MAM
Olay’s #STEMTheGap spotlights need for female STEM role models in India
Mumbai: Did you know that India boasts the world’s highest number of female STEM graduates at a commendable 43 per cent? However, the stark reality is that only an estimated 14 per cent of them are part of the STEM workforce. These numbers underscore a significant dropout after education & workplace gender gap that urgently needs addressing. Deep-rooted gender stereotypes link STEM fields to men, steering women toward traditional household tasks. Early exposure to these stereotypes dissuades young girls from exploring STEM, resulting in a scarcity of female representation. The absence of prominent female role models and mentors compounds the issue, dissuading even those who initially venture into STEM careers. The dearth of female role models often leads women to drop out, perpetuating the gender gap in STEM.
For decades, Procter & Gamble’s legacy skincare brand Olay, a brainchild of chemist Graham Wulff, has maintained a deep understanding of women’s changing needs through science since its inception. Olay is not only deeply rooted in research and development but strongly believes in gender equality. With a 50/50 female-to-male management split in the region, it also helps eliminate gender bias inside and outside of the workplace. Led by a female R&D leader – Chandrika Kasturi, Olay’s R&D team is over 250 strong and comprises of more than 50 per cent female scientists.
In March 2023, Olay India commissioned a survey and the findings attested to the fact that due to a lack of female role models, young girls are found to not pursue a career in STEM. 81 per cent of the respondents dropped out due to the lack of female role models who can pave the way for success. Whereas 88 per cent said having female role models who are excelling in the workplace would influence them to go back to a career in STEM. Overall, 91 per cent of respondents said having a female role model is crucial to staying in a STEM career.
In 2021, Olay launched #STEMtheGap in India, aiming to address the STEM gender gap. The campaign garnered 10 million views and an 80 million reach, a record for Olay India. Beyond awareness, Olay invested Rs 30,03,026 in scholarships and learning tools for over 250 underprivileged girls in partnership with LEAD School. Within a year, there’s been a notable rise in STEM scores across all scholars.
This year, the new instalment of Olay’s #STEMTheGap initiative aims to shed light on the glaring absence of female mentors and role models. Ahead of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, Olay will begin the next leg of its 10-year program. As a brand rooted in scientific innovation and a deep connection with women, Olay India is taking meaningful steps to provide young girls with mentorship and role models through the following three initiatives:
A powerful film: The brand has unveiled a hard-hitting digital film in collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker Anand Gandhi. The film delves into India’s rich history of remarkable women in STEM and pays homage to the enduring legacies of luminaries like Dr. Anandibai Joshi, Kamala Sohonie, Dr. Janaki Ammal, Kalpana Chawla, among others, showcasing their inspiring journeys. It highlights the urgent need for more female role models in STEM today. The film also sheds light on the societal biases that deter young girls from pursuing STEM careers, emphasizing the crucial role of female mentors.
The AI-SHU Virtual Mentor: The brand has also launched the beta version of a web-based virtual chat mentor that will offer guidance and information to aspiring young girls seeking to enter the world of STEM—and a wonderful supplement to Olay’s mentorship program. This virtual chat mentor has been created with the help of successful women in different STEM fields in India such as Shannon Olsson (founder and global director of the echo network), Swarna Manjari (communication designer), Dr. Vandana Prasad (community pediatrician and public health professional), Tarunima Prabhakar (tech and policy research at Tattle Civic Tech and Carnegie India), to name a few, to provide the user with knowledge, resources, and encouragement on their journeys.
Mentorship with vLookUp: In collaboration with vLookUp, Olay has joined forces to offer a platform connecting female students in higher education with STEM mentors online. Over 300 sign-ups have been recorded in the past year, with carefully chosen participants engaging in four-month mentorship programs facilitated by volunteers from P&G and partner companies. This program completes the mentorship journey from virtual mentorship to meaningful connections with experts in the field.
STEM Scholarships: To encourage future women in STEM, Olay continues to partner with LEAD, India’s premier school EdTech provider, to sponsor STEM scholarships to over 250 underprivileged girls. These scholarships empower girls across India by providing financial support for STEM education and career development.
Despite the growing availability of STEM jobs in India, it remains essential to motivate and support Indian girls in pursuing STEM education for their active involvement in future employment opportunities. Olay is committed to fostering change and providing equal opportunities for girls in India. Since 2021, the brand has been sponsoring tuition fees, tablets, and data packs for girls across six states. The revamp of Olay’s #STEMTheGap initiative is a comprehensive campaign, with the film launched on various platforms, aiming to challenge stereotypes and inspire girls to break barriers and pursue STEM careers.
Speaking on the second leg of the campaign, Procter & Gamble (P&G) Sr VP, skin & personal care – Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa Priyali Kamath said, “For decades, Procter & Gamble’s legacy skincare brand Olay has maintained a deep understanding of women’s changing needs through science. At Olay, we understand the critical importance of female role models in the STEM field, and our commitment to bridging the gender gap is unparalleled. This year’s theme, centered on the significance of role models and the introduction of mentorship initiative, highlights our commitment to ensuring every young girl knows that she can be the next leader in her field. Through initiatives like #STEMTheGap and our commitment to gender equality, we are working hard to double the number of women in STEM by 2030 and create a more inclusive and equitable future. We’re proud to recognize and support the next generation of women in STEM who will one day be making history in their respective fields, and become role models for young girls in the future.”
Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia chief creative officer Ajay Vikram said, “There are many accomplished women leaders in STEM in India today. Yet, a ‘lack of mentors’ is often cited as a big reason why so few women make a career in STEM. This got us thinking. How do we not just celebrate the achievements of women in STEM, but actually be useful to be there at the very moment when needed, a friend and guide to any girl or woman looking for answers as they stand at the crossroads of choosing their path forward. Technology came in handy as a way to help, but we can’t wait to see how much more AI-SHU can do to help women find their way to a future of their choosing.”
The underrepresentation of women in STEM fields with very few female role models to look up to, causes fewer and fewer women to join these fields and many even dropout due to lack of external motivation. Olay’s unwavering dedication to overcome this challenge as a brand that maintains a deep understanding of women is brought out through the various studies and surveys it has conducted to start different initiatives for uplifting and supporting women in STEM.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
