In the run-up to the International Women’s Day on 8th March, Team InsideIIM urged women and men in management to tell their personal stories about their understanding of the various elements around gender equality, the revolutionary ‘Me Too’ movement, and other crucial events pertinent to the struggles of women in this world. Here is what they have to say.
Tell us something about yourself
Hello there! I am Sakshi Gupta. I have pursued an MBA in Human Resource Management from Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi (2017-19 batch) after working for eight years in the corporate world and being married for five years.
From the very beginning, I was very good in academics. As it is said, “habits die hard”, I continued this stint in IIM-Ranchi as well by being in the top three of the PGDHRM (2017-19 batch), registering the presence of women in the toppers slot. I believe knowledge is the biggest source of empowerment for anyone. My belief and my passion for Human Resource Management activated me to pursue my longtime aspiration of being an MBA. Well, it was an indeed tough call to make, given the fact that I was married and had a much coveted PSU job. I had to hear comments like “Has she gone mad to leave her job and live away from her husband just for another degree?” and the likes of “These days girls are more ambitious than they should be”! But my desire to learn and the unrelenting support of my husband & other family members kept me motivated to live my decision.
IIM-Ranchi was very welcoming to such a diversity like me. I have enjoyed, learned and grown so much in this two-year journey. Made some very good friends for life. The most satisfying feature has been that I have been able to inspire other people to listen to their hearts and pursue their dreams. Well, I must say that the journey was not at all easy and though I think has only started! But it is worth taking all the trouble.
Have you been subjected to sexism? What was the incident and how did you overcome it? The incident can be anywhere - your workplace, college, family, parties, etc.
Well yes, I have experienced sexism and I must admit it starts very early in a girl’s life. I was in the fifth standard of my school. There was this boy who used to come first always. Somehow he said to me that girls are weak and don’t have much IQ. They can never come first! This somehow hit me hard. I challenged him that this time I am going to come first no matter what. I studied hard day and night and yes I did come first. IQ has nothing to do with the sex of a person! After this incident, that boy started respecting girls more.
How will you explain feminism to a 5-year-old?
Children pick up faster what they see at home. Like I got my mindset of women liberalization and feminism during my childhood by observing my mother. She was a working woman and I loved the fact that she was an independent & headstrong person. Also, my parents never made any sort of discrimination between me and my brother. They always supported me, gave me the freedom to take my own decisions and held immense trust & faith in me. This whole atmosphere not only made me a strong woman but also my bother a gentleman, who respects women.
There is an article in the New York Times titled 'Why Girls Beat Boys At School And Lose To Them At The Office'. What is your take on this?
I would say that I don’t fully agree with this statement. As there are many examples before us where women have done exceptionally well professionally, simultaneously being excellent homemakers like Mrs Naina Lal Kidwai, Mrs Leena Nair, etc. Well yes, when a girl is in school, things are much easier. As in the professional life stage, a woman has to shoulder other responsibilities also like managing a house, kids, family, etc. But I believe that, in order to be successful, whether it’s a boy or a girl, one needs an ecosystem. An arrangement where the load is equally shared and the profession of both the partners are given equal respect and importance.
“Behind every successful man, there is a woman. Behind every successful woman, there is a man”.
Who has supported you the most in your career and how?
My husband, in-laws, parents, brother and friends are my strength and support system for all my social, emotional and financial needs. Without these people in my life, I wouldn’t have been able to pull off the things I have been able to. They always believe in me. They will also be my devil’s advocate. But once I make a decision, they will stand with me in thick or thin.
Which female character (movies/books/series) do you relate to the most and why?
I relate most to Mrs Mary Kom. I find a resemblance with her determination to pursue her dreams against all odds and grit to challenge societal norms. Even being married and a mother, she continued on her tough journey and finally succeeded in winning six world championship gold medals & many more.
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