Gayathri Vaidyanathan’s Remarkable Comeback: From Career Break to Leadership in Tech

In 2010, Gayathri Vaidyanathan took a seven-year career break, a daunting decision in the fast-paced tech industry. However, her determination and hard work led her to make a remarkable comeback. After her career hiatus, Gayathri started as an intern at Target, commuting between Bengaluru and Hyderabad to be with her family on weekends. Despite occasional self-doubt, she was driven by the desire to engage intellectually and find purpose beyond being a homemaker.

Throughout her break, Gayathri remained connected to technology by working as a tech blogger and becoming a certified Scrum Master. These efforts kept her updated on industry trends. She believed in making the most of her capabilities and being financially independent.

Her career journey has been one of continuous learning and evolution. After graduating in Electronics and Communication, she worked at DE Shaw India Software and HCL Technologies before her long stint at Lucent. Despite the challenges of being one of the few women engineers in her early career, she excelled in cutting-edge telecom projects.

In 2020, Gayathri joined Lowe’s India as the Director of Software Engineering, leading the Sourcing (Customer Promise) Engineering division. She emphasizes the importance of women advocating for their goals, prioritizing effectively, and seeking help when needed. Additionally, she supports returnship programs and encourages women to embrace opportunities and not fear failure.

Gayathri’s story highlights her resilience and determination to succeed, proving that career breaks need not be roadblocks to achieving leadership roles in tech.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Your story