Women in Solar : Special Supplement Dedicated to Women by EQ Int'l Magazine by EQ Int'l Solar Media Group

Sindoor Mittal Vice Chairperson, Avaada Group An alumnus of Stanford Graduate School, Sindoor started her leadership journey at an early age. As Chairperson of Avaada Group she has led the organization to become a key player in Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s renewable energy space. ...Read Full Profile on Page: 08

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PUBLISHING COMPANY DIRECTORS: ANIL GUPTA

CONTENT

VOLUME 11 Issue #womeninsolar

tanya singhal

FOUnder & director, solar arise

ANITA GUPTA

CONSULTING EDITOR : SURENDRA BAJPAI

HEAD-SALES & MARKETING : GOURAV GARG gourav.garg@EQmag.net

EX. SALES & MARKETING : JAIKISH JAIN solardeal@EQmag.net

SR. GRAPHICS & LAYOUT DESIGNER : RATNESH JOSHI

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GAZALA KHAN gazalakhan.eq@gmail.com RISHABH CHOUHAN rishabh.eqmag.net@gmail.com Disclaimer,Limitations of Liability

lisa zhang

marketing director growatt new energy

sweety arya marketing manager india solis inverter

Grace Sun

monika rathi

While every efforts has been made to ensure the high quality and accuracy of EQ international and all our authors research articles with the greatest of care and attention ,we make no warranty concerning its content,and the magazine is provided on an>> as is <<basis.EQ international contains advertising and third â&#x20AC;&#x201C;party contents.EQ International is not liable for any third- party content or error,omission or inaccuracy in any advertising material ,nor is it responsible for the availability of external web sites or their contents The data and information presented in this magazine is provided for informational purpose only.neither EQ INTERNATINAL ,Its affiliates,Information providers nor content providers shall have any liability for investment decisions based up on or the results obtained from the information provided. Nothing contained in this magazine should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sale any securities. The facts and opinions stated in this magazine do not constitute an offer on the part of EQ International for the sale or purchase of any securities, nor any such offer intended or implied Restriction on use The material in this magazine is protected by international copyright and trademark laws. You may not modify,copy,reproduce,republish,post,transmit,or distribute any part of the magazine in any way.you may only use material for your personall,NonCommercial use, provided you keep intact all copyright and other proprietary notices. want to use material for any non-personel,non commercial purpose,you need written permission from EQ International.

MARKETING & SALES VICE PRESIDENT HANGZHOU FIRST APPLIED MATERIAL

head business development, mahindra susten

09 16

sindoor mittal

vice chairperson, avaada

b.D. for southern region l&t Renewable energy

co-founder & director freyr energy services pvt ltd

senior vice president- institutional relations, amplus solar

sneha shenoy

Radhika Choudhary

ritu lal

JIGnasa Jani visaria

smriti krishna

Head- Rnewable Capital Fourth Partner Energy

Manager Business Development sb energy

LEADERSHIP Pg. 06-16 BD's, Sales & marketing Pg. 17-31 Human Resources Pg. 32-35 Consultants & Advisors Pg. 36-37

rupam gautam

head asset management cleanmax solar

marisol rodriquez

r & D leader, dupont photovoltaic & Advanced materials

Admin Pg. 38-39 Technology Pg. 40-41

SOLAR ARISE

Ms. Tanya Singhal Founder and Director

I was raised in a family of engineers, so it was natural Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d pursue engineering. But, after I graduated from IIT, I joined a very non-engineering career, consulting, at the Boston Consulting Group. This was the first of many decisions my family found odd, but supported nonetheless. A few years into my career at BCG, I attended a presentation which showed a small box on the map of India, and just filling that small box with solar panels was sufficient to power all of India! I was awestruck. The sector was waiting and all it needed was professionals to jump in and realise its potential. Finally, in 2010 after 4 years in consulting, I took the plunge. I left my stable, flourishing consulting career and started my entrepreneurial journey to make solar an affordable reality in India. Again, my family offered their reluctant support. Still, I was asked questions that I could not answer at that time. (a) What work will I do and role will I play ? (b) Why enter a new sector with so much risk? (c) Do women have meaningful roles in Infrastructure? Over the last decade, I have proudly answered all these questions to the satisfaction of everyone, especially myself.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

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SOLAR ARISE

The early years were occupied with the humongous task of raising $100 Mn of equity from global investors – from making pitch decks, business plans, presentations and finally to actual negotiations and closing legal contracts. I distinctly remember that moment when my partners and I signed our funding term sheet at our office , a.k.a, Starbucks, and finally SolarArise was born ! The next challenge was to put this business plan into action. From choosing which PPAs to sign, where to build, buying land, designing the plant, negotiating contracts, raising debt to finally construction management and operations. I worked across a variety of disciplines in all these activities. I still remember, being at the site of my first plant on commissioning day, As the first bit of power was generated and the meter's needle moved, so did my heart-beat!

Back in 2010, solar was a new sector with many risks. The sector has taken time to mature but is now ready to compete with conventional power head on. Just like raising a child, for me, this has been a journey of persistence and patience -– there were times when things went completely off plan, we lost deals, investors said no… but I could never give up and I kept going. I feel solar is re-writing the myth that Infrastructure is a man’s world. I have been to construction sites, worn hard hats, visited Chinese module factories, negotiated contracts in rooms full of men and yet never ever felt out of place! And I’m not the only one. In the next few pages, you will meet many women who have joined the solar business, have taken on a variety of roles, and are challenging what was once a man’s world. As the solar sector continues to make our world a better place, I hope more women will join to lead this journey!

Company Profile SolarArise owns and operates large, utility-scale solar power plant all across India. Together with partners James Abraham and Anil Nayar, Tanya Singhal and the team are adding new plants to the portfolio every year. Our goal is to move India to a low-carbon development path, away from fossil fuels. We embrace design, technology, and data science to drive down the cost of solar power while increasing its predictability and reliability. Our team is built on the principle of empowerment, where each person’s best abilities are released to our mission. And we work as a unified team, supporting each other to meet our responsibilities at work and at home. This is more than balance - it’s the most enriching work and the most rewarding life.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

AVAADA

Ms. Sindoor Mittal Vice Chairperson

Sindoor is an alumnus of Stanford Graduate School, she started her leadership journey at an early age. Sindoor started her career by working with a $500mn private equity fund and then proceeding to be an entrepreneur. As Vice Chairperson of Avaada Group she has led the organization to become a key player in India’s renewable energy space. Apart from her business responsibilities, she is keenly involved in the company's sustainability endeavour. She spearheaded Equity fundraising by bringing on board institutional investors and played a key role to raise INR 1,000 Cr. from ADB, DEG & FMO and USD 15 million from Proparco. She successfully handled the sale of the organization’s ~1140 MW renewable portfolio to Tata Power. Sindoor focuses on strategy, leadership development, fundraising, and commissioning of the large solar and wind energy capacities. In her pursuit, Sindoor has built a high performing team and partnerships with global technology companies and system integrators from the energy sector. Sindoor has taken the mantle to become the largest renewable energy company in India and a leader globally. Company Profile Avaada is committed to delivering clean and sustainable energy across emerging Asian and African economies. We possess the expertise cultivated over years of building and operating some of the largest solar and wind projects across geographies. Avaada is now on the way to innovate and create new benchmarks in clean energy generation. Avaada is targeting an extensive portfolio of 5 GW solar energy projects across Asia and Africa of which about 3.4 GW capacities are currently either operational or under implementation. Team Avaada has proven Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) capabilities. Building complex solar and wind projects across diverse geographies is our speciality. Marquee investors like ADB (Asian Development Bank), DEG of Germany, FMO of Netherlands & Proparco had invested in our operations. We have transformed the lives of local communities across India.

