Tag: International Women’s Day

We asked Archana about her journey and here is what she has to say:

What inspired you to pursue your passion for supporting social/community causes? 

Not all children get the childhood they deserve, and so I try my best to work with schools that are trying to provide the most basic amenities and education to children. On an annual basis, I reach out to local NGOs which work with children, such as improving schools for underprivileged kids and together we plan and implement a project – I have been doing this exercise for the past few years. Apart from this I also regularly support and help a local school that takes in underprivileged children of all backgrounds. Education is the best enabler and will help these children to proceed further in life.

Tell us more about your journey and experience, as well as key achievements and learnings?

A few years ago, I worked with an NGO for the construction of a girls’ toilet/restroom building in a village called Maralwadi in Karnataka, India. It was eye-opening to see the difference it made to the students and teachers. Before this, female students used to drop out of school after reaching class 7/8 as the toilet facilities were unhygienic. This has now changed, and we have seen more girls continuing their education. I have stayed connected with that community and have gone back to help with a science lab in the school. Since then, I have worked with some NGOs and schools to set up science labs, procure benches, desks, and other infrastructure for schools, and contributed to a school for underprivileged children in Bangalore, Karnataka. The biggest learning has been to understand the value of money – I am now acutely aware of the privileges in my life. My regret is not being able to spend more time with the children in these schools – I hope I can invest more time in the future.

Have you faced any barriers being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them and key takeaways?

When I first started working, I quickly became aware that women in law faced several subtle and overt biases and stereotypes. Female partners in law firms would be seen as having no personal life if they were invested in their careers, others were easily dismissed as “not serious”.

Over the years there have been many occasions when I have faced gender-based discrimination; there have been occasions when people have in the very first meeting, asked if a male lawyer could be in the meeting in my place; people have chosen to speak to a man instead of me in a conference room. My approach to all of these instances has been to let my work speak for me – as one of the most inspiring ladies I know said “women have to work twice as hard to be considered half as good as men”.

What put me at ease was the realization that I did not need to work to prove myself to anyone else, I just needed to work hard to be a good lawyer, deliver the best outcomes for my clients and be a good human being, the rest would follow.

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women who wish to diversify/pursue similar interests?

Choose the path that works for you and keeps you happy – don’t be influenced by others’ notions of what your priorities should be. Value yourself.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

I am lucky to have some very inspiring women in my immediate family, who have always shown me the way. There are also several women I would love to meet and learn from, so it is indeed difficult to choose just three women.

It would be very interesting to meet Ms. Mckenzie Scott, listening to her speak about any part of her journey would be very interesting. I would love to know how she remains committed to philanthropy.

Salumarada Thimmakka is living proof of the difference one person doing everyday things can make to the planet.

Ms. Sudha Murthy, because one lunch with her would be a master class in humanity and humility.

#SHErocks #BreakTheBias #jsastories

We asked Sanchita about her journey and here is what she has to say:

What inspired you to pursue your passion for Sports?

The field of sports and athletics is greatly liberating. It is cathartic and rejuvenating to be out in the open, training pushing myself physically. Discovering my talent in sports was instrumental to rounding out my personal growth and development. Growing up watching brave, fierce women compete in the field of sports, inspired me to take my place alongside them.

Tell us more about your journey and experience, as well as key achievements and learnings.

Having represented my state (Jharkhand) at the national handball tournaments each year during 2007-2011 is an achievement close to my heart. It was a very fulfilling and empowering experience, which I consider to have shaped my personality and psyche.

On the academic front, I was awarded two gold medals by my University for outstanding academic achievement during my undergraduate study at National Law University Odisha, including one for being the female student with the highest marks in my batch.

Have you faced any barriers being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them, and key takeaways?

Being a woman in a historically male-dominated field like sports and law has always meant working harder and putting in more hours to make myself known and recognized at par with male peers. My key takeaway over the years has been to embrace my flaws and strengths and focus only on improving myself, without heed to external factors.

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women who wish to diversify/pursue similar interests?

My message to young women would be to claim your space, make yourself known, and never be apologetic for being the best at what you do. With a little confidence and lots of work, we can do anything that we set our mind to.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?   

I would pick Hillary Clinton, for showing the world how to be a fierce and driven individual in the political arena and also behind the scenes. I would also like to dine with PT Usha, to discuss women in athletics and Padmashree Manjamma Jogathi, a brave transwoman dancer to discuss what it means to identify as feminine in today’s world.

#SHErocks #BreakTheBias #jsastories

We asked Ms. Vadassery about her experience and what prompted her to pursue this cause and here is what she has to say:

You are an animal activist and passionate about this cause. What inspired you to work towards creating awareness among the public about animal exploitation and abuse issues?

