My Story: Anitha Arulrajakumar

By Anitha Arulrajakumar

Would you ever think about uprooting everything you know and deciding, one day, to start over in a completely new country? I didn’t fully know what was waiting for me when I made that decision and moved to Luxembourg with dreams, hope, and the ambition to build a career and life from scratch.

Relocating to Luxembourg a little over two and a half years ago became a major turning point in my life. After spending 13 years building my career in IT and cybersecurity, I suddenly faced an unexpected job loss in a new country, with no network, no support system, and no safety net. It was one of the hardest periods of my life.

To be honest, it was not easy at all. Every single day, I had a choice: go back home or try to build a life here.

Instead of letting the situation define me, I chose to rebuild. I focused on deepening my expertise, building professional relationships from scratch, and actively engaging with the cybersecurity community. That resilience became my foundation.

Today, I work at Luxembourg’s National Cybersecurity Agency, supporting industries on Operational Technology cybersecurity and contributing to national initiatives that strengthen SME resilience against cyber threats. I also led market studies that informed national leadership discussions on cybersecurity workforce planning and Post-Quantum Cryptography readiness.

When I look back now, I realise leadership was never about titles for me. It was always about creating pathways, building structures, and helping others grow.

When I was offered the opportunity to serve as Communications Officer and Board Member at Women4Cyber Luxembourg, my first thought was: “I’m an engineer, I have absolutely no idea how communications or marketing works.” But another part of me said, “Why not try? Even if I fail, I will learn something.”. That decision changed me and provided me with skills in ways I never expected.

Beyond communications, I helped scale our mentorship programme by building stronger structures and support systems for women navigating cybersecurity careers. I also facilitated Luxembourg’s first all-women Cybersecurity Bootcamp, bringing together participants and experts for five days of learning, collaboration, and community-building. This journey eventually led to being recognised as “Member of the Year.”

But transformation extends beyond organisations and institutions.

Through my YouTube initiative, “Vanakkam Luxembourg,” I try to educate expatriate communities about job scams, digital safety, and the realities of moving abroad. I have always believed in continuous learning, sharing knowledge, and helping people in ways I can. Whether through mentoring, volunteering, speaking engagements, or even simple honest networking conversations, I always try to encourage people to see the best in themselves and believe that they belong in the spaces they dream about.

I came to Luxembourg as an outsider, with no particular advantage except determination and support of my family. Being shortlisted as a TechWomen4Boards finalist in the Rising Talent category means far more to me than recognition for professional achievements alone. To me, it represents resilience, growth, courage, and the decision to keep going even during uncertain moments.

More importantly, I hope this journey shows young girls and women both here and back home that they are allowed to dream beyond what feels possible. That they can take risks, start over, rebuild themselves, and still succeed.