Ujjwala Karle’s decision to join ARAI may have been completely unplanned, but her career at India’s automobile technology and certification agency required considerable focus and dedication from this electronics engineer.

Three decades ago, Ujjwala Karle’s career in the automotive industry began with an unexpected twist. She had merely accompanied a friend to an interview at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune. At the time, the organization was relatively unknown, and Karle herself had never considered a future in automobiles. Yet, fate had other plans.

With no resume in hand and no expectations, she was encouraged to interview on the spot. To her surprise, she was selected—while her friend was not. “Initially, I was unsure about joining the automotive industry because I had never considered it as a …