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By Mansi Verma
Neha Nagar, today a finfluencer with over 1.8 million followers on Instagram, started her journey from a small village in Uttar Pradesh. When her family relocated to Ghaziabad, they faced immense pressure to marry off Nagar and her sister.
“At the time, people back in my village constantly questioned my parents about why they brought two unmarried, young women to the city,” Nagar shared, during Storyboard18’s Share The Spotlight event in Mumbai. “They insisted we would never study and might elope with someone. They urged my parents to marry us off as soon as we turned 18. This was the mentality we were up against.”
Nagar recalled how it was her mother who took charge and supported both her and her sister to study. This is what motivated her to put her efforts in. Fast forward a decade, Neha became the first woman in her family to graduate and land a corporate job.
This milestone marked the beginning of her journey in finance. Today, Nagar is not just a finance professional but also an advisor and mentor, using social media to teach countless young professionals how to manage their money effectively. This was one of the many stories that incredible women like Nagar shared at Storyboard18’s - Share The Spotlight.
Share The Spotlight
How often do those in the spotlight share it with others? The idea of “share the spotlight” started with a LinkedIn post. We asked whether anyone would like to nominate women whose stories should be amplified more, and we witnessed an outpouring of generosity.
Finally on May 29, Storyboard18 brought together prominent figures from Indian businesses, giving them an opportunity to share their spotlight with accomplished women in the ecosystem who have charted their own paths and have numerous stories to tell. The event turned out to be nothing short of a gala celebrating women in India and their many achievements.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, chairperson, Hindustan Zinc and non-executive director, Vedanta counted the names of numerous women who have made India proud.
From Nancy Tyagi, who debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, Ritu Karidhal, the leading lady in the Chandrayaan III, Guneet Monga, the first Indian producer to bring home an Oscar, to filmmaker Payal Kapadia, the first Indian to clinch the prestigious Grand Prix at Cannes this year, Hebbar began the evening applauding the grit and determination in Indian women.
“What do all of these names and all of you sitting here today have in common? It's grit, determination, and being adamant - to make a mark, to dance to the rhythm of your own calling, and to never listen to naysayers. These women and all of you have not only broken barriers, but also exemplified empowerment. All of you are an embodiment of India's progress as a nation,” added Agarwal, in her message.
Dhvani Bhanushali, an Indian Singer, who has sung various heartwarming hits like Vaastey, Leja Re, and Dilbar, shared how her dreams and career have received a big boost from the first woman in her life, her mother Rinku Bhanushali. “The idea of sharing the spotlight is very natural to women. It starts with our own mothers,” said Bhanushali. She also gave a shout-out to her father, who has always been supportive of her dreams and career.
Ankita Konwar, who is a yogini and a runner, shared how she has drawn inspiration from many courageous women around her, including her mother-in-law.
“My mother in law is 85 and she's travelling somewhere in Madhya Pradesh right now, exploring a forest range. She is a biochemist. She raised her four kids in London while she was studying. A woman of substance. She goes for a walk every day and she does her yoga, that is so inspiring,” said Konwar, who is married to actor and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman.
Bhanushali kicked off the event performing her latest hit, "Thank You God," which has been viral over Instagram reels for the past month. To top it off, Konwar, VISA’ Sujatha Kumar, Open Secret’s Ahana Gautam, Hero MotoCorp’s Pallavi Singh, and Suta's Sujata Biswas, among others, joined to perform the catchy hook steps of the song, opening the event on a fun note.
Untold Stories
The discussions through the evening revolved around creating a more inclusive environment for women to thrive, emphasising the need for community support, mentorship, networking and the allyship from men.
Many women in the speakers shared that one of the biggest obstacles in their career growth was that men, including their subordinates, often didn't take them seriously, undermining their authority.
Neelu Khatri, the co-founder and SVP International of Akasa Air, has over 25 years of professional experience and is an ex Indian Air Force Wing Commander from the privileged initial batch of women officers back in 1993.
Khatri shared the struggles she faced as a woman in the Indian Air Force. “When we were in uniform, the javans wouldn't salute thinking that we only need to salute male officers. We women were used for decoration purposes, especially in those days, we were made to stand in front with crisp clothes and caps, to salute all VIPs especially coming from different countries,” she added.
Hero MotoCorp’s Singh resonated with Khatri’s experience in her own industry where as a young woman, men would often not take her advice seriously.
“I'm not so big, not so tall. Men would often come to me with the attitude that ‘what will you tell me?’ And these are people who ride big bikes. Only when you start talking to them about engines, customisations, and things like that, are you able to get through,”
Singh advised women in the audience that it is very important to know one’s products well and have the courage to sell it. “One, you should be the best salesperson for your product, and second is to have the courage to do it,” she added.
Such behavioural issues, and gender based discrimination often stops women from taking on leadership positions and running their own ventures.
Ritu Mittal, head of marketing and digital consumer health at Bayer, concurred and added that "marriage, maternity, and mobility" are significant reasons that often lead women to abandon their careers.
“Women are often hesitant to even ask questions on the off chance of being judged or ridiculed. Many of them have the question of how women before me or my seniors manage children and family with work,” she said.
Open conversation and mentorship from both men and women in leadership roles can save successful careers, Mittal added.
Allyship from Men
Lakshmi Venkataraman Venkatesan recalled how mentorship from JRD Tata LH, an Indian aviator, business magnate, entrepreneur and chairman of Tata Group helped her build Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST) for entrepreneurship development in India.
“I came to him, and I said, I have no idea how to do this. I've been asked to do this by someone in England, so can you help me? And he was 83 at that time. And he told me, what you want to do is to create entrepreneurs out of people who would not even have thought of entrepreneurship. I believe in it, so I will accept your request to be your founding chairman,” she recalled.
Naghma Mulla, CEO, EdelGive Foundation highlighted the importance of male allyship in advancing workplace equality.
“The world, our offices or our homes, were structured around men. For them to rise, for them to complain, for them to rest, for them to do work. In this world, when we're trying to fit ourselves in, do we want to force fit, or do we want to negotiate our way in? And in that negotiation, the man is very important. He has to make way and make sense of why we’re even there. And we'd be surprised, how many men don't understand that. Getting them to participate is extremely important,” she said.
“How can it be done without a man?,” added Mulla.