New Delhi, September 25, 2014: Microsoft India  has launched an initiative  to train and mentor one million girls and women in the next 12 months.  ‘Women in Tech’, aims at bringing in more women into the Indian IT industry. They will include girl school students, young women students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) colleges, women IT professionals and women entrepreneurs.

Says Bhaskar Pramanik, Chairman, Microsoft India said, “Today, the IT industry in India has about one million women. Our Women in Tech initiative aims to double that number in the next few years. In the first year, our partners and we will train and mentor the next one million women and help them join, grow and succeed in the IT industry.”
Microsoft has devised targeted plans for each education and career stage. These plans are aimed at:  
-      Educating the next generation of girls in high school to build IT career preference and develop IT skills. In addition, 150,000 girls across 1,000 high schools will participate in this program during the next year
-      Helping prepare young women in higher education, STEM courses for a career in technology by increasing their technical preparedness, career counseling and mentoring. Microsoft will engage with 750,000 women in STEM courses in the next 12 months
-      Providing access to training for women IT professionals to improve technical skills. 250,000 women IT professionals will be trained
-      Mentoring and training women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. 2,500 women will be mentored and trained during the year. Further, Microsoft Ventures will mentor 30 women entrepreneurs and help them connect with the broader start-up ecosystem, in order to accelerate their business. 
More information here