Name: Geetanjali
Pandit
Pandit
City: Noida,
India
India
Occupation: Author
of the bestseller Buddha At Work, Columnist, C-Suite Coach
of the bestseller Buddha At Work, Columnist, C-Suite Coach
ST: Please tell us briefly about you.
Geetanjali: I am
an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur and Lesley University, Cambridge, USA. My career
in Human Resources spans over twenty years, during which time I have been the
Chief Human Resources Officer for the India Today Group and the Chief People
Officer for Zee Media Corporation Limited amongst other roles. I credit my
success at work and in my personal life to the application of Buddhist
principles.
an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur and Lesley University, Cambridge, USA. My career
in Human Resources spans over twenty years, during which time I have been the
Chief Human Resources Officer for the India Today Group and the Chief People
Officer for Zee Media Corporation Limited amongst other roles. I credit my
success at work and in my personal life to the application of Buddhist
principles.
ST: Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
Geetanjali: My biggest inspiration has always been
my mother, ToshiNath. She epitomised
grace under fire to me. Her courage and
her ability to see the positive in the most difficult of circumstances was
tremendous. Her life was taken by
pancreatic cancer, the most agonising of cancers. Even when though she was in such horrendous
pain, she would always groom herself well (as long as she could) and smile when
visitors came to see her and meet her.
She would say she was fine. As I
was especially attached to her, she never once expressed her physical or
emotional pain in my hearing. If I left
home to run an errand or just stepped out for fresh air (I nursed my mother the
last few months) I am told she would scream with the agony but again never show
me her pain upon my return home.
my mother, ToshiNath. She epitomised
grace under fire to me. Her courage and
her ability to see the positive in the most difficult of circumstances was
tremendous. Her life was taken by
pancreatic cancer, the most agonising of cancers. Even when though she was in such horrendous
pain, she would always groom herself well (as long as she could) and smile when
visitors came to see her and meet her.
She would say she was fine. As I
was especially attached to her, she never once expressed her physical or
emotional pain in my hearing. If I left
home to run an errand or just stepped out for fresh air (I nursed my mother the
last few months) I am told she would scream with the agony but again never show
me her pain upon my return home.
ST: How are you celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day?
Geetanjali: I am looking forward to being on the
Bangalore campus of SAP LABS as their guest and keynote speaker on the occasion
of the IWD. SAP LABS globally is
following the theme of Press for Progress.
Their invitation to me is very meaningful on this occasion. I am also looking forward to signing their
100 copies of Buddha At Work that they have purchased for their teams.
Bangalore campus of SAP LABS as their guest and keynote speaker on the occasion
of the IWD. SAP LABS globally is
following the theme of Press for Progress.
Their invitation to me is very meaningful on this occasion. I am also looking forward to signing their
100 copies of Buddha At Work that they have purchased for their teams.
ST: What is the most important message you want to send out to all the
women around the world on this occasion?
women around the world on this occasion?
Geetanjali: I really urge all women to work on and
define success for themselves and not buy in to the definition of success and
the heavy baggage of expectations that the world around them imposes on
them. I say this from my life’s
experience, my research and my reskilling and transforming my life many times
over personally and professionally. We
(women) tend to buy into others’ definition of what it means to be successful
and we are much harder on ourselves than is needed.
define success for themselves and not buy in to the definition of success and
the heavy baggage of expectations that the world around them imposes on
them. I say this from my life’s
experience, my research and my reskilling and transforming my life many times
over personally and professionally. We
(women) tend to buy into others’ definition of what it means to be successful
and we are much harder on ourselves than is needed.
Of course, when we define success for
ourselves we can then bring out the resolve to follow our own course and follow
it through till the end. Women need to
break out of the conventional and the accepted.
Yes, it is tough and difficult but it is the only way to create an
empowered and happy life.
ourselves we can then bring out the resolve to follow our own course and follow
it through till the end. Women need to
break out of the conventional and the accepted.
Yes, it is tough and difficult but it is the only way to create an
empowered and happy life.
ST: What according to you is ‘women empowerment’?