WOMEN IN SOLAR

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AMPLUS SOLAR

Ms. Ritu Lal

Senior Vice President Institutional Relations She heads the Institutional Relations division and leads Amplus’s engagement with Industry bodies, government agencies etc. She has previously led the Business Development portfolio. Her experience and skill sets give her a unique understanding of industry requirements as well as business and regulatory issues. She has over 20 years of rich and varied experience. Prior to the solar industry, she has worked in the FMCG and Pharmaceutical sectors. Her past employers include GlaxoSmithKline and DSM. She has diverse geographical exposure – other than India, she has worked in Europe, and has also been responsible for managing the AsiaPacific, Middle-East & Africa regions. She has worked extensively in Purchasing and Supply Chain, Sales and Business Development, and has had substantial stints in Finance, HR, Facilities Management and Administration. Ritu holds an MBA degree from FMS, Delhi (1996). Company Profile Amplus Solar is Asia’s leading distributed energy company providing low carbon energy solutions to industrial and commercial customers. Amplus provides clean energy to its clients by setting up both on-site solar projects (rooftop and groundmounted) and off-site solar farms. Amplus is a member of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) group, Malaysia and is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Bangalore, Bangkok, Dubai, Gurugram, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai and Pune. Today, Amplus owns and manages a portfolio of 650+ MWp of distributed solar assets across Asia.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

AMPLUS SOLAR

EQ in Exclusive Talk with

Ms. Ritu Lal

EQ: What motivated you to join the solar sector ?

RL: There comes a stage in our lives when we begin to seriously think about how our work is contributing for the future, and whether these contributions will have any meaningful impact on society. I was going through this phase when the Amplus opportunity came up. I did not have any experience in the energy sector before joining Amplus. But I knew the founding team and trusted their professionalism. I was also excited by the business concept of risk-free green energy which delivers savings, both financial as well as environmental. Sometimes, things just have a way of falling into place!

EQ: How has the journey been for you ? RL: There were some initial apprehensions as I didn’t have any prior sectoral experience, but I knew I would be working on something meaningful - a commercial venture delivering savings on power costs while contributing to the health of the environment. India’ solar story was just beginning and rooftop solar in in a nascent stage at the time. The Amplus model was an innovation - taking the utility scale power sale concept and adapting it for the distributed and rooftop sector. Rooftop solar as a service proved to be a game changer in this segment, especially for Industrial and Commercial customers. Amplus also grew from the four member startup that I had joined in March ’14 to become India’s leading distributed solar developer. It’s been a very exhilarating journey, all in all.

EQ: What challenges or opportunities did you see here, especially as Women ? RL: At the time when I started, I noticed that there were very few women in the energy industry overall and even fewer in the solar sector. Some of this can be attributed to the ratio of men to women in our engineering institutes, as a lot of these jobs have their roots in engineering.

WOMEN IN SOLAR

And secondly, coal and petroleum, the two biggest components in the energy industry, have not traditionally employed women in larger numbers. However, I personally feel that the opportunities in the sector are gender agnostic and there are no real entry barriers for anyone. Over the years, I have found a larger representation of women in the solar sector. Even within my own organisation, you will now find more women employees across all functions, including technical as well as field operations.I encourage women to apply for jobs in solar, as this is an exciting area to work in, with tremendous growth opportunities.

EQ: Do you think solar is changing the misconception that infrastructure is a man's world ? RL: As you have stated in your question itself, this is a misconception. The problem lies more in how jobs as well as the organisations are designed – catering primarily to men. This is not just true for solar or infrastructure, but is rampant across industries. Women have been forced to “man up” and fit themselves into this male culture. However, as the gender ratio improves and a greater percentage of women join the workforce, organisations and sectors are looking at ways to make the workplace more equitable. I understand that within the power industry, the gender ratio in the solar sector is improving rapidly. I believe that for any sector or industry, the work structure needs to be flexible and recognize the changing needs of women through different stages of their lives, especially pertaining to child-bearing and child-rearing. In my experience, when a woman is given a work environment which is not only supportive, but also responds to her specific personal requirements, her commitment to her work will be extremely strong. However, policy creation alone is not enough here. It needs to be backed by a strong and supportive work culture. Co-workers and teams need to be sensitised and supportive as well. With these interventions, there is no reason why the solar sector, or any other sector for that matter, should not see a more gender inclusive, high performing and diverse workforce

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AZURE POWER

SAMITLA SUBBA

Vice President - Corporate Affairs Policy And Communications

Samitla has experience in marketing strategy, public relations and communications. She has been a key member in taking the company to its initial public offering on NYSE in 2016 and in building relationships with the company’s key stakeholders including investors, customers and media. Prior to Azure Power, Samilta worked with Northern Trust as Financial Analyst. Samitla holds a Bachelor’s degree from Bangalore University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow Company Profile Azure Power Global Limited is an independent power producer, a developer and an operator of utility and commercial scale solar PV power plants headquartered in New Delhi, India. The company was founded in 2008 by entrepreneur Inderpreet Wadhwa. The company sells energy to government utilities, and independent industrial and commercial customers in India. Azure Power developed India's first utility scale solar project in 2009 in Awan, Punjab. The company also installed India's first megawatt scale solar rooftop project in Gandhinagar, Gujarat which was awarded the top 10 Public Private Partnership, 2013 by International Finance Corporation. Azure Power has a total capacity of over 3 GW in 23 states.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

SWELECT

Ms. Aarthi Balan Asst. Vice-President

After doing her MS in Electrical Engineering from US and working with AT&T, New Jersey - US, Aarthi Balan joined SWELECT (formerly Numeric Power Systems Ltd.) to head the Process Automation team. She led a team of engineers to achieve Asset management by bar-coding the current and non-current assets as well as the entire work-in progress in 9 manufacturing plants and remote monitoring. She now heads the Marketing & Communications and Channel sales at SWELECT. She was instrumental in the launch of SOURCE Hydropanels in India - an innovative product which delivers clean drinking water from air and sunlight. Company Profile SWELECT Energy Systems Ltd., a listed Company over decades is a leading Solar Power Systems Company in India with a strong presence in Indian energy market for over 30 years. SWELECTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core strength lies in technical expertise which is strongly backed with state-of-art manufacturing facilities for Solar PV Modules (HHV ST), Solar PCUs, structural and electrical Balance of Systems (BOS) such as Module Mounting Structures (MMS), AJBs, etc. SWELECT has the ability to implement solar power projects in small as well as large scales with utmost understanding of customer requirements and customized solutions. SWELECT has installed over 9000 Utility scale, Roof Top and Solar water pump projects with over 150 MW capacity across India and overseas.

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EY INDIA’S INVESTMENT BANKING ADVISORY

Partner

Ms. Srishti Ahuja Taneja Partner Srishti Ahuja Taneja is a Partner in EY India’s Investment Banking Advisory practice. In her role as an M&A banker, she has consummated marquee renewable transactions including some of the largest and first of its kind transactions in India. She is considered as a sector expert and brings rich transaction experience on board for benefit of project developers and global institutional investors. Company Profile At EY, our purpose is Building a better working world. The insights and quality services we provide help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. In a world that’s changing faster than ever, our purpose acts as our compass guiding our more than 260,000 people – providing the context and meaning for the work we do every day. Our multi-disciplinary teams help businesses build trust among all stakeholders and create long-term value for our clients.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

SUNKALP ENERGY

Ms. Kanika Khanna Founder and Director

Kanika has a decade of experience in distributed energy generation, starting with her work at the headquarters of Cummins Engine Company in Indianapolis. She expanded the business for BDK Group with Sunkalp Energy- a solar EPC company which focused specifically on roof-top solar power. She has established Sunkalp Energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dominance in North and West India, through presence in 7 states, a portfolio of over 200 customers and a sustained 50% CAGR. Kanika has an MS in Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelors from the Delhi College of Engineering. Her work is centred on the use of data and technology to make rooftop solar an organized industry. She has held visiting faculty positions for Entrepreneurship at IILM, IIT Delhi and serves on the Board of MIT Delhi Alumni Association. Company Profile Sunkalp Energy has been at the fore-front of developing and deploying technology tools to organize and aggregate the roof-top solar industry. Our partnerships with the leading solar equipment manufacturers and installers ensure that the systems you purchase meet the promise of quality and energy production. Sunkalp Energy is headed by technologists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Delhi College of Engineering who have rich international experience in distributed energy generation, technology and analysis of the solar industry. Sunkalp Energy has consistently given back to community through its rural electrification projects and Solar for Schools competition that raises awareness amongst children.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

