Petition for the Establishment of a Tamil Nadu Affiliate of Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)

Who is impacted? 

Students and early-career professionals across Tamil Nadu who are interested in cybersecurity currently face challenges engaging with the WiCyS community. While a WiCyS India affiliate exists, many students in the region have struggled to access consistent communication, coordination, and opportunities through it. Students from institutions such as SSN College of Engineering, PSG College of Technology, PSG College of Arts and Science, SNR Sons College, Anna University, and Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli, including women, men, and allies of all genders-, have expressed interest in participating but lack a clear regional structure through which they can engage.

Many colleges in Tamil Nadu do not yet have enough members to establish full WiCyS student chapters and therefore rely on regional coordination for guidance and collaboration. Currently, accessing that support has been difficult. We also recognize that managing activities across a country as large as India is challenging for a single national affiliate. Establishing a Chennai or Tamil Nadu affiliate would create a local structure capable of organizing workshops, mentorship opportunities, and collaborative cybersecurity initiatives for students across institutions.

Why now is the time to act: 

There is already strong momentum for building a WiCyS community in Tamil Nadu. Over 80 students from multiple colleges across the state have expressed interest in participating, and several individuals are ready to take on leadership roles to organize activities and grow the network. Creating a regional affiliate now would allow this existing community to collaborate effectively and contribute meaningfully to WiCyS’s mission.

 
Community Support: 
This initiative is supported by 80+ students across Tamil Nadu, including participants from:

SSN College of Engineering
PSG College of Technology
PSG College of Arts and Science
SNR Sons College
Anna University
Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli
and other institutions across the state.

Request
We respectfully request that WiCyS consider supporting the establishment of a Tamil Nadu or Chennai regional affiliate to provide a clear and accessible pathway for students in the region to participate in and contribute to the WiCyS community.