NIMISHAÂ MORKONDA GNANASEKARAN
Contributor to You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech SectorÂ
About Nimisha
Nimisha Morkonda Gnanasekaran is Director of Data Science at Western Digital, where she leads AI-driven innovation in product quality and reliability. Her team develops scalable AI solutions that optimize manufacturing, accelerate root cause analysis, and integrate large language models to augment organizational performance.
Recognized as one of the IEEE Computer Society’s Top 30 Early Career Professionals and named among the 2025 Women of Impact Top 50, Nimisha is a passionate advocate for ethical AI, inclusive leadership, and mentorship for women in STEM. Her leadership is grounded in both technical depth and a commitment to building opportunities for the next generation.
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CONNECT WITHÂ NIMISHA
Nimisha's Chapter:
Build the Table, Bring the Chair: How to Thrive in Tech When You Don’t Fit the Mold
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In her chapter, Nimisha shares her journey from a curious child inspired by her mother’s entrepreneurial spirit to an AI leader shaping innovation at Western Digital. Growing up in India, she was often told what girls could and couldn’t do. Pursuing her dream meant crossing borders, defying expectations, and constantly proving herself in classrooms and workplaces where she was one of the few women.
She reveals how the biases she faced — from being underestimated in her studies to fielding intrusive questions about balancing work and family — shaped her mantra: don’t wait for a seat, build your own table and bring the chair with you. Her chapter offers practical strategies to thrive in tech: building a “support squad” of mentors, allies, and mentees; adapting with resilience in fast-changing fields like AI; investing in personal branding; and learning to advocate for yourself and others unapologetically.
Above all, Nimisha shows that thriving in tech isn’t about conforming — it’s about rewriting the rules, embracing continuous learning, and using your platform to lift others as you climb.
“Every rejection or bias I faced became fuel to not just succeed, but to open doors for others.”
— Nimisha Morkonda Gnanasekaran, You’re On Mute
About the Book:
You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector
You’re On Mute: 13 Lessons for Women Frustrated with the Tech Sector is a bold anthology by women in tech, sharing unapologetic stories of resilience, exclusion, and transformation. From global leaders to grassroots innovators, these chapters are lessons and rallying cries that challenge the systems holding us back and imagine a more inclusive future. In a moment where AI is reshaping everything, this book reminds us that real change won’t come from technology alone, but from community, care, and collective action.
Listen to Nimisha'a Episode:
The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence
Marie Wiese is joined by, Director of Data Science at Western Digital. Srinimisha holds a BS degree in Computer Science and Cybernetics from the University of Reading, UK and a MS in Computer Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder, USA and has played a pioneering role in introducing and launching cutting-edge technology-driven solutions. Tune in to hear Srinimisha's insights on the evolution of AI, the role of women in the field, and the impact of AI in manufacturing.
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