The Business Fame is honored to feature an exclusive interview with Ms. Sadhna Singh, a distinguished Consultant at NITI Aayog. With over a decade of diverse experience spanning policy research, strategic affairs, cybersecurity, and ICT, Ms. Singh brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic insight to her role. Her career—rooted in a strong foundation from the Indian Army’s Corps of Signals—reflects a deep commitment to driving impactful policy initiatives that support India’s developmental goals. In this conversation, she shares her journey, insights, and vision for shaping the future through informed and collaborative policymaking.
Q. Can you share your journey into the field of cybersecurity and what inspired you to pursue this path?
Cybersecurity, for me, isn’t just a career choice, it’s a natural extension of a lifelong commitment to service and protection. My journey began in the Indian Army, where I served in the Corps of Signals, managing secure communications, networks, and electronic systems, often in the most challenging operational environments. When you’re out there, especially in high-risk zones like with the Rashtriya Rifles, you realise very quickly that securing information isn’t just about data. It’s about lives. It’s about mission success. It’s about national integrity.
Over time, I saw the battlefield shifting. We were no longer just defending borders, we were defending bytes. That realisation hit me hard: today’s wars are being fought in cyberspace. And that’s what drew me deeply into cybersecurity, the urgency, the complexity, and the opportunity to make a real impact.
After retiring from the Army, I wanted to carry that mission forward. Working with NITI Aayog gave me that chance at a national scale. It allowed me to bring the ground-level experience into the policy space, contributing to digital security frameworks, resilient infrastructure planning, and shaping how we think about cybersecurity in our governance models.
What keeps me inspired is the understanding that whether in uniform or out of it, the mission remains the same—to protect, to empower, and to build systems that are not just smart, but secure. Cybersecurity is the new frontier, and I’m proud to be part of the force guarding it.
Q. What are the some of the biggest challenges that you have faced as a women in cyber security domain and how have you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced as a woman in the cybersecurity domain, especially coming from a military background, has been navigating spaces where both the tech and defence worlds are traditionally male-dominated. Early on, there were moments where I had to constantly prove my credibility, whether in tactical field operations or while discussing high-level cyber strategies. It wasn’t about competence; it was about perception. Perception about women not being proficient enough, professional enough.
But I never saw that as a disadvantage. Instead, I treated it as an opportunity to lead by example. I leaned on my training, my discipline, and my ability to stay mission-focused. I earned respect not by demanding it, but by consistently delivering under pressure, adapting to emerging threats, and staying ahead of the curve.
In the policy space, like during my time with NITI Aayog, another challenge was making sure that gendered perspectives weren’t left behind in digital policy-making. I’ve made it a point to advocate for inclusive digital ecosystems, where women are not just users of technology but also its architects and defenders.
Ultimately, overcoming these challenges has been about standing my ground, continuing to learn, and building networks of trust and mentorship, so that the next generation of women in cybersecurity won’t have to ask for a seat at the table; they’ll walk in knowing they belong.
Q. How do you see the role of women evolving in shaping the future of cybersecurity, especially in leadership and innovation?
Women are playing an increasingly vital role in shaping the future of cybersecurity and I believe we’re only just beginning to see the impact. Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical domain; it’s about strategic thinking, risk management, human behavior, and ethical leadership. These are areas where women bring immense strength, especially with their ability to lead with empathy, resilience, and systems thinking.
Having served in the Indian Army and later contributing to policy-level discussions at NITI Aayog, I’ve seen how women leaders bring a multidimensional approach to solving security challenges. Whether it’s innovating cyber defense mechanisms, shaping digital governance, or driving awareness at the grassroots level, women are stepping into roles that influence not just organizations, but national and global priorities.
The future of cybersecurity needs diversity, not just in gender, but in thought and lived experiences. Women are now founding cyber startups, leading incident response teams, designing secure digital infrastructures, and sitting at policymaking tables. And as we move toward a more interconnected and AI-driven world, inclusive leadership will be the key to building systems that are not only smart and secure, but also just and sustainable.
I’m committed to mentoring and supporting more women to enter, stay, and lead in this space, because when women rise in cybersecurity, the entire digital ecosystem becomes stronger. I am committed to make this space an equal playing field where seeing a women in a strong innovative and leadership role would be a norm.
