Over 740 Women Drive India’s Most Digitalized Mines at Hindustan Zinc

Hindustan Zinc Ltd, the world’s largest integrated zinc producer and one of the top 10 silver producers globally, commemorated International Women in Mining Day by celebrating over 740 women professionals across its core mining and smelting operations. With women working across underground mines, digital control rooms, remote operations, mine rescue teams, smelters, and night shifts, Hindustan Zinc is home to one of Asia’s largest cohorts of women in mining and continues to redefine women’s participation in technology-led industrial roles. With women now representing 26.4 percent of its workforce, the company continues to set a benchmark for gender diversity in India’s metals and mining sector.

This milestone reflects a significant shift for India’s core manufacturing and metals industry, which has traditionally grappled with representation, accessibility, and retention of women in technical and frontline roles. At Hindustan Zinc, this transformation has been enabled by automation, AI-based safety systems, tele-remote operations, real-time monitoring, and inclusive workplace infrastructure, making mining safer, smarter, and more accessible for diverse talent.

Sandhya Rasakatla, First Woman Underground Mine Manager, Hindustan Zinc, said, “Hindustan Zinc has made mining more accessible for women by building safer, smarter, and more technology-led workplaces. From underground operations to digital control rooms, the company has created an environment where women are trusted with critical responsibilities and encouraged to grow. For me, this journey has been deeply personal. Hindustan Zinc gave me the confidence to step into a field I once saw as challenging, and today, every shift reminds me that I am not just building a career in mining but helping inspire more women to believe they belong here.”

Women professionals at Hindustan Zinc are contributing across the company’s high-tech operations, including remote blasting, tele-remote equipment handling, real-time monitoring systems, operational intelligence platforms, automated processes, and digital control rooms. The company is also home to India’s first woman underground mining professional and introduced India’s first all-women underground mine rescue team in 2023, reinforcing its focus on safety, capability building, and equal opportunity in core mining operations.

“At Hindustan Zinc, we believe the future of mining will be defined not only by technology and scale, but by the diversity of people who shape it. As mining becomes more automated, digital and intelligence-led, we are creating an ecosystem where women can lead from the front across underground operations, rescue teams, control rooms and leadership roles,” said Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc. “Our ambition to reach 30 percent gender diversity by 2030 is not just a workforce target. It is a commitment to building a future-ready metals and mining organisation where capability, courage, and innovation define opportunity.”

 As technology continues to reshape the sector, Hindustan Zinc is creating new pathways for women to participate in roles that were once considered inaccessible in traditional mining environments. Women in Mining Day serves as an opportunity to recognize the growing contribution of women in one of the world’s most challenging industrial sectors. For Hindustan Zinc, this recognition goes beyond representation. It is about embedding inclusion into the operational core of the business and enabling women to work across frontline, technical and leadership roles.

Nehal Solanki, Mining Engineer, Hindustan Zinc, said, “When I chose mining as a career, I knew I was stepping into a field where women were still underrepresented. Today, I am proud to be part of an organization where opportunities are defined by capability and ambition, not gender. From working in core mining operations to contributing alongside highly skilled teams in round-the-clock shifts, I have experienced firsthand how Hindustan Zinc empowers women to challenge conventions and grow as professionals. The confidence, support, and trust that the company places in us inspires many young women across the country to believe that a career in mining is not only possible, but incredibly rewarding.”

As India accelerates its focus on mineral security, infrastructure growth and future-ready industrial development, Hindustan Zinc believes that the mining workforce of the future must be both technologically advanced and diverse. The company’s progress has been supported by enabling infrastructure, digital transformation, and its ‘Zinclusion’ initiative, which provides structured support for women and LGBTQ+ employees through targeted policies, safety systems and career development opportunities. Hindustan Zinc has also invested in automation, AI-based safety tools, real-time data systems and tele-remote operations, making its workplaces more inclusive and future-ready.

Moving towards its goal of achieving 30 percent gender diversity by 2030, Hindustan Zinc continues to demonstrate that inclusion is not merely a workforce metric but a driver of innovation, performance, and long-term growth. By creating pathways for women to thrive in one of the world’s most challenging industrial sectors, the company is not only transforming mining but also inspiring future generations to believe that no dream is beyond reach.

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