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SBI CAPITAL MARKETS LIMITED

Ms. Anita Karnik

Vice President, Project Advisory & Structured Finance She spent nearly a decade covering the power sector – financing thermal, hydro, wind & solar projects. Over this time, it has been her privilege to witness the revolution in the Indian solar industry. At SBICAPS she handle the renewable energy portfolio as well as financing for climate adaptation by ECAs & Multilaterals. Some of the unique and innovative transactions she worked on include: SBI – World Bank Rooftop Solar line. SBI – KfW Solar project line. Financing for a Bhutan based hydro power project. Equity stake sale in India’s largest power exchange. Company Profile SBI Capital Markets Ltd. (SBICAP), is one of India’s leading domestic Investment Bank, offering the entire gamut of investment banking and corporate advisory services. These services encompass Project Advisory, Structured Debt Placement, Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity and Stressed Assets Resolution. We are a complete solutions provider offering diversified financial advisory and investment banking services, innovative ideas and unparalleled execution to our client base across all stages of the business cycle. Our services range from venture capital advisory, project advisory, buy and sell-side advisory, accessing financial markets to raise capital and even restructuring advisory in their turnaround phases.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

FREYR ENERGY SERVICES PVT LTD

Ms. Radhika Choudhary Co-Founder and Director A dynamic entrepreneur with over 13 years of award-winning work in the field of Solar Energy,Radhika Choudary is the cofounder and Director at Freyr Energy. The resilient leaderspearheads the Business Development division utilizing her skills and experience to build aplatform for making sustainable energy solutions more accessible and affordable. With an aim to make cleaner, safer and affordable energy available to all, Ms. Radhika cofoundedFreyr Energy, a fully integrated solar company providing solar solutions for homeowners, businesses & communities. Currently heading Business Development, Sales & Marketing at Freyr, she has been instrumental in doubling business every year for the last 5 years. Adding another feather to her cap, Ms. Radhika was a panelist at SolarRoofsTelanagana 2019,UNIDO’s Shakti National Convention of Women Entrepreneurs, FranchiseIndia/BusinessEx.com’sStartup Summit2019 and a speaker at UBM’s RenewX (2019). In 2017,she was the recipient of the Femina World Women Leadership Award for Excellence in powerand energy sector, the Women Entrepreneur Quest (WEQ) recipient and also completed a 1-year SEED Transformation Program with Stanford Graduate School of Business. Over the course of her career, she has worked across various roles ranging from engineering,supply chain management, quality audit, policy and business development in four continents.While working with some of the world’s leading solar and wind companies such as GE, SKF,Lanco Solar and SunEdison to name a few, she has been instrumental in setting up and headingLanco Solar’s South India Division across seven states and also successfully implementing andmanaging several projects across three countries for SunEdison. Radhika is an alumnus of Purdue University, USA where she completed her MS in Nuclear Energy and has a BE in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, India. The loving mother of 2 stays with her family in Hyderabad. When away from office, she lovesrunning, cycling, swimming and travelling. During her college, she had represented AndhraPradesh in tennis, swimming, basketball & table-tennis tournaments. Company Profile Founded in 2014, Freyr Energy provides homeowners, businesses & communities simple and affordable clean energy. We believe that going solar should be easy & fast. We developed the Freyr Energy technology platform - SunPro to provide customised solutions to our customers. We now have footprints across India, Singapore, USA, Ghana & Nigeria

WOMEN IN SOLAR

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FOURTH PARTNER ENERGY

Ms. Jignasa Jani Visaria Head - Renewable Capital

Jignasa is Fourth Partner Energy’s in-house financial wizard. In Mumbai’s investors and banking circuit – she is recognized as a force to be reckoned with, in the Renewable Energy financing realm. She heads our Corporate Development (newly christened ‘Renewable Capital’) Department. At Fourth Partner Energy, Jignasa is responsible for evaluation and pricing formulation for RESCO proposals, vetting of documents, ensuring risk-mitigation amongst clientele, debt fund-raising, fund management and Forex & Credit rating. A Thorough Taskmaster, Jignasa’s strength lies in her sheer perseverance and attention to detail – traits she expects from each member of her team as well. Her exposure to the Solar industry began in September 2017, when she joined Fourth Partner Energy’s CD team in Mumbai. She brought with her over 12 years of experience in the Finance sector, having worked with eminent lenders like Development Credit Bank, HDFC Back and Yes Bank. Jignasa has spearheaded 4PEL’s fund-raising and debt-raising endeavours in the past 26 months; she is also one of the youngest members of Fourth Partner Energy’s Executive leadership committee. She is an avid traveller, loves to read and enjoys spending time with her family, especially bonding with her son. Jignasa has also been instrumental in driving HR Policies that empower women in Fourth Partner Energy like ensuring flexible work timings, work-from-home options, mentorship programs and special maternity benefits. The firm ensures gender diversity, wage parity and equal opportunity in hiring. Company Profile Fourth Partner Energy is India’s largest distributed solar energy firm focusing on building and financing solar projects for commercial, industrial and government entities. We are a full-services Renewable Energy Services Company (RESCO) that offers end-to-end capabilities including Evaluation, Design, Planning, Procurement, Construction, Operation, Maintenance and Financing of critical solar infrastructure. Fourth Partner Energy is backed by TPG’s The Rise Fund which invested $70mn in the Hyderabad headquartered firm, in June 2018. With an operational portfolio of 200 MW installed capacity across 23 states currently, the firm has now embarked on its journey to expand beyond distributed solar and into a variety of clean energy solutions, including storage and EV charging infrastructure. Our firm has a pan-India presence with its headquarters in Hyderabad and offices in 10 other cities including Pune, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Ranchi. We have also commenced international operations in 5 South East Asian markets this year. We have executed projects for marquee clients like Hindustan Unilever, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Walmart, Schneider, Skoda, Ferrero, Airtel, D-Mart and ICICI Bank. In our 9 years since inception, we have helped reduce India’s annual dependency on coal by over 1.3 lakh tons, carbon emissions by 2.8 lakh tons – an equivalent of planting around 1.3 crore trees.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

SUNTUITY (INDIA)

Ms. Imaan Javan Director of Operations Asia Pacific

Imaan Javan, Director of Operations, the Asia Pacific at Suntuity, was born and raised in Mumbai. After completing her Junior College from the city’s premier institute Sophia College, she successfully pursued a Bachelors in Life Sciences from Jai Hind College, Mumbai. She further enhanced her academic understanding with a Diploma in Forensic Science from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Imaan joined GeoPeak Energy as a Business Developer in Mumbai, sharpening her understanding of not just the industry but also the changing demand patterns of the world. Imaan then worked closely with Mumbai Police for a year as a Forensic Scientist, helping them on an array of hugely interesting cases regarding forensic evidence handling. In 2011, Imaan started Suntuity REI, which marked the beginning of a long and instrumental association. Suntuity is one of the fastest-growing companies in the world that develops, finances, builds, owns and operates best-in-class residential, commercial and utility-scale renewable energy solutions around the world. Imaan managed different departments such as Business Development, Project management and Operations which gave her a 360-degree understanding of the world of sustainable energy. She gradually climbed the ladder to her present position of Director of Operations – Asia Pacific. Imaan sincerely believes that renewable energy is the future of the world. In the light of depleting non-renewable resources, increased carbon footprints and negative environmental impact, she has been leading Suntuity’s operations with a strong belief in the work that the company is doing for the world. Under her, Suntuity has worked with over 100 clients, partners and affiliates across a multitude of industries such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, public safety, disaster relief, telecom, real estate and media. With her leadership, Imaan has led Suntuity to become one of the top brands in the Asia Pacific region. Having garnered ample experience, Imaan felt the need to go back to the classroom to widen her worldview. Which is when she went to the prestigious Cardiff University and completed her Masters in Business Administration in 2017. She is now an enriched professional, who has had her robust work experience amply supported by one of the best management programs in the world. Imaan has a vision for Suntuity REI to join the ranks of Fortune 500 companies and works every day in that direction. She takes inspiration from her mother, who always taught her to take challenges head-on and keep her calm while doing so. Imaan believes in equal opportunities and ensuresit is followed by her team and the organization. Company Profile Suntuity (India) is a part of Suntuity Group, one of the fastest-growing renewable energy companies in the US and abroad. Suntuity is a trusted name in renewable energy solutions, driven by the need to make a difference in the lives of people globally. We have a penchant for not just setting big goals and bold visions, but also achieving them. Operating with a culture of innovation and forward thinking, Suntuity has developed over 250 MW of solar projects worldwide.

