The Jharkhand chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry-Indian Women Network (CII-IWN), in association with India@75, organised a session with women professionals who shared their success stories and the ups and downs of their entrepreneurial journeys.

Titled, "Will to Succeed, Will to Win - Women Leaders of the New Era", the session was held on Monday afternoon on a virtual platform in collaboration with India@75, an industry-led movement that brings together various stakeholders of society.

The session deliberated on women professionals and entrepreneurs of today who are chartering unknown territories fearlessly to achieve their goals.

Addressing the session, Atrayee Sarkar Sanyal, the newly appointed vice-president-Human Resource Management (Designate) of Tata Steel, said that the fire within an individual should never get extinguished. “…with great enthusiasm one should be focused towards one’s goal irrespective of what comes until one achieves his/her desired goal with proper planning and execution,” she said.

The office of CII located at the Centre for Excellence in Jamshedpur. Pic by Bhola Prasad

Saumya Singh, head, Department of Management Studies and Centre of Innovation, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, said that even though things had changed, the glass ceiling was still there.

"But if I try to recapitulate my experience, things are certainly improving. With the moral conditioning we have been brought up with, we are often found to be asking questions to ourselves about who we are, how strong we are, what have we been able to achieve and what could we have achieved more had the situation been more favourable. Can we make situations more favourable for our daughters who are going to take the lead further?" she said.

Dr Rupali Basu, managing director and CEO, Woodlands Multispeciality Hospital, Calcutta, stressed on qualities like technical intelligence, integrity and unhindered focus that lead to success.

Swastika Basu, chairperson, CII-IWN Jharkhand Chapter and chief-Enterprise Risk Management, Tata Steel moderated the session. “These women of substance have forayed paths not only for themselves but also portrayed success stories for their peers. Their stories are stories of grit, determination and positivity and the courage that is inherent in a woman to face the challenges of life, the courage to break stereotypes and the courage of not limiting their ambitions”.

Kanchan Kumari, vice-chairwoman, CII-IWN, Jharkhand chapter, and DGM (Quality), Tata Cummins, also attended the virtual session.