Engineering an inclusive society
Meet IET fellow Kamala Manju Kesavan
A strong supporter of community service for the betterment of others and an innovative engineer in fintech, Kamala Manju Kesavan embodies engineering a better world.
Leading by example, she is dedicated to continually developing herself and others, using every day as an opportunity to share knowledge and learn from the perspectives of those around her. “My aim in being an engineer is to motivate others, particularly women, to explore this dynamic field. My ultimate goal is to use my skills to create a more inclusive and sustainable society,” she says.
Kamala Manju obtained a BScin Physics in 1997 followed by an MSc in Computer Science in 2001, both from Madurai Kamaraj University, before embarking on a career in engineering within many prestigious organisations. From Yahoo, AOL, McAfee and Siebel to EFI and Macy’s Technology, Kamala Manju evolved from engineer to team lead, manager, senior quality engineering manager and senior engineering manager.
Currently, she works as the director of engineering at Visa, overseeing a team of talented engineers and delivering one of Visa’s key products.
As well as her highly successful career, Kamala Manju is steadfastly committed to supporting others through giving her time to mentor the next generation of engineers and volunteering to aid the education of disadvantaged children.
This includes committing time to the Single Mother Programme in the Women in IT initiative, where she helps women transitioning into the tech sector, as well as mentoring young engineers to achieve their dreams in the tech world through her role as an advisor for Harvard’s WeCode programme.
Kamala Manju is invested in financing the higher education of three underprivileged children in India, as well as providing support for Parikrama, a summer school programme offering free education to over 1,800 students from slum communities in Bengaluru. She worked with her son to provide these schools with devices donated to continue remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Persistently committed to learning and developing, Kamala Manju discovered IET fellowship when researching opportunities for professional development in engineering and technology. “I was impressed by the IET’s commitment to fostering innovation and excellence in these fields and decided to apply for fellowship. The process was rigorous but ultimately very rewarding,” she added.
Joining a network of fellows and leading professionals in the field has helped her develop connections leading to valuable discussions, knowledge sharing and collaborations that might not have been possible otherwise. “With the enhanced credibility as an IET fellow, I aim to influence policy and decision-making processes in the wider industry, and to bring ethical and sustainable practices to the forefront of these discussions.
“Fellowship is a profound honour and a milestone in my professional journey, serving as a source of inspiration, propelling me to continue to innovate, lead, and inspire others in the sphere of engineering and technology.”