Don’t give up working, maintain your own identity: Amruta Devendra Fadnavis
Photo Caption: Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, addressing at ‘WomeNation-The Power of US’, organised by CII – Indian Women Network (CII-IWN), attended by Over 400 Women Professional Participant’s.
Develop self-confidence to become leaders: Anu Aga
Women have to develop qualities like self-confidence, assertiveness, give up feeling guilty and be caring to become leaders, said Ms Anu Aga, while participating in a discussion at a summit on ‘WomeNation-The Power of US’, organised by CII – IWN ( Indian Women Network).
“I think, however successful women are, they are not sure of themselves. Men will easily make claims. But women find it very difficult to talk about their genuine achievements. So, without bragging how can you have confidence in achieving a self-goal. Self-goals are what women have to develop,” said Ms Aga, an iconic corporate leader and director of Thermax Ltd.
While stating that women need to be assertive and that is very important for them, Ms Aga said that they do not need to be aggressive in doing so. “I don’t think aggressiveness is a good quality, but assertiveness is. “Very firmly say, ‘Sorry, this will not be accepted,’” Ms Aga advised women. She was referring to what she said as the attitude of women in getting intimidated when a man shouts or expresses anger, whether at home or work.
Women produce a feeling called guilty, it only gives us the permission to repeat our mistakes, Ms Aga said.
When an 18-old teenage girl is out on a party, the mother cannot eat or sleep. And as she comes back, the mother says how much she loved her, this and that. That is not real, that is neurosis, Ms Aga said while explaining the difference between caring and being neurotic spurs seen in some women.
“If you give right label to it, you will stop it.But if you keep on nurturing that feeling and you say I still love her, the problem will persist,” Ms Aga said. Terming sacrifice a ‘dirty word,’ she said that there are ‘no sacrifices’ in life. “Do something if you want to do. Then it is not a sacrifice.”
However, Ms Anu Aga said that if you were to need any support, ask for help and you will be surrounded by people.
At the summit, Ms Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Vice-President – Corporate Head, Axis Bank said that she had decided to continue her work life even after her husband became Chief Minister of Maharashtra, in line with her ambition to maintain her identity. “I have got that inspiration from my mother, who is an ophthalmologist. I have seen her continue to work all through,” Ms Fadnavis added.
Advising women to continue their work life even after childbirth, Ms Fadnavis said, “You can give up a promotion and take a break, but never give up your job. When we are talking of empowering women and equality for women, we have to be example for our children to follow in their life.”
Delving into mother daughter relationship, Ms Aga’s daughter, Ms Meher Pudumjee said that her mother was more a friend than anything else, and that her parents have treated her and her brother equally since childhood.
For achieving success, one has to define the success one wants to achieve, which could differ as widely like money, power, relationships, buying a Gucci, to building wonderful family, said Ms Pudumjee, who is the current chairperson of Thermax, handed down by Ms Aga. “As soon as you find that you would be at peace with yourself,” Ms Pudumjee added.