Geetanjali: Empowerment is expanding one’s views,
mind and perspective. It is creating a
life of more choices and having the courage to seize the opportunity that
arises. Women carry an enormous burden
of emotions and a mishmash of others expectations. Most women put themselves last in any series
of relationships. This is self defeating
in the long run. Compromising on oneself
creates unhappiness, frustration and regrets.
So like the safety instructions to passengers in a craft who are told to
put on their own mask before turning to help others, I also recommend that
safety, happiness and empowerment begins with oneself. And it ripples out – to our families, our colleagues and our
environment.
mind and perspective. It is creating a
life of more choices and having the courage to seize the opportunity that
arises. Women carry an enormous burden
of emotions and a mishmash of others expectations. Most women put themselves last in any series
of relationships. This is self defeating
in the long run. Compromising on oneself
creates unhappiness, frustration and regrets.
So like the safety instructions to passengers in a craft who are told to
put on their own mask before turning to help others, I also recommend that
safety, happiness and empowerment begins with oneself. And it ripples out – to our families, our colleagues and our
environment.
ST: What would you say are the main challenges facing women at present
in India?
in India?
Geetanjali: The biggest challenge in our country at this
moment is one of safety – physical safety.
These are very troubling times and the problem in many parts of India is
mothers do not raise their sons to respect other women and to see women as
fellow human beings. A women is neither
a possession nor an object. Wrong
understanding and absolutely out of context exposure on the internet including
to porn has led to this surge in violence especially sexual crime against
women. I see this as the biggest
challenge.
moment is one of safety – physical safety.
These are very troubling times and the problem in many parts of India is
mothers do not raise their sons to respect other women and to see women as
fellow human beings. A women is neither
a possession nor an object. Wrong
understanding and absolutely out of context exposure on the internet including
to porn has led to this surge in violence especially sexual crime against
women. I see this as the biggest
challenge.
The next challenge is a societal one
where the expectations from working women are totally out of place. She is expected to perform the traditional
role very well while having the ability to add to the family income. These roles are in conflict in their very
essence. Women, just like men, need
support to be able perform well in all roles.
where the expectations from working women are totally out of place. She is expected to perform the traditional
role very well while having the ability to add to the family income. These roles are in conflict in their very
essence. Women, just like men, need
support to be able perform well in all roles.
The last challenge is intrinsic to women
who believe many a times that others should provide for them. That others should do something to help
them. It is a ceding of one’s own
responsibility towards oneself. Many
girls grow up in difficult personal circumstances and view marriage as the solution. We all of us need to view our own skills,
abilities, education, network as being our fall back options. We all need to be contributing and even
earning with our unique skills and abilities.
This is hugely empowering. This is hugely liberating.
who believe many a times that others should provide for them. That others should do something to help
them. It is a ceding of one’s own
responsibility towards oneself. Many
girls grow up in difficult personal circumstances and view marriage as the solution. We all of us need to view our own skills,
abilities, education, network as being our fall back options. We all need to be contributing and even
earning with our unique skills and abilities.
This is hugely empowering. This is hugely liberating.
ST: Where do you want to see yourself in next 5
years?
years?
Geetanjali: Well, in my journey as an author I am
very keen to complete two books in the Buddha At ….series. I am seriously also thinking about doing a
business biography. I have already started
consulting with companies on increasing their profitability by using the
principles of Buddha At Work. Many
other organisations have invited me to create suitable models for employee
engagement based on Buddha At Work. I
hope to be able to do this on a larger scale for individuals and organisations
both. Though I find the individual
coaching to be more personally fulfilling for me.
very keen to complete two books in the Buddha At ….series. I am seriously also thinking about doing a
business biography. I have already started
consulting with companies on increasing their profitability by using the
principles of Buddha At Work. Many
other organisations have invited me to create suitable models for employee
engagement based on Buddha At Work. I
hope to be able to do this on a larger scale for individuals and organisations
both. Though I find the individual
coaching to be more personally fulfilling for me.
 |
| Geetanjali Pandit, Author of the bestseller Buddha At Work |
