IN 1923, WHILE India was under the grip of a colonial power built on maritime dominance, 14-year-old Sumati Morarjee was appointed to the managing agency of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company by her father-in-law Narottam Mukherjee, the company’s co-founder. Mukherjee gave her the responsibility upon recognising her sharp intellect and eagerness to learn. And, Sumati rose to the challenge.
She emerged as a formidable leader, taking charge of the company by 1946. A decade later, she became president of the Indian National Steamship Owners’ Association―the first woman to lead a major shipowners’ organisation.
Despite this early breaking of the glass ceiling, maritime has largely remained a male-dominated field in India. According to the 2021 Women in Maritime survey, less than 2 per cent of the seafarers in India are female. But, there is a silver lining with regard to leadership. The same survey revealed that women hold around 32 per cent of the board positions in Indian maritime firms―higher than in many maritime giants in the world.
THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2024 in Chennai on November 5 featured several women leaders from the domain, including Malini V. Shankar, vice chancellor, Indian Maritime University; J.P. Irene Cynthia, managing director, Kamarajar Port; and H. Kaur Joshi, former head of the Shipping Corporation of India. The conclave, which discussed key issues pertaining to women in the industry, had significant participation of female students from maritime institutions.
“The number of women [in the maritime sector] is extremely low,” Cynthia said during a panel discussion, adding that about 94 per cent of India’s women seafarers are employed on passenger ships. “So, can we really consider them core crew?” she asked. However, Cynthia noted a shifting trend―the increasing number of women cadets enrolling at the Indian Maritime University and other institutes. “It is about 6 to 7 per cent in India, compared to 8 per cent worldwide,” she said. “This means that the current 2 per cent representation will likely grow to around 6 to 7 per cent in the near future and is bound to increase further over time.”
Cynthia’s optimism was based on the growth of women in registered ratings and officer roles. “In 2021, we had around 3,000 registered ratings and officers,” she said. “By 2023, this number rose to about 4,500 to 4,700. So, in just two years, we have seen a 50 per cent growth in women crew in the sector.”
Shankar highlighted another positive trend―over 23 per cent of the students taking courses on naval architecture, shipbuilding and ocean engineering at the IMU were now women.
The experts stressed that a safe and supportive ecosystem is essential to attract more women into maritime roles. “Imagine ‘pink ships’―vessels with at least 40 to 50 per cent female crew members,” said Cynthia. “This could be a powerful entry point. While we do not necessarily need women-only initiatives, such steps could help women enter the sector with greater confidence, knowing they are part of a safe, supportive environment.”
Shankar emphasised that dedicated networking platforms for women could be critical in opening pathways to the industry, while Cynthia noted the necessity of robust anti-harassment policies that are both practical and strictly enforced. “Equal pay is another crucial factor,” she said. “While the government mandates equal pay, this must extend across all areas of the industry to achieve true equity.”