On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2018, we asked the women of top b-schools across India to highlight their achievements, views on feminism, the #MeToo campaign and their perception of gender inequality in our country.
Hi, I am Namrata. I was born and brought up in Delhi. I graduated with a degree in computer engineering from Jamia Millia and worked with TCS for 20 months. My interests are dramatics and reading. I like to think myself as a compassionate, hardworking and easy going person
What does women's day mean for you?
I believe it is ironical that only 1 day in a year is used to earmark the contribution of a section of society that forms roughly half of the world's population. Every day should be a promise of joy for everyone.
How would you explain feminism to a 10-year old?
Feminism is a women's expression to be what she wants to be, irrespective of the society's biases or oppression.
Which female icon has inspired you the most and why?
The bold and beautiful Sushmita Sen. Coming from a humble background, she had the ability to dream big and the passion to achieve her dreams. Adopting two girls and raising them alone shows her independent nature.
What attitudes towards women have you encountered by men in education (professors, colleagues or students)- that you wish to be corrected?
Many times by doing things for women as a token of chivalry, men often snatch away the chance of fair competition from women.
How will you respond to men who feel women are given partiality in comparison to men at your workplace?
Depends on the situation. If women are given perks by just the virtue of their gender, I would want that to change. On the other hand, if there is no such bias I would encourage men to evaluate the situation objectively.
How has social media helped in bringing up the issues faced by women in today's context?
1) Spreading awareness about issues such as sexual harassment and rape leads to national uproar and tends to instil a sense of fear in such men.
2) By various campaigns on sanitary issues, menstruation etc social media has bridged the gap between men and women and brought women issues to an open discussion.