Indian-origin technology professionals have been recognised among the winners of New Zealand’s 2026 Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA), celebrating outstanding women driving innovation, leadership and inclusion across the country’s technology sector.
Among this year’s winners was Minu Mathew from Datacom, recognised for her technical leadership and contribution to secure network solutions. Mathew’s career journey from desktop support to network engineering has seen her develop expertise in secure networks, SD-WAN and managed services. As a team leader for managed network services and second-in-command to the general manager, she has helped deliver scalable technology solutions while earning Datacom’s Living Values Award for service excellence.
Ankita Dhakar, founder of SecurityLit and Capture The Bug, was recognised for her work in cybersecurity and systems design. She has helped organisations strengthen security practices by translating complex technical risks into practical solutions while mentoring emerging professionals.
“Not every day a founder gets recognised for what they’ve built so far, so I’m feeling incredibly grateful,” Dhakar said on LinkedIn.
“A few years ago, Capture The Bug was just an idea. Today, we’re helping listed companies, fast-growing SaaS, govt orgs, and enterprises simplify how they buy and manage penetration testing. This award belongs to a lot of people.”
Jyothi Madanlal from Amazon Web Services was honoured for her contribution to professional development and the wider technology community. She has been a global contributor to AWS Observability initiatives and serves on the TechWomen New Zealand Board, supporting initiatives such as Mentoring Circles and expanding the ShadowTech programme to more than 150 schools.
Alisha Singla from Easycoder was also recognised for her leadership journey, progressing from frontline support to a trusted advisory role. Since taking on a leadership position, she has contributed to a reported 220 per cent increase in company turnover through improved delivery processes, client retention and strategic growth.
Singla observed on LinkedIn:
“So many people have given me their time, their honesty, and their guidance, often for no reason other than kindness. This award has their fingerprints all over it.”
This year’s awards attracted a record 217 nominations from 77 organisations across the telecommunications, partner, vendor and distributor sectors, with 137 finalists shortlisted.
The WIICTA programme, launched in 2016, continues to provide a platform for recognising women making significant contributions across New Zealand’s technology industry.
The awards also introduced a refreshed Culture and Equity category, replacing the previous Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category, along with a new Community Impact award recognising individuals driving inclusion, cultural respect and social equity initiatives.
Julia Talevski, Editor ARN at Reseller News, said, “From the calibre of this year’s winners to the energy in the room, it’s clear just how much talent, innovation and leadership there is across the tech ecosystem.”
“Congratulations to all the winners of the Women in ICT Awards 2026. The calibre of talent across New Zealand’s ICT sector is outstanding, and this year’s winners exemplify the leadership, innovation and impact shaping the industry.”
The awards, hosted by Reseller News, brought together more than 400 industry leaders at Cordis Auckland to celebrate achievements across nine categories, including Innovation, Technical, Entrepreneur, Graduate, Rising Star, Shining Star, Achievement, Culture and Equity, and Community Impact.
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