Though born and brought up in Bhopal, the new president (2023-24) of Ladies Study Group, Bhawna Agarwal, has spent a large part of her life in Calcutta and nurtures a passion for philanthropy. This paved the way for her to take care of the CSR activities at the VISA Group while simultaneously working towards giving back to society in different ways. She further wishes to contribute to the girl child education sector. Nurturing the values inculcated in her by her family, she believes in staying grounded and closer to her roots.
How are you planning to accommodate this new responsibility in your routine?
Since I come from a family of entrepreneurs, I have learnt to push my boundaries and am always ready to take up new responsibilities. Ladies Study Group has been an integral part of my life and I have been a part of the committee for the last 12 years. As women, we have a natural tendency to handle multi-tasking so I look forward to this added responsibility with great excitement and look forward to giving my best to the organisation with the blessings, guidance and support of the governing body, committee members, my family and my dear friends.
When did your association with LSG start and how did it help you in your journey over the years?
I have been associated with this esteemed organisation for over 20 years. LSG is an organisation that believes in empowering women through an array of learning events, workshops, webinars, interactive sessions and giving back to society through its charitable initiatives. The journey has been extremely enriching and fulfilling for me. It has been instrumental in my personal journey and has given me a new perspective towards life.
What does this new position in the organisation mean to you? And what will be your motto as the chairperson?
It is a matter of great honour and privilege for me to take up this position. The new position brings new opportunities, challenges and of course big responsibility. This year, I would like to continue to focus on activities which would strengthen the LSG ethos of learning and encourage women to channel their talents to create more opportunities.
Do you have a theme for this year?
The theme for this year is ‘Create Collaborate Celebrate’. At LSG, we want to create a world of progressive learning, innovative ideas and stronger bonds that have a positive impact on our society. We wish to collaborate and work together to ensure that we have inclusive growth and gender parity as we chase our dream to transform from a developing nation to a developed nation. We would like to celebrate and applaud successful individuals, organisations and corporates for their excellence and achievements, which inspires us and will also inspire our generations ahead.
Can you take us through your plans and objectives for LSG and how you are envisioning its growth in the coming year?
The plan is to ensure that the members get to learn and experience different arrays of life. I would also like to see some active work done which has an impact on society. LSG is a very unique platform where you have women of all ages, from 25 to 92 years come on a common platform to exchange ideas and learn from each other. That to me is thrilling and I hope we’ll be able to capitalise on that to create an environment for learning and a strong bond among members.
What kind of events are you looking forward to planning for the members?
I would like to curate events which shall focus on learning and creating experiences for our members through workshops and seminars covering various fields including art and culture, spiritual and health, business and politics, legal, financial and so on. We would like to curate experiences for members which will help them come out of their comfort zone to explore.
What are some of your most memorable moments during your association with LSG over the years?
The best part about LSG is that every talk or every workshop leaves an impression in your life but as I introspect over the years, I think the sessions by Anand Mahindra, Dalai Lama, Luke Coutinho, Sadhguru and the most recent Gaur Gopal Das were extremely inspiring and motivating. The retreats are a great way to create ever-lasting bonds as we not only create new ones but also strengthen old ones. I cherish the moments and time spent in these retreats, as they add a new dimension to your learning and thought process.