WOMEN IN SOLAR

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SUNGROW POWER SUPPLY CO., LTD.

Ms. Cynthia Li Marketing Director

Cynthia was major in Economics and Trade. She has over 10 years in the power sector in marketing and leadership roles and has been associated with Sungrow for more than 4 years. She is participating in the Company's extension of international markets and has extensive experience in brand operations, marketing and public relations. Company Profile Sungrow is the world's most bankable inverter brand with over 87 GW installed worldwide as of June 2019. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters, with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 22-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 60 countries, maintaining a worldwide market share of over 15%.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

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GROWATT NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

Ms. Lisa Zhang Marketing Director

She was graduated from one of China’s leading colleges, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and majored in Information Science and Technology. Zhang joined the PV industry after graduation and was one of the pioneering engineers in solar R&D of China. Zhang joined Growatt in 2011 and started her career in marketing of the industry. Under the lead of Zhang, Growatt has been established as one of the world’s leading inverter brands and its PV solutions are popular in over 100 countries. Company Profile Growatt is a new energy enterprise dedicated to the R&D and manufacturing of PV inverters including on-grid, off-grid and storage inverters, and user side smart energy management solutions as well. The power capacity of Growatt on-grid inverters ranges from 1 kW to 100 kW, meanwhile its off-grid and storage inverters cover a power range from 1 kW to 630 kW. Growatt inverters are extensively used worldwide for applications in residential, commercial, PV poverty alleviation, utility-scale scenarios as well as other storage power station projects.

WOMEN IN SOLAR

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SOLIS GINLONG TECHNOLOGIES

Ms. Sweety Arya Marketing Manager India From last 2 years she is working in the renewable energy industry. In these two year there is a wonderful mindset found in most people, who are working in this sector, she said. People working in solar have lots of good messages to share when they are working. With almost 8 billion people on earth, we need to recognize that there is a lot at stake. Time is of the essence and we need to support the people making a difference! Be the change! Strengthening the role of women in renewable energy through better education so that they can their voices for others, she added. Company Profile Established in 2005, Ginlong Solis(Stock Code: 300763.SZ) is one of the oldest and largest global string inverter specialists, that manufactures string inverters for converting DC to AC power and interacting with utility grid, which help reduce the carbon footprint of human society. Residential, commercial and utility scale solar market include home owners, business owners, utilities, solar developers and investors benefit from a complete product line of ultra-reliable, bankable, cost effective and innovative string inverter technologies, selling under Ginlong Solis brands. These products are installed globally, optimzied for local markets and serviced by local experienced teams, to deliver significant long-term return on investment for stakeholders and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

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HANGZHOU FIRST APPLIED MATERIAL

Ms. Grace Sun

Marketing & Sales Vice President She is the Marketing & Sales Vice President of Hangzhou First Applied Material Co Ltd., devoted in to Solar PV market since 2006. During these 13 years, she led HZ First EVA film, POE film and backsheet into all over the world and building the brand F.RST@ as a global famous encapsulant brand. In India, HZ First has built long term relationship with top lier solar company. EQ: What motivated you to join the EQ: What challenges or opportunities did solar sector ? you see in solar sector, especially as Women ? GS: When i travel to all of over the GS: There are high potential in this indusworld, i can many see lots of tries, you can learn much knowledge solar panels in roof top or in about the energy, chemical, physics ground. I feel honours about it. etc.and also you have more opportunities to make contribution to world better EQ: What were your thoughts on environment.

what the solar sector will offer EQ: What kind of work do you do ? before entering in and how has the GS: Global Marketing and business develjourney been for you ? GS: Before entering in, i don;t have any idea about solar energy or may my idea is only for solar thermal system (hot water), factually i don't believe normal people can use solar energy to make electricity, but after, i understand gradually that the solar energy will be and could be a most popular energy on day.

opment.

EQ: Do you think solar is changing the misconception that infrastructure is a man's world ? GS: Yes, I think so.

EQ: What is your vision for yourself ? GS: To be a peaceful elegant and wisdom lady, just like my name-Grace, and devotes for world's better environment, looking forward for your confirmation soon.

Company Profile First was founded in 2003, located in Lin' an, the western suburbs of Hangzhou City in Zhejiang Province, the company has reached 522.60 million CNY in registered capital, and is a High-tech Enterprise which focuses on design, development, manufacturing and sales of new materials. On September 5th 2014, the Company successfully listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The stock code is "603806" First has 9 sub companies in Thailand, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Jiangshu, etc, and for each focused on the business of research, development and production of new materials, solar electricity station, international trade, intelligent equipment, etc.

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MAHINDRA SUSTEN

Ms. Monika Rathi

Head Business Development She is the Head Business development – Utility Solar for Mahindra Susten for domestic and SEA markets. A technology savvy person with commercial acumen and diverse experience in energy sector, she has 15+ yrs of experience in different businesses within GE and at Mahindra. She has experience ranging from developing next generation technologies for Renewable sector to process excellence to handling the operations and quality for Wind India to Bidding for Solar Projects, Winning through Techno-Commercial Negotiations and Project execution for Solar Projects . Monika holds 3 US patent applications, 10+ international publications and has one trade secret to her credit. She is also a certified TRIZ level 1 expert, Certified Black Belt, and LRQA Auditor. She holds B.Tech degree from National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, and Master’s Degree in Power Electronics & Controls from Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. She was also conferred with Young Achiever Award by my alma mater NITK in 2015 & Women Leader of the year in India Solar week 2019. Company Profile Mahindra Susten Pvt. Ltd., formerly Mahindra EPC Services Pvt. Ltd., is part of the USD 19 billion Mahindra Group. A portfolio company under the Cleantech arm of Mahindra Partners, they offer solar solutions[buzzword] spanning On-Grid solutions[buzzword], EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) and Off-Grid Product solutions. In April 2013, Mahindra EPC had its 20 MW solar power project at Bikaner enlisted in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy's - MNRE (India) merit list for early commissioning for Phase I, Batch II of the National Solar Mission. On 2 February 2015, the company was renamed Mahindra Susten. Susten is derived from the words - Sustainability and Enabler.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

MAHINDRA SUSTEN

The Challenges of Being Women in the Workplace BY MONIKA RATHI

Work-Life Prioritization for working women who dare to dream big

martly dressed in a business suit to Elegantly dressed in a suit-salwar managing people; Moving into meetings with an aura around her to managing daily activities at home; Suggesting changes to business plans to suggesting what needs to be purchased for the house; Making decisions & fighting for what’s right to making chapatis & agreeing to family requests; Handling client problems & working out a solution to handling homework for the child & working out the next fancy-dress costume; Redoing Power point presentations for a perfect idea pitch to the CEO to redoing home décor for showing off a spick and span home. It’s not easy being working women juggling all the activities. To top it all, here are some more: God provided women the power to bring a new life into the world but forgot to give them the additional time to take care of that new life. God remembered to give women the power of love but forgot to tell others to treat her with care. God gave women monthly cycles but forgot to delete from memory all the painful days. The list is endless, and so are the demands for time on a working woman’s schedule. The truth is that 24 hours in a day is all we have and must do everything in that limited time. We could either blame it on God, or on society or on ourselves, or we decide to balance it all. If you are proud of being a woman, and want to learn how to balance 24 hours, so that it seems 42, to have the perfect work life balance, read on!

Work-Life balance in some respect is a misnomer, a better word for the same would be work-life prioritization. There will be days when your work needs 100% from you, and some days when your family needs you 100%. And then there will be days where it is balanced with a tolerance limit of +/-10%. A perfect balance however is created over time, when we learn prioritization of the different aspects at the right time, and with the right attitude. My friends and colleagues have always wanted to know how I have been able to manage this. Some have even questioned the way in which I manage both my personal and professional life, some have quizzed me on the possibility of extra secret hours that I have. I wish I had those, wish I was a time traveler. Through this blog, I am trying to share tips and tricks that I have learnt over time and recipes that have worked well for me. 1. A substitute for hard work hasn’t been found yet: In these modern times the meaning of hard work has taken a new definition, smart work, but the “WORK” part remains. Truth is, whether we want to be successful or want to have a balanced life, it does need a lot of work, believe me, IT IS A LOT OF WORK! Whether it’s in a board meeting or at home, unless we put the time and effort smartly, the result won’t be amazing. Remember the rule of 1.01 vs 0.99, doing a little bit more everyday would yield compounded results and take you closer to your dreams. It’s like having your cake and eating it too.

