Meet Damyanti Hingorani: Once Rejected, THIS Indian Woman Scripted History And Made Ford Motors Change Its Rule

In 1967, during the height of second-wave feminism, 25-year-old Damyanti Hingorani faced rejection from Ford Motors in Detroit for an engineering position. Despite the initial setback, she arguing, “I’m here, and unless you hire me, you’ll never have any.” Her persistence led to her becoming Ford’s first female degreed engineer.

 

Born in 1942, Damyanti’s family fled from Sindh, Pakistan, to Mumbai amidst the chaos of the Partition. Despite losing their wealth, her mother, Gopibai Hingorani, vowed to provide Damyanti with an education. This commitment laid the foundation for Damyanti's remarkable journey into engineering.

At age 13, Damyanti was inspired by a speech from Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who urged both boys and girls to pursue engineering. This moment ignited her passion for the field and motivated her to become one of India’s first female engineers.

Damyanti made history as the first female mechanical engineer at her Indian engineering college. Facing challenges, including long commutes to access a restroom, she was supported by the dean, who had a bathroom installed for her. Her resilience in this male-dominated environment was just the beginning of her groundbreaking career.

After moving to America with her parents' savings, Damyanti joined Ford Motors, where she eventually met her husband Subhas Gupta and raised two sons. Despite societal norms, she continued her career, earning promotions and accolades.