Five Indian-origin techies among UK’s Top 50 Women in Engineering 2020 list

Five Indian-origin engineers were named among the United Kingdom's Top 50 Women in Engineering for 2020 list.

Ritu Garg, a senior transport engineer at Arup
(From L-R) Chitra Srinivasan, Kusum Trikha, Dr Barnali Ghosh, Anusha Shah and Ritu Garg, who were among the Women's Engineering Day awardees. Photos courtesy: UKAEA, @WSP_UK, Mottmac, Arcadis, @Ritu_garg

Chitra Srinivasan, a control and software engineer at the UK Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA's) fusion research lab at Culham Science Centre near Abingdon in south-east England, transport engineer Ritu Garg, seismic engineer Barnali Ghosh, climate change expert Anusha Shah and senior engineer Kusum Trikha for the Women's Engineering Day awards.

Judged by a panel of industry experts, the awards seek to recognise female talent within engineering and is coordinated annually by the Women's Engineering Society.

In its fifth year, the awards focused on sustainability – celebrating female engineers who are making a significant contribution to achieving net zero carbon emission.

The UK Atomic Energy Authority hailed Ms Srinivasan's success as part of a team developing fusion energy as a carbon-free source of electricity that could be used around the world.

"I am an upcoming engineer in fusion research and this achievement is highly encouraging for me," she said.

Ritu Garg, a senior transport engineer at Arup, was recognised for her work involving the formulation and delivery of sustainable transport solutions. She is also part of a global initiative helping national governments unlock the economic power of zero-carbon sustainable cities.

Dr Barnali Ghosh, as technical director at Mott Macdonald, focuses on developing seismic resilience in infrastructure, using the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Among the other Indian-origin winners, Anusha Shah, as resilient cities director at Arcadis, supports organisations to meet net zero targets and become climate resilient and Kusum Trikha as senior engineer at WSP specialises in multi-million-pound low-carbon energy projects.

Sally Sudworth, the Women's Engineering Society's Honorary Secretary and head judge for the awards, said, "The panel of judges was thrilled by the outstanding achievements demonstrated by all of the winners and by the difference being made by the candidates."

With the coronavirus outbreak, the awards were celebrated in a virtual International Women in Engineering Day event.