Before lockdown, my association with animals was limited to my local area. With the impression that COVID-19 spread via animals, people needlessly harmed quiet, lone community animals. One case that has stayed with me all this time was of a pregnant cat, who was abused with her paws burnt off and then flung to the corner of a street left to die. Fortunately, the street she was abandoned on was mine, and I immediately took her in to help her recuperate and survive. These experiences lead me to educate the common populace about the harsh realities our community animals face. They truly are victims of senseless violence, and my message to all is “If you cannot care for them, don’t harm them.”

Tell us more about your journey and experience, as well as key achievements and learnings.

As an animal welfarist, the journey has been challenging and gratifying. Each rescue has taught me a plethora of realities. The pain the animal feels that contrasted by the indifference people show. At times I am left wondering does humanity exists. Every life saved adds to my experience and a story to the page of my life. As far as achievements and learnings are concerned, the fact that I can help an animal, save a life and be human is an achievement.

Have you faced any barriers being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them, and key takeaways?

A lot of times, animals in distress are in isolated locations, or areas of the city deemed unsafe at odd hours. It is challenging to respond to these calls. Another challenge is dealing with law enforcement officials. Being heard and taken seriously is a struggle that every woman faces. It is no different for a female animal activist. Over the years, my commitment and resolve towards animal welfare have empowered me to tackle these challenges head-on. While it is always either a mental battle when I head out late at night or hyper-vigilance When I am rescuing an animal the look in the eyes of the animal in distress when they realize, they’re being helped and trust this makes it all worthwhile.

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women who wish to diversify/pursue similar interests?

My advice to young women is simple: be bold, be unyielding and be forthright. Any welfare work adds a whole new fulfilling and empowering dimension to your life. You will face challenges; witness truly gritty and disheartening visuals and it will always be an uphill battle. But, at the end of the day, that one life you change, will make every struggle worthwhile. My years of animal welfare work have helped me grow as a person and shaped me to be the woman I believed I was incapable of being. Society will label you crazy and unfit to be a part of it. I say those aren’t insults, those are compliments. So get involved, do your part and be the anti-social misfit you’re meant to be.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

Maneka Gandhi (Founder – People for Animals) is like-minded and actively helps us to be a voice for the voiceless.

#SHErocks #BreakTheBias #jsastories

We asked Ms. Sagar about her journey and motivations and here is what she has to say:

What inspired you to start a children’s healthcare foundation in India?

Sometimes life throws challenges and sadness our way and as we find our way through that, we find our life’s purpose. On December 20, 1983, we lost our second-born child Sameer, to a Congenital Heart Defect within 16 hours of his birth. It took us a long time to recover and we spent a lot of time wondering why. There were no answers in sight and we were in a vacuum of sadness. In time, we channeled our loss and began volunteering at Missionaries of Charity, which gave a whole new meaning to our life. Not only did it heal us, it also gave us a way to extend healing to others. One by one, we met children we could support. In time, we decided to do it in a more structured way and started Genesis Foundation.

Tell us more about your personal journey and experiences, as well as key achievements and learnings

My journey has been a series of serendipitous events that led to me taking life decisions. There were many events before that but let me start with the time when I started a printing press with my brother. At that time, I would literally deliver the prints to my clients by hand. On one such visit, I met with Priya Paul of THE Park Hotels, who spoke to me about wanting to increase the occupation levels of the hotel. Together we developed ‘Going Public  at THE Park’, where we had inspiring people share their experiences. People would come to listen to them and experience the hospitality first hand. What we didn’t realize was that this was really public relations. In another such coincidental meeting, I was gifted a book by PR guru Frank Jefkins, and that prompted me to go to his institute in London to  study the theory and practice of PR . When I came back, I decided to start Genesis PR. That was almost 30 years ago, in November 1992.

We started with three people and three clients. Over the years, we grew, expanded to Mumbai and Bangalore, got acquired by Burson-Marsteller – a WPP group company. Later, B-M  merged with another WPP group company Cohn & Wolfe to form Burson Cohn & Wolfe, or BCW. In India, Genesis PR became Genesis Burson-Marsteller, which then became Genesis BCW. Six Degrees BCW integrated with us to form the BCW India Group. Today, I am proud to be the Founding Chairperson of BCW India Group, with Deepshikha Dharmaraj, who has been with us almost from the beginning, as the Chief Executive Officer.

This journey has taught me the value of three things: compassion, collaboration, and creativity. Compassion for our people and the community, collaboration with the industry, and creativity in everything we do –  which has led us to develop some of the pioneering concepts and solutions for the industry.

Have you faced any barriers being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?

I have faced barriers, but I didn’t see them as something I faced as a woman necessarily. As I was building my business, there were several times that people didn’t take me seriously. However, as I gained experience and proved myself, people gave me respect. I also have a strong support system at home that enabled and empowered me every step of the way. I must thank my husband Jyoti in being there for me no matter what I was facing.

