Myntra’s women-in-tech focus: Building careers beyond the first hire

As India’s digital economy expands, the conversation around women in technology is steadily moving from entry-level representation to sustained growth, role mobility and leadership. Fashion e-commerce platform Myntra is framing its approach around this longer horizon—going beyond hiring to build career pathways for women in tech.

In an exclusive interview with *YourStory*, Govindraj MK, Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Myntra, spoke about the company’s focus on structured support systems such as returnships, mentorship and leadership development. The idea, he indicated, is to make it easier for women to enter, re-enter and progress in technology roles as the company continues to evolve its products and customer experience through technology.

Moving from hiring goals to career journeys For many organisations, diversity efforts can start—and sometimes stop—at recruitment. Myntra’s message is that inclusion in tech roles needs to be built for the long term, especially in an industry where changing life stages and career breaks can interrupt a professional journey.

Govindraj highlighted the importance of thinking beyond the first appointment letter: how a woman engineer or technologist experiences onboarding, the kind of projects she gets, the support she receives to grow in her craft, and whether she can see a realistic path to higher responsibility.

As technology increasingly shapes how Myntra builds products and serves millions of customers, this becomes not only a people priority but also a business one. Strong teams in engineering, data and product functions are central to innovation, speed and reliability—areas where long-term retention and leadership depth make a measurable difference.

Returnships, mentorship and leadership pathways A key lever Myntra discussed is returnships—structured opportunities designed for professionals returning to work after a break. For many women in tech, career pauses can come with added barriers when re-entering: skill refresh needs, confidence gaps, or lack of recent experience on paper. Returnship programmes aim to bridge that transition by offering a supported, time-bound pathway back into meaningful roles.

Alongside this, Myntra is placing emphasis on mentorship. Mentorship can help individuals navigate technical growth, workplace dynamics and career planning—particularly in fast-moving environments where roles evolve quickly. Done well, mentorship also supports retention by ensuring employees feel seen, guided and challenged in the right ways.

The third pillar Govindraj pointed to is leadership pathways. Leadership development for women in tech is often discussed as a longer journey requiring exposure to critical projects, decision-making forums, and opportunities to lead teams or initiatives. Building such pathways signals that progression is designed, not accidental—helping high-potential professionals see a future within the organisation.

A constructive signal for India’s startup ecosystem Myntra’s approach reflects a larger shift underway across India’s startup and digital-first ecosystem: talent strategies are becoming more structured as companies scale. In technology teams, where competition for skilled professionals is intense, initiatives that support return-to-work transitions and long-term growth can create an edge.

Equally, these programmes can encourage more women to stay in the tech workforce over time—especially when they know a career break does not have to become a career end. For India, where the aspiration is to build globally competitive product companies, widening and sustaining the talent pool is a practical advantage.

**Why it matters:** When companies invest in returnships, mentorship and leadership tracks, women in technology get clearer pathways to build long, resilient careers—strengthening teams, improving retention and supporting India’s wider innovation economy.