacturing. Pooja Goyal, Founding CEO of The Udaiti Foundation, commended the efforts, saying, “Swaraj’s journey underscores the transformative impact of investing in skills, infrastructure, and community engagement. It offers a replicable model for the manufacturing sector to drive women’s economic empowerment and significantly contribute to India’s growth story.”

Despite these successes, challenges persist. Women remain under-represented in technical education, with only 400 out of 17,000 students in Punjab’s ITIs enrolled in trades like diesel mechanics and machinists. Furthermore, the reliance on contractual roles limits long-term career growth for women in the sector. Addressing these gaps will require sustained efforts and systemic changes.

Swaraj’s achievements demonstrate that prioritizing gender diversity strengthens workforce resilience and drives operational excellence. This progress serves as an inspiration for companies across industries to create equitable workplaces and unlock the potential of women in India’s economic landscape.

About Swaraj

Swaraj Tractors, a division of the Mahindra Group, is India’s second largest and rapidly growing tractor brand. Established in 1974 and based in Punjab, the grain bowl of India, Swaraj is a brand created ‘by the farmer, for farmer’, as many of its employees are also farmers themselves. They bring real-world experience to create an authentic, powerful product with assured performance and enduring quality, all designed with one purpose – enabling the Indian farmer to Rise. Swaraj Tractors manufactures a range of tractors from 11.2 kW (15 HP) to 49.2 kW (65 HP), providing comprehensive farming solutions and pioneering horticulture mechanization.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TractorsSwaraj

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About Mahindra

Founded in 1945, the Mahindra Group is one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate.

The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.

Learn more about Mahindra on www.mahindra.com / Twitter and Facebook: @MahindraRise/ For updates subscribe to https://www.mahindra.com/news-room

About The Udaiti Foundation

The Udaiti Foundation is committed to drive India's vision of a Viksit Bharat and a $30 trillion economy, through two key objectives of increasing India's Female Labour Force Participation Rate to 50% and doubling the number of women owned enterprises in the country. As a force multiplier in the Women's Economic Empowerment ecosystem, we actively provide data-backed evidence to the private sector organizations, state governments and the start-up ecosystem and collaborate with them to drive change on the ground. If this is of interest to you, visit The Udaiti Foundation’s website: https://www.udaiti.org/ or Contact: Samriddhi Bhutani 7003576622, [email protected]

Media contact information:
Shruti Chhabra
Corporate Communications
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
Email: [email protected]