The WePOWER Role Model Series is a collection of stories showcasing the journeys of women working in the energy sector across South Asia. These stories highlight their achievements, courage, and unwavering dedication to their work. We hope they serve as an inspiration for other women to pursue careers in STEM and the energy sector and encourage institutions to create more inclusive opportunities for women in this field.

Melundi Nishshanka

Senior Electrical Engineer, Lanka Electricity Company (Pvt) Ltd (LECO), Sri Lanka

Melundi Nishshanka is a trailblazer in Sri Lanka’s power sector, currently serving as the only woman to have held the position of Senior Electrical Engineer at Lanka Electricity Company (LECO). With nearly a decade of experience in the energy sector, she leads a team of 120 staff across three departments, overseeing the electrical network and ensuring uninterrupted power supply to over 90,000 customers. As she explains she has had many sleepless nights, but she has been truly believing on-site work with her team (which is all male) and she enjoys the challenges she faces in her work.

Her role is demanding and unpredictable—requiring her to be on-call 24/7 and often leading her to field sites late at night. Despite the challenges of managing an all-male team in a traditionally male-dominated field, Melundi embraces her work with passion and purpose. She finds motivation in being hands-on in operations, solving problems in real-time, and making a tangible impact on people’s daily lives.

A typical day for Melundi begins at 4 a.m., well before her young son wakes up. She carves out early-morning hours for herself—doing yoga, reading, meditating, or catching up on work. Her workdays vary, from handling meetings and operational planning in the office to overseeing network issues in the field. Even after hours, she sets aside time to recharge—whether spending time with family or going for a swim once a week.

What keeps her going?

Belief in herself – confidence in her resilience, energy, and abilities.
Passion for the power sector – a genuine love for her field and solving real-world problems.
A deep sense of purpose – knowing her work directly improves people’s lives.

How does she make her field more gender-inclusive?
Melundi mentors junior women engineers at LECO, encourages them to pursue leadership roles, and leads by example. She believes representation matters, and by sharing her own journey, she hopes to break stereotypes and inspire more women to enter the energy sector.

She believes that women in her capacity have to be role models through their work showing that women are just as capable in technical and operational roles as men and this should inspire more women to step into this field.

Melundi also acknowledges the importance of raising awareness and breaking stereotyping by sharing personal journeys and highlighting the contribution of women in the Energy sector. She thinks that these stories need to be shared, and more and more women should know that they are not alone in this profession. The numbers may be small but that is still something to be proud of.

Her advice to aspiring women professionals:
"Practice self-love and make time for things that matter to you. Challenges will come, but stay strong mentally—most battles are fought and won in the mind. Surround yourself with supportive people and believe in your ability to shape your environment."

Swati Goel

Deputy General Manager

Power Finance Corporation Ltd, New Delhi, India

Swati Goel’s professional journey of over 15 years has given her the opportunity to be a part of the evolution of the Power sector in India. Her various roles within the Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC), a public sector enterprise that provides funds and support to power projects, has given her the confidence and courage to take on challenges and changes.

Swati’s keen interest in math, science and tech innovations led her to pursue an engineering degree in Electronics and Communication. She started her career with a role in chip design for cellphones and automobiles. Thereafter, she acquired a management degree with specialization in finance, which helped her advance her professional skills. Her job with PFC was the next defining step in” her career.

Swati’s journey in PFC started with the responsibility of appraising conventional power projects such as thermal and hydro, followed by the era of renewable energy projects such as solar and wind. Then PFC expanded its horizons to fund equipment manufacturing, smart meter projects and so on. And now it is a different arena altogether with the emergence of new technologies around energy transition. So, in Swati’s own words, “there is never a dull moment in this industry”.

Her role requires her to be associated with projects right from the design stage till the operational stage. This involves close monitoring of the project’s progress both physically and financially. Swati’s role requires site visits at various stages of development and operation. These site visits have taken her to various corners of India, including some remote locations that require days of travel by road from the nearest airport or railway station. She recalls instances where the staff at a project site were clearly surprised to find a “woman officer” turning up for inspection.

Despite the challenges and demands of her profession, Swati — who is also the mother of a 10-year-old daughter — is both happy and grateful that her role is a perfect blend of both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies. In her free time, which sometimes includes a weekend, Swati likes to cycle, dance or paint with her daughter.

What keeps her going?

Learning opportunities in her profession - it keeps her on her toes and makes her push her boundaries
Dynamism of the Power sector - it is an ever-evolving industry and always full of challenges
Inspiration from a woman leader - Swati is deeply motivated by her regular interactions with the PFC Chairman & Managing Director.

What does she do to make the field more gender inclusive?

Swati believes that “having women leaders at the top definitely helps” other women. The women leaders she has worked with have helped Swati learn the importance of time management, work-life balance and delegating effectively. Her own endeavor is to lead by example, so that other women, too, feel inspired.

Swati also feels that it is important for professionals like her to give the right perspective to the next generation when it comes to gender inclusion. “Most biases at the workplace stem from our upbringing and societal norms. As parents we must overcome these biases in our daily lives and not pass on stereotypes or biases to our children,” she says.

Her advice to aspiring women professionals

Invest in yourself. Give yourself time — whether it is a hobby or a self-care routine. Keep challenging yourself and be open to change and new developments.

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