Ms. Anubhuti Bansal: Engineering Change in India’s Hydro Power Sector
Ms. Anubhuti Bansal, hailing from the small town of Roorkee in Uttarakhand, represents a compelling narrative of resilience, technical excellence, and trailblazing leadership in India’s hydro power industry. An alumnus of IIT Roorkee, she comes from a modest service-class family and has built an extraordinary professional journey defined by determination, perseverance, and a relentless commitment to excellence in a highly demanding and traditionally male-dominated sector.
She began her professional career with Voith Hydro, a global leader in hydroelectric solutions. Over a distinguished tenure of 12 years, she emerged as one of the company’s most dependable technical professionals in India. During this period, she created history by becoming the first woman in the country to commission multiple hydro power projects, a landmark achievement that set new benchmarks for technical leadership and on-site execution in large-scale energy infrastructure.
Her exceptional performance was recognised early in her career. She was identified as a high-potential professional and honoured with the Employee of the Year Award in 2015, reflecting her strong engineering acumen, problem-solving abilities, and leadership qualities. However, her journey was far from easy. Establishing credibility in a male-dominated field required sustained resilience, mental strength, and consistent delivery under challenging site conditions. Through perseverance and professionalism, she not only earned acceptance but also respect across teams and stakeholders.
Despite professional success, she remained driven by a deeper purpose. With a passion for continuous learning and a strong desire to contribute meaningfully to India’s infrastructure and energy development, she chose not to remain within the comfort of corporate stability. Even after embracing motherhood, she demonstrated remarkable courage by taking an entrepreneurial leap. With unwavering family support, she founded CrestoTechnisis Pvt. Ltd. in 2021.
The company specialises in providing supply and service solutions for hydro power projects up to 200 MW, addressing critical technical gaps in execution, rehabilitation, and operational efficiency. Under her leadership, it has evolved rapidly, offering solutions that combine engineering precision with practical, on-ground adaptability. Her active technical involvement continues to distinguish the organisation in a sector where hands-on leadership is essential.
Today, she stands as India’s first female entrepreneur in the hydro power sector with an active technical presence on project sites, an achievement that has inspired many young engineers and professionals across the country. Her leadership philosophy is rooted in accountability, technical integrity, and the belief that excellence is built through presence, participation, and persistence.
In a short span of just four years, her entrepreneurial journey has achieved remarkable milestones. She successfully established the company’s footprint in India and Nepal, beginning with the supply of specialised components and technical consultancy services. This foundation enabled the organisation to take on more complex assignments, culminating in the successful restoration of two flood-affected hydro power plants—a 4.5 MW project in India and a 22 MW project in Nepal. Both facilities were brought back into active power generation, contributing significantly to regional energy resilience.
These achievements highlight her ability to manage crisis-driven environments, deliver under pressure, and provide sustainable engineering solutions. Beyond business growth, her work plays a vital role in strengthening renewable energy infrastructure, supporting energy security, and advancing sustainable development goals.
Her journey from a small-town upbringing to becoming a transformative force in India’s hydro power landscape stands as a testament to courage, competence, and conviction. By breaking barriers and redefining leadership in core engineering, she continues to inspire a new generation—proving that with vision and determination, women can lead and excel at the highest levels of industrial and entrepreneurial impact.
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