WOMEN IN SOLAR

2. Create your own boundaries for time and space: My work requires a lot of travel. There are weeks, where I am literally living out of a bag. However, there are some rules I have created to bring some semblance of normalcy into work-life on those days. When in town, I am usually the first person to be in office to maximize my work, and mostly the first person to leave the office, so that I can be at home to spend quality time with family.On days that I am traveling for work, as much as possible, travel schedules are early morning to late at night. Many women feel scared traveling late nights, but I believe a little presence of mind is all that’s needed to ensure safe travels. Keeping maps ON during travels to know about areas is a must! Company car for late night travels and trusting intuition (Only women have this) when in doubt are good tools. Once while returning home around 10 pm, when I boarded the cab, I wasn’t comfortable with the driver. I called my hubby and spoke to him in Hindi over phone telling him my whereabouts and telling him that I have sent the tracking details and would be home within 40 mins. My hubby had not picked the phone, but I continued talking for some time. It was important for me to relay this information to the driver, so that he was aware that someone is tracking him. In another incident, I got down at a known location & asked someone to pick me up from there. I still travel late nights as it helps optimize the day, and leaves space for being with the family the next day. Note: I’m saying that this is my personal preference and in no way suggesting or encouraging others to do something that they may not be comfortable with!Few other tips: Utilize commute time to finish calls, personal and professional, so that mobile is not a nuisance when at home. If not urgent, late evening or weekend phones can be answered at a convenient time or converted to WhatsApp chat, so that it doesn’t interfere with your family time. 3. Communication is the key ingredient: Authentic communication is not always easy, but it is the basis for real effectiveness at work and successful relationships at home. A career defining moment for me was, when I was taking up the operations leader role, and at a time when my daughter was just 3 months. During the interview itself, I made it absolutely clear that I would need to go home every day for lunch for about 2 hrs. I would not be able to travel for ~6 months and might need to work from home on some days. The manager agreed and asked me to create a 30-60-90 days plan and ensure no slippages. This communication helped set clear expectations, and each one of us delivered on our promises. Ever since, whenever there are role changes, an earnest communication has helped me calibrate work expectations.The same spirit is followed at home, where quality conversations with my spouse have helped navigate through the most difficult of times. If it wasn’t for the support of my husband, I wouldn’t have been in this position at work nor would have been writing this blog. He agreed to relocate when I found a good opportunity in a different city. He agrees to take care of our home and our daughter when I am traveling, sometimes for more than a week, and sometimes every alternate day. Evening walks, exercising together, shopping or even WhatsApp chat, there are so many opportunities that can be utilized for heart to heart conversations, to develop a deeper understanding and mutual respect for each other’s work.Colleagues and friends always provide a shoulder to lean on, but we should build the atmosphere by having honest communication and you will be surprised to see help coming from unknown areas.

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MAHINDRA SUSTEN

4. Learn the art of saying “NO”: let’s accept that superwomen are present only in the magical movie world. In the real world, women need to adapt to the idea of trade-offs. All of us are dealing at their own level, different constraints, that is life. Attempting to maximize our usefulness based on parameters like career, kids, relationships, etc., and doing our best to allocate time to all these resources is what differentiates us from others who are also running the same race.Therefore, on days when something is already planned for, saying yes to more work or activities would not only lead to more stress, but also to flawed work output. Imagine agreeing to attend a conference on a day, when it also happens to be your child’s annual day. Or preparing for a presentation, when an evening out was already planned with family. In both cases the work output would be impacted, as the mind is not 100% present in each of the activities at that time. Serenity would have prevailed if the conference could have been attended by someone else or the outing postponed by a day. Hence, saying NO at the right time, planning for an alternative and distinguishing the difference between urgent and important is an art that needs to be mastered overtime to reduce stress. A word of caution, a NO should always be followed by an alternative and overindulgence in the same should be refrained.

You must be wondering why we are talking about this in work-life balance? Truth is, if we stop making excuses for predictable, controllable days, then for those erratic times when you need to attend the annual day of your child or need to take off as your hubby is sick, it would be a lot easier. The bosses and colleagues around would know it’s a genuine ask. Moreover, even if at home when someone is sick, the family doesn’t need you 100% & hence you can always finish remaining work and earn more brownie points for yourself. Bosses these days, want work done, irrespective of where & when it’s being done from. The moment you own this, striving balance would become easier, as you are your own boss and you can divide time between work & personal demands more efficiently.

7. ME time is not a fad: There’s nothing harder than finding time in your busy day for yourself. However, unless you pamper yourself with some ME time (for your own hobby or gym or relaxation), exhaustion is bound to set in. This is an area where most of us compromise and give up our own goals or hobbies due to lack of time. Instead of giving up goals, rethinking time is a solution. The secret is to create “Multipliers”—activities that help fulfill multiple goals at the same time. Here are some examples: a. Fit in your exercise schedule during the time your child is busy at one of the activity classes 5. Find a Genie – a real one: We have not been fortunate enough b. Carry your shoes along and walk whenever time permits, to to have a genie in our lives, one who would say “your wish is stay fit. It’s easy to clock in almost 5000 steps through walking, my command, master”. But can we create one? One to whom while waiting at the airport we could outsource some work that we consider non-essential or c. Read your favorite book while asking your child to read theirs work that is not as important to realize the bigger dream that we d. Joining the same activity as dance, tennis, badminton or painthave for ourselves. Cleaning the house so that no-one can even ing along with the child or spouse will not only help you bond spot a dust particle, washing clothes, washing utensils, picking together better, but also provide you the time to let your creativity fresh fruits & veggies, cooking all three meals, hot and with variflow. ety in each – it’s time we learn both, the art of outsourcing and the e. This may sound difficult but not impossible, with a little planart of letting go. The benefits are manifold, from more time for ning you can do twice as much! family to time for exercise and relaxation. But getting the right help just like any other resource also requires hard work.Initially, 8. Passion is the secret sauce: Be it success in your profession or you will be required to spend time supervising/training, but the harmony at home, passion for both is what will bring in balance. benefits on this time investment is huge. In the corporate world, We can all feel the power that comes from focusing on what exwe all have heard the word “delegate”, it’s time we apply those cites us. This power is the passion, and when repeated over time, principles to our homes. Find your genie and declutter your lives. it gives us the endless energy to work & balance both sides of our My genie at home is my maid, who stays with us and pretty much world. Scientifically also, Energy = Power*Time. If we replace the does all the work at home, so that I can focus on things that really power with the passion and continue following our passion both matter to me. My genie at office are my colleagues with whom I for work and family, we would get the energy to balance both over have built relationships to manage those distressing moments. time. Passion is the secret sauce which distinguishes moderate from excellent. So, keep that fire burning within your belly!Last 6. No excuses, please: Men are from Mars and women from Venus. but not the least, be ready to experiment. Discover the potion that Let’s’ accept we are wired differently; our brains work differently works best for you to bring in harmony in your work & personal and so are our strengths and weaknesses. However, underestimatlife. Take risks, calculated ones which will be both rewarding ing this fact is a recipe for failure. The most common excuse of and, ultimately, empowering. Most importantly, do not forget to stomach ache is way overused. Have we ever canceled a picnic applaud yourself and give yourself credit for managing both sides or a trip, just because our hormones are behaving differently on equally well. Always remember, you have within you the strength, those days? Then why use it as an excuse to skip work? All of us patience, and passion to reach for the stars to change the world. have those tough days, and it’s totally understandable, but there So, it’s time we stop wishing and start doing! are remedies available which help ease things. Source: mahindrasusten.com

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RENEWSYS

Ms. Vinelle Vaz Manager Marketing & Communications

Vinelle leads marketing – communications at RenewSys, where she combines her flair for communication and design with her commitment to social impact. She has been instrumental in establishing brand presence for RenewSys, as it realises its position as a leader in PV manufacturing. Vinelle champions the adoption of solar power and emphasizes the significance of quality PV products for a successful solar industry. A digital native and a proponent of inclusive sustainability, her work philosophy is derived from an exposure to diverse industries like Energy, FMCG, and Social Action over the past decade. Vinelle is a double major with honours in Micro Biology – Biochemistry, a post-graduate in Social Communications Media (SCM), and has completed courses on management, colour trends and design aesthetics. Company Profile RenewSys is the first integrated manufacturer of Solar PV Modules and its key components - Encapsulants (EVA & POE), Backsheets and Solar PV Cells. RenewSys is the renewable energy arm of the Enpee Group, a diversified global conglomerate with a heritage of nearly 60 years of manufacturing excellence. RenewSys has its presence across India, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Singapore, UAE, China and representative offices in Europe, USA, and Mexico; and an evolving distributor network.

