by Suman Gupta
Celebrating the Leadership Journeys of Ten Trailblazing Women in Indian Industry
Mumbai, June 14, 2023 – The Press Club of Mumbai witnessed an inspiring event as Geet Mala Jalota unveiled her second book, ‘The Shattered Ceiling: Narratives of pioneering women’. This compelling collection of interviews features ten eminent women who are pioneers in the Indian industry. For the very first time these women have shared their take on breaking glass ceilings and what women have to be mindful of at their workplace.
‘The Shattered Ceiling’ offers readers an in-depth look at the personal and professional lives of these trailblazing women. Each interview is accompanied by a resume and a synopsis of key takeaways titled “My Take.” Jalota expressed her gratitude to these influential women for their candid and unreserved responses, which she believes are full of valuable lessons for women navigating careers. Importance of financial independence for women, how networking helps, why women are better at some careers more than others and how to ensure an inclusive culture in organizations.
The book features interviews with:
1. Deena Mehta – The first lady trader and former President of the BSE Exchange.
2. Sucheta Shah – Executive Director – Atlas Integrated Finance.
3. Vijayalakshmi Chhabra – The first lady Director General of Doordarshan.
4. Anita Khurana – The first lady appointed as Commercial Director in Indian Airlines/Air India post-merger.
5. Panchali Mukhopadhyay – VP, Sales & Marketing at Herbalife.
6. Kresha Bajaj – Founder of the label Krésha Bajaj.
7. Sanju Yadav – Pharma Business Head known for her innovative ideas on preventive health and wellbeing.
8. Sushmita Chakraborty – One of the first women to reach Associate Director-level position in the IT industry at CSC India.
9. Kanika Mohan Saxena – The second lady Master Scuba Diving Trainer and VP of Digital Content Services at Vodafone Idea Limited (Vi).
10. Anuradha Deb – Founder of the Process Work Institute of India and Dream Clinic.
Geet Jalota’s objective in writing ‘The Shattered Ceiling’ is to showcase these role models and provide the next generation of working women with the knowledge and support needed to navigate their careers confidently. Indian Corporate sector needs to acknowledge the contribution these women have made, opening up different sectors of industry for women’s entry and setting a trend for aiming high.
During the event, Jalota shared, “I am deeply grateful to all the established women who participated in this book. Their willingness to share their journeys and insights has made ‘The Shattered Ceiling’ a powerful resource for women everywhere. I hope this book serves as a reminder to women of their financial self-worth and encourages them to pursue their professional aspirations with confidence.”
‘The Shattered Ceiling’ is set to become a significant contribution to the discourse on gender diversity and women’s empowerment in India, providing valuable insights and inspiration to women to break through their own ceilings.
A framework for taking the leap has been very well explained in Geet’s first book, “Have the women left Venus? Decoding gender at the workplace”.
The Shattered Ceiling, 207-page book, priced at Rs. 350 and published by Anecdote Publishing House, is currently available on Amazon as well as in bookstores.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR :Geet Mala Jalota is a Post Graduate from Delhi University with a diploma in Personnel Management from TISS. She emphasizes that while women in India are highly educated and have equal access to high-level jobs, social conditioning, however, often leads them to give up on their careers. Based on her 3 decades’ experience in Corporate HR and Training, she believes that the unique challenges faced by Indian women in particular, need women to speak up and solve their problems themselves, instead of waiting for others to do that. She hopes that this book awakens them to their economic reality and worth.
