As International Woman’s Day grows near, we celebrate the achievements of women around the world. To kick off our celebration, we’ve asked Priyanka Varma, HR Personnel from Noida in India, a few questions on her experience achieving success in the HR industry and what advice she has for women entering the workforce today.
Excerpts:
ST: Please tell us briefly about you:
Priyanka: I’m a graduate of University of Western Ontario, Toronto, Canada. I have lived in India, Middle East and Canada in my lifetime. I have done schooling from Sacred Heart – Jamshedpur, Indian School Muscat – Oman and Milliken Mills High School – Canada.
In addition to my fervor for writing, I’m a trained finance professional. I have worked for leading organizations such as Astral Media and Union Bank of Switzerland in Toronto as an analyst.
My first novel, The Rite To Love, was published in November of 2015. It was based on my observations on a live-in relationship with a backdrop of morsels of being married. Subsequently, I have published three more novels by the names of, Girl In The City (2019), Women of the Millennium (2019) and Confessions of a Workoholic (2020).
Currently, and infinitely ever, relishing in the realm of motherhood. I’m a mom to my 8-year-old, daughter named Aanya. By profession, I’m the owner of my own company by the name of Prudent Plans.
ST: Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
Priyanka: Without a doubt, my mother. In fact, my parents have always believed in the saying, if you help someone, then the rewards come back to you in ten-fold. My mother has helped people, selflessly, and also raised my brother and I on her own. We have lived abroad for a good 17 years, and she had no help in raising us. There were times when she also worked and looked after us, so she inspires me because no matter where we have lived in this world, she has moulded herself to the needs of time but always kept her priorities in-check.
ST: How are you celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day?
Priyanka: Well, it’s a Monday, a school-day, so my daughter will have to make-do with a video call with me. For the later part of the day, I will probably spend it with my mother, we will go for a nice brunch. Then I’ve got an exam, for which I will study in the evening. Also, hope to chat with some of my gal pals, who inspire me also. So yes, with some very significant women in my life.
ST: What is the most important message you want to send out to all the women around the world on this occasion?
Priyanka: In the words of our first lady, Michelle Obama, “The difference between a broken community and a thriving one is the presence of women who are valued.” So, always look-upto the women that have gained respectable and noteworthy positions in society and always know that if one woman can do it, then so can you. Also, my second advice is, always be classy and poised. Words are a bigger weapon than daggers.
ST: What according to you is ‘women empowerment’?
Priyanka: An empowered woman is an educated woman, who uses her skills and degrees to her advantage, works hard and achieves success. Besides being a mother and a wife, it’s important to have a career to always either nurture or fall back on during hard times. Thus, it’s our duty as a society to recognize and nurture the talents of girls and women, so that they become financially and mentally able to support their families. That, to me, is women empowerment.
ST: What would you say are the main challenges facing women at present globally?
Priyanka: Two challenges facing women today are right to education and right to treatments with regards to their health. They can be eradicated by introducing incentives to start their own businesses at the grass-roots level, and also more money should be injected towards infrastructure projects such as access to healthcare and treatments for poor women and girls, so that they can take full advantage of their bodies and minds towards their school or work.
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