Konversations Cafe goes global, and our first stop is Dubai, and kicking off the Dubai Konversations Cafe, we have Reema Mahajan, founder of Indian Women in Dubai (IWD). Through IWD, and her own personal brand, Reema is giving meaning and identity to the Indian Women who have moved to Dubai. In the conversation, we hear about Reema’s early life and the foundations that were the frontrunner of the things to come in her life.
Reema’s life began in Chandigarh, in a traditional middle-class family, where ambitions are seen as risks not worth taking. Reema’s early life has been about challenging the status quo and taking the path that was still seen as unconventional for women like herself, around her.
She secured decent enough scores to get into the haloed IIT Delhi Campus but was shocked to see the gender disparity. Learning her way around this disparity and accepting it as the norm, she then got into consulting, with Bain and Co.
The shadows of traditional upbringing didn’t seem to be leaving as she was then made to believe that marriage was on the horizon. An MBA came as a necessity to dodge that fate but ultimately laid the foundation for greater things that were to come.
Her MBA journey would’ve been a smooth one, had it not been for the Global Financial Crisis. She was placed with Lehman Brothers, which was one of those unfortunate banks that went bust during the crisis, and along with it, her job too.
Back to square one, she prepared for her placements again, one of the toughest IIM Bangalore has ever seen, but was among the few who received a Day Zero placement.
Hers is a story of striving against all odds and taking unconventional decisions, and there’s more of that coming in Part Two, where she shares her journey post-MBA.
Here are some highlights from this Konversation:
⚡You should never let your constraints limit your potential for flight.
⚡Consulting serves as a great sector to explore various industries early to figure out one’s liking.
⚡There’s a sea of differences between local colleges and IITs.
⚡B-Schools give you the kind of network which remains unparalleled. Utilize them.
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