Everyone needs a Role Model

 

Being Women’s History month, it got me thinking how history has been to women in India Vs US Vs Europe.

 

In the last 200 years probably, Europe has scored better than other two be in in terms of representation in STEM, politics or overall equity. We in India had our own struggles in the past few centuries, I would say we are progressive in some areas and may be not in others.

 

Growing up I studied in an all-girls school which made me feel more secure and never had to think I am less or more fortunate than the boys next door in the boys’ school. I did not need any quota / reservation, as it was already 100% girls. Just in my class, we had 100+ girls. I grew up when Indra Gandhi was Prime Minister and later Jayalalitha was Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.  My parents gave me, my sister and my brother same goals - excel in education. They made sure we all pursued career of our choice and never asked us to back down from pursing it even after life events such as marriage. I was not even aware that some girls in India did not have same opportunities as I did. I thought Sati just happened long ago when women where oppressed by the outside rulers.

 

My upbringing was heavily influenced by my grand mom (who became widow at very young age). She was fiercely independent. Also, my neighboring house was a family of 7. It had the head of the family a woman, who was also a widow. She made the rules of the house.

 

With having such independent women leading the households, I never doubted that I can do what I dreamt. The only thing I knew was, we were middle class family and so we could make dreams come true if we simply worked hard enough. And I worked hard enough to get to where I am today.

 

Along this path, especially once I started in management roles, I notice there were fewer women colleagues around me unlike before. From 100% at school to about 30% in college, it was becoming thinner and thinner as I started to get into more senior roles. Also, I had to slow down to take care of my personal priorities. It dawned on me, it’s not the same after a while, on an average for any career woman as compared to men. Especially I was no longer seeing those fierce role models like my granny. I started doubting on how successful I can be at workplace.

 

Fortunately, since 2010 I got involved in DNG groups and later on D&I groups. In one of the women’s day event, I heard our leader Harriet Green say - you cannot be what you can't see and how important it is to have role models. It dawned on me that it’s now my turn to become that change that I want to see. Hopefully, it will help women at workplace, in future, not to wonder where are the other women?

 

Let each of us help at least one woman at workplace to feel it is worth investing her time in her career of choice and equip her for a longer professional career.