We have women achievers like Indra Nooyi, Sudha Murthy, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, and Priya Paul – successful career women who also manage and balance home. We may be tempted to believe that these women had education, wealth, and family support in larger doses than the common man… oops, woman. However, I have personally witnessed simple yet strong, hardworking women with humble beginnings who made a better life than the hand they were dealt.
Case Study 1: A Mother and a Professional
Maggie prepares breakfast and packs her three kids off to school. Impeccably groomed, she commutes to start her 9-to-5 job as a Telephone Operator-cum-Receptionist with Escorts Ltd. Her husband’s job with the Indian Railways requires extensive travel, so he is hardly home to help with the kids.
The maid handles lunch and takes care of the children when they return from school. Back home, Maggie prepares dinner and helps with their lessons. She retires 37 years later at age 58 but, two years down the line, returns to work and continues until she is 67. Superwoman she was—and also my mother.
Case Study 2: A Freedom Fighter Turned Change-Maker
Prema Purao quit school to join the Goa Liberation Movement. Bullet shrapnel in her legs made it impossible to walk, but with care and an immense amount of determination, she walked tall again.
Widowed early, she brought up her three daughters while simultaneously building Annapurna Mahila Mandal, an NGO that rehabilitated women and financially supported female food entrepreneurs. Fondly called Tai (big sister), I had the honor of working closely with her for over a decade. She was a wise, charismatic powerhouse and my first mentor.
Case Study 3: The Editor Who Never Left Work
Andrea was seven months pregnant when media tycoon Mr. Nari Hira promoted her to Editor of SAVVY magazine, saying, “If this was your first child, I’d be concerned about you returning to work, but it’s your second—so I know you’ll be back.” He was wrong—she didn’t come back because she never left.
Writing her editorial while nursing her newborn in the hospital, she continued to work from home for three months. She resigned 25 years later and went on to take up domestic and international editorial opportunities, including the Editorship of Society Achievers, all while helping me (her husband) grow his business.
Case Study 4: From a Team Member to CEO
Nagpur-based Kaushal, a mother of a pre-teen, joined us at HTI (a Mumbai-based company). As her son grew, so did her ability to take on responsibilities and lead a team across India and the Maldives. She rapidly climbed the ladder and eventually took over as CEO.
The Skills That Drive Success
To succeed as a professional, one needs mastery in technical skills—gained through education, experience, and mentoring. But beyond that, success requires:
- Patience and Maturity – To listen, understand, and make sound decisions.
- Motivation – The drive to achieve and reach the top.
- Dedication and Discipline – To do what needs to be done, even when you don’t want to.
- Emotional Intelligence – To manage your own emotions and those of others.
- The Ability to Sacrifice and Delay Gratification – Understanding that rewards often come later.
Where can women develop these attributes and practice them until they become second nature? My counterintuitive belief is—marriage.
Marriage: A Leadership Bootcamp
Marriage, particularly in India, where women often move in with their in-laws, acts as a bootcamp for leadership and management skills. It forces women out of their comfort zones and into the risk zone, where learning and growth take place. Even if she has visited her fiancé’s home before, living there is an entirely different experience. She adjusts to a new name, surroundings, food, and even kitchen and bathroom protocols.
Often, economic pressure increases, making her job more crucial. Some women find that a career rescues them from difficult in-laws, which further motivates them to succeed. She learns to multitask, becoming efficient at balancing home and work. Dealing with children and in-laws requires patience, assertiveness, and concern for relationships—all essential leadership attributes. Minor bouts of depression are shaken off because the show must go on—home and office are a 24/7 commitment.
Celebrating Strong Women
Look around you, and you will see strong women building careers, managing homes, and fighting battles we know nothing about. Yet, they still make time to dress up, laugh, and enjoy life. They are in life’s bootcamp—married and building careers.
Kudos to these incredible women!
