Growing up, Japnit’s father played a pivotal role in her STEM journey. By encouraging her to pursue technology, he quietly challenged cultural expectations. In a community where girls were rarely encouraged to pursue careers in STEM, he gave her permission to dream beyond traditional gender norms.
When I was eleven, my father showed me the source code of Facebook. That day, two life-changing realizations hit me. First, I was amazed to discover that red and blue lines of code could stretch across the Pacific Ocean and connect me to my aunt on the other side of the world. Second, I understood that technology wasn’t just screens and apps; it was a language that could shape my ideas.
Yes, many times. Being the only girl in my computer club often made me feel out of place, and without a role model who looked like me, I doubted whether I truly belonged in tech. I rarely spoke up, afraid my voice would be dismissed. The computer club should have been a sea of opportunities, but many were out of reach. Living in Delhi meant I wasn’t allowed to travel alone, and unlike my male peers, I couldn’t easily attend late-night hackathons, overnight events, or off-campus competitions. The few events I did manage to attend left me feeling like an outsider, with the silent expectation that I wouldn’t measure up.
I explored other STEM fields, such as biology. However, what always drew me back was my love of building.
When her teacher asked her what her dream was, 14-year-old Japnit wrote, “I want to be a software engineer and inspire more girls to join IT”. Two years later, she started Go Girl, an initiative aimed at ensuring that other girls wouldn’t feel as invisible or excluded as she once did.
I learned most of my technical skills online. I used to wake up super early before school just to watch tutorials and videos. What I loved most about tech was the openness of knowledge; everything I needed to learn was available online, and all I really needed was a laptop and curiosity.
In high school, I was often the only girl in computer clubs or competitions. Sometimes I was recruited just to make the group look more “diverse,” which left me questioning whether I had earned my place, despite having cleared every interview and coding challenge. Opportunities existed all around me, but I often felt like they weren’t made for me.
In college, the feeling lingered. Walking into male-dominated classrooms, I carried the weight of stereotypes and the quiet expectation that I wouldn’t measure up.
Founding Go Girl transformed my sense of belonging. Instead of waiting to be included, I built a space where others could feel seen, valued, and empowered. Today, through Go Girl, I’m working to close the gap in access, representation, and opportunity for girls in STEM. My personal mission has now grown into an organization with 100+ volunteers impacting 2000+ young women through education and mentorship. At the same time, I’m building my own AI startup, where I not only create technology but also claim my place in shaping its future.
You belong. Don’t wait for permission to take up space or to speak up; lean into opportunities, seek out mentors, and build your own community when the environment doesn’t fully include you.
Connect with Japnit on LinkedIn and Instagram. To learn more about Go Girl, visit the website.
Women Who Master puts a spotlight on women who have made outstanding contributions to STEM fields. The goal of the series is to celebrate those contributions, inspire future leaders, and help close the gender gap in technology.