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HOYMILES

Ms. Echo Yao Sales Director Asia

She has made a significant contribution to boosting the solar market with her more than 5 years working time in solar field across the world, Not to mention the 2000 residential roofs project in South Asia and 1500 roofs in Europe she worked with last year, she is also the first one to introduce Hoymiles microinverterinto the Indian market, working with local solar players to drive the transformation of Indian solar industry with more affordable and high-quality solar microinverter. Echo Yao is very passionate and is a woman who inspires other young women to enter and make their contribution to solar energy too. Company Profile Established in 2012, Scorpius Trackers Pvt Ltd is an inventive and proactive end-to-end single axis solar tracking solution provider. We develop hardware, tracker controller, controller software and algorithms and innovative structure designs. Keeping a pulse of the changing requirements and the need of the IPC and PP’s to scrutinize technology solutions for superior generation with existing set ups to boost returns. Currently , Scorpius is one of India’s largest supplier of single axis trackers and aims to be the world’s premier solar tracking solutions provider by 2020.

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AMP ENERGY INDIA

Ms. Rajni Bhandari

DGM- Marketing & BD- Distributed Generation She has been involved in India’s solar energy sector since its infancy and over the last decade has managed business development, client relationship management, public relations and marketing across utility and non-utility segments. Prior to AMP Energy Rajni has worked with Azure Power and Amplus Energy. Rajni holds an MBA degree in Power Management from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies and Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (Hons) from Delhi University. Company Profile AMP Energy India, a part of the global AMP Energy Group, is one of the fastest growing integrated renewable energy power producers in India focused on delivering green energy to large corporates. It opportunistically addresses opportunities in the government utility segment also. Within a short time it has built a portfolio of nearly 500 MW with presence across 15 states and supplying green energy to 40+ leading corporates across various industries and govt institutions. It is a One Stop Shop to minimize their carbon footprint and energy costs. AMP Energy India is well on track to create a GW scale triple play and a leader in its market segment.

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FOURTH PARTNER ENERGY

Ms. Sireesha Y

Head Commercial department Sireesha, began her career in Solar over two decades ago; a meticulous planner – she is responsible for invoicing, accounts and banking-related functions at the firm. Sireesha can be described best as a silent, Solar powerhouse. She began her career in this industry over 2 decades ago, with Photon Energy systems as a Quality Control technician; Over the years, she took on responsibilities on the shop floor, as a production manager and store manager. In 2002, she joined NEST – Noble Energy Solar Technologies to perform crossfunctional roles across the R&D spectrum. Sireesha Y was part of Fourth Partner Energy’s founding team in 2010, after a short sabbatical following the birth of her son. The return to the Solar sector was homecoming to a lady whose career path traced the industry’s growth path in India. At 4PEL, she took on the role of Assistant Manager, Operations after which she moved into the Finance & Accounting to head the firm’s Commercial department. A woman who dons many responsibilities – she loves spending time with her family and son; and her favourite pastime is cooking and feeding hungry mouths. Head over to 4PEL’s Hyderabad office for a chat with this dynamo or to sample her mouth-watering homemade ‘pulusu’. Company Profile Fourth Partner Energy is India’s largest distributed solar energy firm focusing on building and financing solar projects for commercial, industrial and government entities. We are a full-services Renewable Energy Services Company (RESCO) that offers end-to-end capabilities including Evaluation, Design, Planning, Procurement, Construction, Operation, Maintenance and Financing of critical solar infrastructure. Fourth Partner Energy is backed by TPG’s The Rise Fund which invested $70mn in the Hyderabad headquartered firm, in June 2018. With an operational portfolio of 200 MW installed capacity across 23 states currently, the firm has now embarked on its journey to expand beyond distributed solar and into a variety of clean energy solutions, including storage and EV charging infrastructure. Our firm has a pan-India presence with its headquarters in Hyderabad and offices in 10 other cities including Pune, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Ranchi. We have also commenced international operations in 5 South East Asian markets this year. We have executed projects for marquee clients like Hindustan Unilever, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Walmart, Schneider, Skoda, Ferrero, Airtel, D-Mart and ICICI Bank. In our 9 years since inception, we have helped reduce India’s annual dependency on coal by over 1.3 lakh tons, carbon emissions by 2.8 lakh tons – an equivalent of planting around 1.3 crore trees.

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L&T CONSTRUCTION

Ms. Sneha Shenoy Business Development for Southern region

In her 5yrs of professional career, Sneha Shenoy has contributed to the Design andOperations of Solar PV systems and is currently leading Business Development for Southern region for L&T Renewable Energy Business. Early in her career, she was selected for the prestigious Build India Scholarship program through which she pursued her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Construction Technology and Management from IIT Madras. She was also instrumental in integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool on a Digital Platform for the design and planning of Solar Projects. Also, in her current role she is responsible for bringing in Business leads and order conversion for the Southern Market in India for Utility scale Solar PV Projects. Company Profile Conventional energy is finite. To light up tomorrow's world you need imaginative, innovative solutions. L&T Construction has developed the capability to provide solutions for every challenge under the sun. L&T is one of the leading players in Solar PV installations and has a track record that includes execution of some of the largest solar plants in the country. L&T has proven EPC capabilities in offering economically viable and technically superior solutions for solar power plants. The comprehensive range of design and construction services include:: Grid Connected PV (Utility Scale) Energy Storage Systems Microgrid and Distributed Generation Rooftop Solar PV L&T is committed to playing a significant role in the arena of renewable energy by spearheading the green revolution in India. Over the years, L&T has gained expertise in different solar technologies to design and execute solar power plants including financing assistance for solar projects of different capacities.

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RENEW POWER LIMITED

Ms. Ambika Paliwal Marketing Manager

Ambika Paliwal has been a part of the renewable energy industry for over 3 years now. Currently working with ReNew Power Limited, she is responsible for marketing and branding activities for the company. During this tenure, she has had the exposure of working on a full spectrum of activities and processes associated withmarketing and branding aspects of the distributed solar business. Prior to joining ReNew Power, Ambika was associated with Vedanta Resources Limited, where she hasworked in profiles like sales, market development and government advocacy for commodity business, specifically Zinc, Lead and Silver, with an exposure of both national and international market. Ambika has completed Master of Business Administration from Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad. She has graduated in Engineering in Computer Science from Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. Company Profile ReNew Power is the largest renewable energy IPP in India in terms of total energy generation capacity. Since commencing operations with a 25.2 MW wind project in Jasdan, Gujarat, the company has grown exponentially, and has a current renewable asset base of over 7 GW, of which more than 4 GW is operational. ReNew Power develops, builds, owns and operates utility scale wind and solar energy projects as well as distributed solar energy projects that generate energy for commercial and industrial customers. It today operates more than 100 utility scale projects spread across 8 states in India, generating 1% of India’s total electricity and helping to mitigate 0.5% of India’s total carbon emissions.