Q. What are the key trends or emerging threats in cybersecurity that businesses should be aware of in 2025 and beyond?
As we move deeper into 2025 and beyond, cybersecurity is no longer a backend concern, it’s becoming a central pillar of strategic business resilience. The key trends and emerging threats I see shaping the landscape are both technical and human-centric.
First, the rise of AI-driven cyberattacks is a major concern. Threat actors are using generative AI to craft highly personalized phishing attacks, deepfakes, and social engineering tactics that are harder to detect. This means businesses need to adopt AI not just for innovation, but also for defence, using it to detect anomalies, respond faster, and predict vulnerabilities.
Second, the growing attack surface due to remote work, cloud dependency, and IoT expansion continues to challenge traditional security models. The old perimeter-based security approach is no longer sufficient. Zero Trust architecture is becoming essential, along with continuous monitoring and identity-first security.
Third, supply chain vulnerabilities are becoming a favourite target for attackers, particularly through third-party vendors and software dependencies. This means organizations must look beyond their own walls and strengthen cybersecurity across their entire ecosystem.
And finally, we can’t ignore the regulatory shift. Data privacy and cyber compliance are tightening across the globe. Businesses must stay ahead of evolving standards, not just to avoid penalties, but to build customer trust.
In essence, cybersecurity today isn’t just about defending data, it’s about enabling safe innovation. Businesses that embed security into their culture, leadership, and technology stack will be the ones that thrive in the digital future.
Q. Can you tell us about a recent project, initiative, or achievement that you’re particularly proud of?
One recent initiative that I’m particularly proud of is leading a cybersecurity policies and governance workshop, which culminated in a comprehensive report aimed at strengthening national and institutional cyber resilience. The workshop brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including senior bureaucrats, defence personnel, cybersecurity experts, legal advisors, academia, and representatives from leading think tanks, regulatory bodies and leasing industries. I could bring to table Member NITI Aayog, Secretaries from MHA, National Cyber security Coordinator, DG Cert-in, DG NCIIPC, CBI, DRDO scientists, NFSU, IITs representatives and Industry representatives from AWS, Microsoft, Google and many more. This cross-sectoral participation created a dynamic platform for meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange.
Drawing on my background in secure communications and national security, I facilitated discussions on a wide range of topics, incident response readiness, data governance frameworks, cyber hygiene practices, and the urgent need for adaptive, real-time policy-making in today’s evolving digital landscape.
What I found most fulfilling was translating these multidimensional insights into a well-structured, actionable report. This report now serves as a strategic reference document for institutions aiming to build robust, policy-driven cyber defence mechanisms. It is under process for publication.
This experience reinforced my core belief: that cybersecurity is not just a technological concern-it’s a shared governance responsibility. I’m proud to have contributed to a project that not only fosters awareness but also drives tangible impact in shaping India’s secure digital future.
Other than that, as a contribution to society, I have written extensively about cyber crimes, including a working paper on “Online Safety for Children: Protecting Next Generation from Harm”, hoping to ignite more conversations on the subject. I have also appeared on a podcast on countering cybercrime and have been part of many panel discussions on cyber security and cyber diplomacy, where I shared the stage with many industry leaders, country ambassadors as well.
Q. What advice would you give to young women aspiring to build a career in cybersecurity?
To every young woman aspiring to build a career in cybersecurity, my advice is simple: own your space, and never underestimate the value you bring to the table. Cybersecurity is not just about code or tools, it’s about protecting systems, people, and national interests. It needs sharp minds, ethical thinking, strategic vision, and relentless curiosity and women bring all of that, and more.
Don’t be intimidated by the jargon or the gender gap. Step into the room with confidence, ask the tough questions, and keep learning. The field is vast, whether it’s ethical hacking, cyber policy, digital forensics, AI security, or governance, find what excites you and dive deep.
Also, build your tribe. Surround yourself with mentors, allies, and peers who uplift you. Learn from setbacks, they are part of the process. I’ve faced my share of challenges in uniform and in cyberspace, but what kept me going was purpose. If you stay grounded in that, nothing can stop you.
Most importantly, know that you belong in this field, not as a token presence, but as a leader, innovator, and change-maker. The future of cybersecurity needs your perspective, your integrity, and your voice.