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women who wish to diversify/pursue similar interests?

I have always maintained that as women, we have to look beyond our gender, the way we expect others to look beyond ours. When I entered this field, I didn’t think of myself as a woman setting up a business in the early ’90s. I just knew that this is what I want to do and then got down to getting it started. Of course, I know and understand that women look up to me as a role model. So, to them, I will just say—dream big and then wake up and work hard to realize that dream.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

For me, there is only one: Mother Teresa – now Saint Teresa. She has been my inspiration for everything in life. Her compassion knew no bounds. Her courage and resilience in the face of adversity, criticism, and all kinds of hardship is truly inspiring. Her simplicity is something that I admire as well. She taught me the value of leading from the heart. I can go on and on about the lessons I have learnt from her life.  So, if it came to it, I would love to have three dinners with Mother Teresa.

#SHErocks #BreakTheBias #jsastories

We asked Juhi on her journey as a sportsperson and here is what she has to say:

What inspired you to pursue your passion in Sports?

Among the most vivid memories of my childhood, is watching Enter the Dragon with my father. Bruce Lee’s command over his body, his passion and discipline were evident even from a small tv screen. My fascination with martial arts coupled with the value of self-defence as expounded by my father led me to take up Tae-Kwon-Do as a 4-year-old girl. Given the lack of accessibility to teachers and classes two decades ago, when no one knew about Tae-Kwon-Do, finding any teacher was a mammoth task. My parents, conscious of my eagerness to learn, were able to find an instructor and I began taking classes. I cannot forget winning my first gold medal at an inter-school competition where I had to go up against a boy since no girl participated in my age group. In a world obsessed with gender, and physical strength that competition reminded me time and time again that I could do anything I put my mind to. At 8 years, I became the youngest black belt in India to be registered with the World Tae-Kwon-Do Association.

Tell us more about your journey and experience, as well as key achievements and learnings.

My parents and my instructors played a key role in keeping me motivated. Being involved in sports from a young age has taught me to learn from my failures as well as my success, because it is important to learn what you are doing wrong but also what you are doing right, so that no achievement is a fluke.  My biggest achievements would be winning gold and silver medals at various State and National level Tae-Kwon-Do championships, becoming the youngest Black Belt in India and having the opportunity to represent my District and the State of Haryana at the Tennis Nationals. However, being able to inspire my friends/acquaintances to take up sports is the biggest achievement of all.

Have you faced any barriers being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them and key takeaways?

My small stature meant that people would often question my ability to succeed in the sports I played be it Tae-Kwon-Do and/or tennis. Despite my successes in both sports,  I would be bullied over my muscular body. There was a pressure to succeed as a woman athlete but also to ‘look’ like a woman, to look ‘feminine’ enough; though I have never received a sufficient explanation as to what that means.  Coupled with the pressure you feel as an adolescent or a teenager to look a certain way, led to an inherent dissatisfaction with my physical appearance. I remember back in 2013-14, Women’s Tennis Association came up with a new campaign “Strong is beautiful” which included some of my favourite tennis players, their stories and how they embraced their strengths. This campaign helped change the way I viewed myself.

Further, I learnt that irrespective of what I did, I would be subjected to negativity by naysayers who would find problems with the way I played and with the way I looked, irrespective of what I actually did.   I found that the best thing to do when confronted with such negativity is to use that as fuel to your fire to succeed.

What is the most important message you want to send out to young women who wish to diversify/pursue similar interests?

I would just tell them to go for it. The worst thing that could happen is failure and it’s better to fail rather than to be too afraid to try. It’s never too late to pursue your passions and dreams. One thing that really worked for me was to use negativity from the people who doubt my abilities to motivate myself.  I think all of us are more powerful than we know. It’s just a matter of realising our own strengths which is the first step towards harnessing the power within us and accomplishing more in life.

If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

• Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an icon for justice, perseverance and women empowerment. She shattered the glass ceiling and continues to inspire women across the world. Even if one does not agree with her beliefs and opinions, one cannot deny that she was a force to be reckoned with and that she left a meaningful impact on the world she inhabited.
• Kim Clijsters is one of my all-time favourite tennis players who took a hiatus from tennis and returned in 2009 after having a baby. Despite widely being expected to retire having been away from professional tennis for almost two years, Kim Clijsters went on to win two Grand slams after her return. She exhibited to me that no matter where I am, it’s never too late.
• Lisa Manobal is a Korean/Thai rapper from the K-Pop group Blackpink and a significant reason behind Blackpink’s rising international popularity. Lisa is one of the most influential, talented and well-rounded artists of our time and has been able to succeed in a country that is not her own. She is an incredible, dedicated performer and I really admire her focus on perfectionism.

#SHErocks #BreakTheBias #jsastories