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BERGENSOLAR POWER AND ENERGY LIMITED

Ms. Nidhi Sharma Asst. General Manager

With more than 10 years of experience now in field of sales, marketing and project management of solar manufacturing and power generation projects as well as administration, She is now a core member of Bergen Solar Power and Energy Limited (BSPEL). She has gone through lot of technical trainings on various products of solar manufacturing as well as vacuum coating products. Her achievements includes in important function in onsite implementation of India’s largest solar cell manufacturing project as well as setting up of internal project management in the organisation. She is currently working on setting up of a sales and marketing department in BSPEL which includes market research, formulating sales plan and implementing them and thereby mentoring and helping colleagues of her departments Qualifications: B.Tech. (Electrical &Electronics) and MBA in Marketing Professionally Affiliated to: SESI (Solar Energy Society of India) Major PV Projects Executed : Adani – 700MW of Solar Cell Manufacturing on Turnkey Basis. Jupiter – 300 MW of Solar Cell Manufacturing . Tata Power – 130MW of Solar Cell Manufacturing. Websol – Upgrdation of PSG lines. Company Profile Since 1983, Bergen Group has set up a benchmark every year in setting up high standards & cost effective solutions for the Indian Electronics, Automotive, Education and Solar industry to name a few. Started humble beginning in 1983 as only a sales & service organisation as a single company, today it has evolved into a multi company, multi location & multi activity based group. While best services for the customer satisfaction is always a focus, this helped group today to reach a customer base from educational institutes to small/medium volume organisation to a large multi-billion dollars organisations as well.

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SB ENERGY

Ms. Smriti Krishna

Manager Business Development Smriti works closely with the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Commercial Officer in identifying large scale Solar PV opportunities, both Gridconnected and in the captive domain. Her role requires deep understanding of renewable business and nuances of the bidding dynamics, including technical & connectivity, regulatory and compliance. She tracks the progress and challenges of ongoing projects and mitigates through communications with regulatory and licensing authorities. Prior to SB Energy, Smriti has extensive experience in consulting at EY and CRISIL where she worked closely with power utilities, helping them realize their strategic vision and explore new opportunities. Company Profile SB Energy is a part of the SoftBank Group and is committed to develop, operate and maintain large scale utility and commercial solar PV and wind power projects across India and globally. The company was established in 2015 and in just 4 years has developed an operational capacity of 1.4 GWp, with an extensive pipeline of 3.6 GWp in India and 1.7 GWp in the US. The company is known to be the first to develop solar-wind hybrid power plant.

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AZURE POWER

Ms. Shalini Naagar Senior Vice President – Human Resources

Shalini has experience working in the HR industry across sectors including IT, ITES, Pharmaceuticals and Retail. Prior to Azure Power, Shalini has served as Head of Human Resources at Marks and Spencer and Novartis Vaccines JV. She has also served companies such as Computer Science Corporation, Tele Atlas India Pvt Ltd. and Fortune Park Group Hotel. Shalini is a Certified Fellow from CIPD (Fellowship of Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, UK) and a Certified Gallup Strengths Coach. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration with specialization in Human Resources from Jaipuria Institute of Management. Company Profile Azure Power Global Limited is an independent power producer, a developer and an operator of utility and commercial scale solar PV power plants headquartered in New Delhi, India. The company was founded in 2008 by entrepreneur Inderpreet Wadhwa. The company sells energy to government utilities, and independent industrial and commercial customers in India. Azure Power developed India's first utility scale solar project in 2009 in Awan, Punjab. The company also installed India's first megawatt scale solar rooftop project in Gandhinagar, Gujarat which was awarded the top 10 Public Private Partnership, 2013 by International Finance Corporation. Azure Power has a total capacity of over 3 GW in 23 states.

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SMA SOLAR INDIA

Ms. Anita Virnave HR Manager

She is HR Manager of SMA Solar India Pvt. Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG. SMA India was established in October, 2010. The Indian operations Head Quartered in Mumbai offers world class comprehensive sales cum services to Indian customers including service line support and hands-on training. Anita, a MBA in HR and Marketing by profession, has almost 12 years of experience in Human Resource Management, with expertise in recruitment & selection, employee relations, employee engagement, PMS, payroll process and retention activities. She is working with SMA Solar India Pvt Ltd. as an HR Manager since last Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;2012. She is a focused and reliable personality with strong people management, leadership, analytical and coordination skills. Having Abilities of reviewing processes and suggesting ways for improving the same. Abilities to work in demanding situations and meet the required deadline. Being a person who loves new challenges she have also delved into Policy Making, Talent Mapping, Attrition and retention programs, headcount management and delivered all to perfection. Company Profile In 1996, one of the first large solar PV plant was powered with SMA central inverter in India. SMA opened its Indian subsidiary at an opportune time in October 2010 with Mr Rakesh Khanna joining as Country Head, when the market was about to expand rapidly. The SMA India team has also grown to spread across 6 locations.

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DELTA ELECTRONICS PVT LTD.

Ms. Mamita Bhattacharjee HR Manager

She is a seasoned HR professional with over 14+ years of experience in supporting multinational teams in a fast-paced matrix environment having expertise in Power Electronics, VLSI, IT software domain. She is a peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s person and trusted HR partner for managers. Robust experience working with global teams; contributed in worldwide HR projects distinguished by her commendable performance and proven results. Being a challenging personality she is experienced in a wide range of services as HR Business Partner, Talent Acquisition specialist, HR Generalist, Employee engagement, Benefits, R&R, HR Operations, Compliance, Comp & Ben, OD interventions and Performance Management. She has pursued Executive Program in Human Resource from IIM, Calcutta and Masters in Business Management from ICFAI, University and is also Toastmasters International Certified Competent Communicator. Company Profile Delta Group in India is operating since 2003. Delta Electronics India Private Limited, is a group entity and a leading Power and Energy management company. It is a 100% subsidiary under the ultimate control of Delta Electronics (Thailand) PCL.Delta operates in three business categories: Power Electronics, Automation and Infrastructure. It has a legacy of operating in India with market leadership in Telecom Power Solutions, Renewable Energy Solutions (Solar Inverters) and Display Solutions (Video walls). It is also a leading provider of Industrial Automation Solutions, UPS & Datacenter Solutions, EV Charging Solutions, Rail Transportation Solutions, Energy Storage Solutions, DC Fans & Blowers, and Components. With sixteen regional offices, three manufacturing facilities (Rudrapur, Gurgaon and Hosur) and two R&D centres (Gurgaon and Bengaluru), Delta has a strong presence across India with more than 200 channel partners.

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AYANA RENEWABLE ENERGY

Gurmeet Chadha Vice President & Head of Human Resources

Gurmeet Chadha has joined Ayana as Vice President and Head of Human Resources. Gurmeet has an overall work experience of more than 17 years. Prior to joining Ayana, she has worked as head of HR for companies like Sembcorp Green Infra Limited, Caparo Automotive Systems, where she was responsible for establishing and executing competitive HR systems and processes that encourage employee absorption; growth and retention. She also worked for Delphi Automotive systems where she was part of Asia Pacific team in driving HR and Learning and Development initiatives for the Asia Pacific region. She holds a Masters Degree in Business Studies from Bhartiya Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune and Bachelors of Commerce from Punjab University. Company Profile Ayana Renewable Power is an Indian renewable energy platfor. Ayana Renewable Power has been set up by CDC Group Plc. to develop significant megawatts (MWs) of renewable energy generation capacities in India and its neighbouring countries in South Asia, namely Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

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CLEANMAX SOLAR

Ms. Rupam Gautam Head-Asset Management (North & East India)

Rupam leads the Asset Management activities for CleanMax Solar, leading Solar developer of India. She has 9+ years’ experience with strong hold in Asset Management, Business development, Engineering, Projectmanagement, Fund raising ,Due diligence activities with the likes of KPMG and Laisioning with central and state nodal agencies like SECI, MNRE, UPNEDA, HAREDA etc. She is a Certified level 2 Value Engineer from SAVE, USA. Post her B-Tech and PGDM from IMT Ghaziabad, she has worked for L&T - MHI Boilers and Fourth Partner EnergyPvt. Ltd. where she was heading the Design and Business development respectively. She has worked in different capacities throughout the project cycle to service the clients and investors requirements for high generation and revenue. She is a Visiting/Guest faculty atvarious institutes like IMT Ghaziabad, GN group, Invertis University, ITS group and a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous events for the power sector organized by firms like Honeywell, NTPC,EQ Solar, Power line etc. Had acted as senior inhouse trainer on topics like DCS, Business development, personality development and project management. Company Profile CleanMax Solar is India’s leading solar company pioneering the ‘Energy Sale’ model in rooftop solar in 2012. CleanMax Solar has successfully installed 470+ projects for 130+ corporates, with a total rooftop solar operating capacity of 200+ MW. CleanMax Solar also operates 350+ MW of large-scale solar farms in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, for supply to its corporate customers. With clientele spanning sectors such as Automotive, Education, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and Information Technology, the company develops projects on a turnkey basis, providing power on a per-kWh basis, under long-term Power Purchase Agreements, at rates cheaper than prevailing grid tariffs. CleanMax develops projects on a turnkey basis, providing cheaper-than-grid solar power without any upfront investment from its customers. CleanMax is a highly skilled and professional team spread across 6 offices in India and the Middle East. CleanMax Solar was the first Indian company to win the prestigious Transformational Business Awards 2018 by Financial Times (FT) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Achievement in ‘Transformational Infrastructure’ category. CleanMax Solar has been recognized by the Ministry of New Renewable Energy (Government of India) with National Excellence Awards for the Rooftop Solar Developer and Rooftop Solar EPC Player in 2016.

