Sheveeta Hegde: Still a Man’s Boardroom? Why India’s Music Industry Needs More Women Decision-Makers

If you think about Indian music, women have always been at the heart of it. From legendary playback singers to today’s indie artists and performers, women have shaped the sound of our country for decades. Their voices have defined films, emotions, and memories for generations.

But for a long time, while women were everywhere on stage and in front of the microphone, there were far fewer of them in the rooms where the big business decisions were being made.

The good news is, this is slowly changing.

Over the last few years, the Indian music industry has evolved a lot. Earlier, the business revolved mainly around film music, physical sales, and traditional label structures. Today, the ecosystem is much bigger and more exciting. With the rise of streaming platforms, independent artists, social media, and brand collaborations, music has become a much more dynamic space.

And as the industry has grown, new kinds of roles have opened up, from digital strategy and music licensing to content partnerships, marketing, and building music-led IP. These areas are now key to how the business works, and we’re seeing more women step into leadership roles across them.

That shift is important because music is ultimately about people and culture. India’s music audience is incredibly diverse, across languages, regions, and generations. When the teams making decisions reflect that diversity, the industry naturally becomes more creative and more in tune with its audience.

We are definitely seeing more women enter the music business today, whether in marketing, partnerships, content, or artist management. The next step is ensuring more of them move into leadership and decision-making roles as well.

Personally, I’ve been lucky to be a part of this ideology up close. At Times Music, I work alongside some incredibly strong women leaders across the company. We have women heading key functions like Licensing & Digital Alliances, Film and Content Acquisition, Legal, and Marketing. These are not just operational roles, they are positions that influence strategy, partnerships, and the direction of the business.

When you have diverse leadership around the table, conversations automatically become richer. Different perspectives lead to better ideas, better partnerships, and often more innovative ways of thinking about how music can reach audiences.

For the Indian music industry to continue growing, building the right ecosystem is key. That means creating opportunities, mentorship, and clear career paths for women who want to grow into leadership roles. It also means ensuring that talent is recognised not just creatively, but across the business side of music as well.

The momentum we’re seeing today is encouraging. More women are entering the industry, more are leading teams, and more are influencing the future of music in India.

And the truth is, when the industry becomes more inclusive, everyone benefits. It leads to better storytelling, stronger business ideas, and a music ecosystem that truly reflects the audience it serves.

The Indian music industry is at a really exciting stage right now. As it continues to grow globally, having more women in decision-making roles won’t just be good for representation, it will simply make the industry stronger.