Speaking
Women Speaker in India: Sutapa Sanyal on Women’s Leadership
Sutapa Sanyal is a women’s leadership speaker in India who speaks to organisations developing women leaders. She draws on 33 years in public service and her experience as the first woman to hold Director General of Police rank in Uttar Pradesh. Her keynotes bring lived leadership experience to the questions women face as they build credibility, take on responsibility and find their own way to lead.
Leading in a male-dominated institution
Sutapa Sanyal built her career in one of India’s most male-dominated institutions - and learned not just to survive in it, but to lead.
She took on challenging assignments across an unusual range: from the economic offences wing to serving as Advisor (Security) to GAIL India Ltd. She understands how very different organisations actually work.
She also knows the challenges that never appear on a CV: balancing the job with home, finding mentors - including men who will champion you - and advocating for yourself in rooms where you’re the only woman.
That is what she brings to women building their own path to the top: not theory, but a road already walked.
What Sutapa speaks about
Credibility and influence
How women build authority without copying a narrow model of leadership, and how they work across formal hierarchies and informal power structures.
Mentors, sponsors and self-advocacy
Finding people who support a woman’s growth, including male mentors, and speaking for her own work, ambitions and readiness for greater responsibility.
Leading through bias and scrutiny
Isolation, unequal expectations and closer scrutiny that can come with leadership, and keeping decisions clear under that pressure.
Work, home and the path to senior roles
The competing demands as responsibilities grow, and the choices in building a career alongside life at home.
Inclusion in everyday leadership
Moving beyond statements of intent to ask whose voice is heard, whose work is recognised and who gets the chance to grow.
Who invites Sutapa
Organisations developing women leaders, HR and learning teams, leadership offsites, CXO forums, industry conferences and employee networks. The conversation can include women building their careers alongside managers who shape access to responsibility, recognition and senior roles.
Experience she brings to the room
An Indian Police Service officer of the 1984 batch, Sutapa built a career across policing, public administration and institutional leadership. She founded the U.P. Police Mahila Samman Prakoshth and served as Advisor (Security) to GAIL India Ltd. Her public service was recognised with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
She has spoken at FICCI, CII, Maersk Equal At Sea, One Globe Forum and SCOPE, and addressed audiences at the London School of Economics, IIM Calcutta and IIM Lucknow.
Her TEDx talk, “Be the CEO of Your Own Life,” explores personal leadership and ownership.
Formats and language
Keynote, keynote with moderated Q&A, fireside conversation, panel or leadership session. In person or virtual.
Watch Sutapa speak
“Women Leadership in India”: Sutapa Sanyal in a fireside chat at ICICI Prudential, Mumbai (75 min, YouTube).
Questions about booking a women’s leadership speaker
What does Sutapa speak about as a women’s leadership speaker?
Credibility and influence; mentors, sponsors and self-advocacy; leading through bias and scrutiny; balancing work, home and the path to senior roles; and inclusion in everyday leadership.
Who invites Sutapa?
Organisations developing women leaders, HR and learning teams, leadership offsites, CXO forums, industry conferences and employee networks.
What experience does she bring?
An Indian Police Service officer of the 1984 batch and the first woman to hold Director General of Police rank in Uttar Pradesh, she founded the U.P. Police Mahila Samman Prakoshth and received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.
What formats are available?
Keynote, keynote with moderated Q&A, fireside conversation, panel or leadership session, in person or virtual.
Planning a women’s leadership session?
Share the event date, location or online format, audience, preferred format and what the organisation wants the conversation to address.
Discuss a women’s leadership session with Sutapa