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GRANT THORNTON INDIA LLP

Ms. Tanya Batra Assistant Manager, Public Sector

I have worked in the Solar Sector for around 6 years. In my few years of experience, I was able to gain experience in a range of profiles. I have worked in a. Business Development in Solar EPC. b. Contributed in conceptualization of an online solar marketplace model in the B2B space. c. Policy analyses which were published in various industry publications. d. Contributed in conceptualizing solar kits for homes. e. Worked on a concept paper for peer to peer energy trading using blockchain. Each of these experiences, taught me about another aspect of the industry bringing to me a more holistic view of it. While some of these ideas might be ahead of their time, I really hope to see its application soon in the industry even if I am not privileged enough to be a part of it. Company Profile Founded on six guiding principles, it advocates the impact each person can make by being passionately involved in their community. Many inspiring people from Grant Thornton across the globe are already providing innovative, generous and resourceful services to the communities they work and live in, see the videos below for examples of how our people are making a difference. One thread recurs through all our work with communities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; helping young people to unlock their potential through education. Across many of our member firms, our people are using their skills and experience to help young people to thrive.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

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SCORPIUS TRACKERS

Ms. Aditi Khadilkar Admin and Accounts Manager Aditi started her stint in SOLAR by joining SCORPIUS TRACKERS (World’s fastest growing solar-tracker company). Along with her core fields of interest (Administration & Accounts), she got the opportunity to work with Research, Engineering and Logistics Departments. This helped her gain in-depth knowledge of the industry and meeting daily operations and HR requirements of a fast growing R&D company. A senior position in a global organisation needed understanding of complex taxation, legal compliances & financing - met by Aditi along with her highly motivated team. As the company continues to grow globally, Aditi is fully prepared to meet all challenges Company Profile Established in 2012, Scorpius Trackers Pvt Ltd is an inventive and proactive end-to-end single axis solar tracking solution provider. We develop hardware, tracker controller, controller software and algorithms and innovative structure designs. Keeping a pulse of the changing requirements and the need of the IPC and PP’s to scrutinize technology solutions for superior generation with existing set ups to boost returns. Currently , Scorpius is one of India’s largest supplier of single axis trackers and aims to be the world’s premier solar tracking solutions provider by 2020.

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SB ENERGY

Ms. Pooja Arora Head of Admin and Workflows Pooja joined SB Energy - SoftBank Group as one of the first 5 employees and has been pivotal in providing world leading technology and infrastructure tools to her workplace. This has helped create an intuitive, intelligent and collaborative experience among employees across SoftBank’s project sites and corporate offices. She believes the power of technology and thoughtful logistics can create a win-win for both the team and our environment. Whether it is working in corporate to strengthen the core business functions or supporting complex Solar Project Sites, Pooja has been an inspiration for women in the sector and has had fascinating journey. Pooja feels that it is the joint responsibility of the women to seek out experiences and development that can help them lead and succeed, and for organizations to create an environment where women feel empowered to progress in their careers at all levels. “Personally I think, once you set the tone by being a competent professional and establish yourself as someone qualified to get the job done, your work speaks for itself.” Pooja has spearheaded the company in all aspects of Infrastructure, Facilities and IT requirements for Projects. She was actively involved in designing and bringing up the State of the Art, infrastructure of the Corporate Office of SB Energy which has been a great success and makes SB Energy a great place to work with. Driven by entrepreneurial zeal Pooja believes in the adage: “When you believe, your mind will find a way to do”. The solution can be small-scale to begin with, but think large, think globally. If you don’t think you can change the world, you never will. Company Profile SB Energy is a part of the SoftBank Group and is committed to develop, operate and maintain large scale utility and commercial solar PV and wind power projects across India and globally. The company was established in 2015 and in just 4 years has developed an operational capacity of 1.4 GWp, with an extensive pipeline of 3.6 GWp in India and 1.7 GWp in the US. The company is known to be the first to develop solar-wind hybrid power plant.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR

DuPont Photovoltaic and Advanced Materials

Ms. Marisol Rodriquez R&D Leader Dr. Marisol Rodriguez is a Technical Manager in the DuPont Photovoltaic and Advanced Materials business. She leads the Tedlar® Research & Development organization working on new product development, application development and technical service for the photovoltaic, aircraft and industrial market segments. Her role includes strategic technology direction and planning, execution of development and commercialization projects for new and improved products and strengthening and renewing the global technical organization. Marisol earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico and a PhD in analytical chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin. Company Profile DuPont Photovoltaic and Advanced Materials (PVAM) represents a portfolio of product solutions with over 40+ years of service to the solar, aerospace, automotive industries and many others. DuPont products deliver proven power and lasting value for the fast-growing photovoltaics sector, including DuPont™ Solamet® metallization pastes, DuPont™ Tedlar® films as well as DuPont™ Fortasun™ solar silicones. The growing portfolio of DuPont Advanced Materials thick film compositions are used in a variety of electronic applications in the automotive, biomedical, industrial, military, telecommunications and electronic wearables markets. The company is committed to continuing to innovate through time-tested science and engineering to solve today’s challenges.

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CLEANTECH SOLAR

Ms. Taral Ajmera Senior Legal Counsel and Compliance Officer

Taral Ajmera has led Cleantech Solar’s legal and compliance division in India since the past three years. She has been instrumental in framework creation of internal policies and commercial agreements while advising the board on key legalities, and strategic mergers and acquisitions during this period of swift growth. Ms. Ajmera has driven negotiations for 100+ Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with counter parties originating from myriad industries including coal, oil & gas, cement, textile, infrastructure, Pharma, FMCG, automotive etc., keeping in mind the regulatory and commercial intricacies of each business. Her efforts have resulted in increased client retention, resolution of disputes with counter parties and incorporation of several strategic alliances through JVs setup across India. On the company’s fundraising transaction front, she has navigated end to end processes from negotiation to execution. Ms. Ajmera offers a wealth of expertise in due diligence, inbound & outbound investment structuring, litigation management and corporate structuring to Cleantech Solar. She was entrusted by International Financial Law Review (IFLR) India M&A Forum 2019 to represent the due diligence and shareholder activism cause for India. Amongst her other accolades, Ms. Ajmera was chosen to represent International Energy Agency (IEA) for the gender diversity cause in solar space to promote a new diverse culture of leadership. In 2018, IEA featured her as one of the “strongest women leaders in Indian Solar Power Market” in its first report on women in the rooftop solar market in India. Ms. Ajmera is certified in Energy Law and Management from National Law School of India University (Bangalore). She received her Company Secretary from Institute of Company Secretary of India (ICSI), LLB from Jitendra Chauhan College of Law (Mumbai University) and Bachelor’s in Commerce from Mumbai University.” Company Profile Cleantech Solar has established itself with a successful track record of over 200 solar power plants as a leading solar developer in Asia that invests, owns and operates solar projects, specializing in the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) sector. Through long-term partnerships, Cleantech Solar allows its customers to enjoy clean solar energy at reduced costs without investing any upfront capital, while simultaneously helping them meet their sustainability goals.

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WOMEN IN SOLAR