I recently read a report in news publication THE WIRE. Let me share it with you all before we move to the story of the day. Why? Well, it has a deep-rooted relation to women and women-work-force.
The news report in The WIRE states:
According to the National Sample Survey Office, states the labor force participation rate for women as below:
Such is the sad state of affairs towards women employment in India. And we all know that a large stratum of women wants to work, but are either not allowed to work or not taking up a career due to various external factors But then there are ways to break such barriers. And today I take you to meet Ramandeep Chugh who has paved the way ahead for various other women to follow and take a leap of faith towards independence.
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh based 36-year-old Ramandeep Chugh who is employed with a top organisation. She explains it as "I work remotely from home since I have to look after a family. And I got to know about this Work-from-Home solution called MARS, for women who have the urge to work (even if from home) but don't get an opportunity."
A commerce graduate, Ramandeep informs that she was the youngest and most-cared for child of the family. Before marriage, she was a working professional for brands like Airtel and Idea. But post-wedding after settling in an Indore based family, her life revolved around her husband, in-laws and later children. She has two daughters aged 12 and 4. And she hopped jobs while raising them. But she had to first move to Gwalior and later Bhopal when her husband's job shifted places.
Ramandeep began detailing, "My husband is currently VP-Operations with an MNC in Finance Sector. And the wife mostly has to move with the husband. But I was always keen on working. I have seen it all, from digging my eye into newspaper classifieds to falling prey to fake job websites - I have had it all. One day my friend Supriya introduced me to SHEROES where I learned about MARS. My first job through SHEROES was a very basic one. And my second project is ongoing now, with a top company."
Next, she details about MARS and what kind of commitments are required to fit in a Work-From-Home environment.
"Mahima, I got to know through a friend that SHEROES has set up something called MARS - Managed Remote Solutions as a leading business solution in which SHEROES has certified women workforce that works for various clients all across India - BUT FROM A REMOTE LOCATION! Currently, I am a part of the on-boarding project of Executives who are engaged at providing an end-to-end process of verification and authorizing documents within the stipulated time frame. It's my first dedicated work from home and completely love and respect it. The remote team, as well as team leaders, are quite supportive,"
- informs Ramandeep.
But she says it is not that easy as it sounds because working from home has a lot of distractions unlike, office places. And she has to really focus and make the family also focus and be aware of her work-space and commitments. She details," It is a typical 9-5pm job but from home. I have to plan my day really well so that my work and personal life are properly aligned. MARS has not only helped me discover a NEW ME but has also taught me how to prioritise things in life. Working from home is also quite demanding. Not always the day will progress the way you want to since you are working from home where you have an equal commitment towards the family. But with time my family, especially my daughters have conditioned to the fact that Mumma too has office work now. They have become more supportive and responsible. I feel to see my younger one helping me out to sit for work on time. But it needs a lot of focus and determination to stay focused," very joyful Ramandeep shares all this with pride.
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You will be happy to know that while juggling work and family, Ramandeep also finds time to unwind through her hobbies which include Yoga, cooking, trekking, participating in marathons and listening to music. She laughs and says, "Yes Mahima, after speeding up my work, I go for short Yoga sessions to rejuvenate myself. And I end my day with short readings. We all need that ME TIME, isn't it?"
I can feel the joy in her voice as she adds, "SHEROES is that perfect jigsaw for those women who are into family commitment but desperately looking to make their own identity. And I am all set to attend the SHEROES SUMMIT 2019 which is being held in January. Now that I have experienced Work-From-Home through MARS, I don’t want to stop in life and stride ahead, even if my work demands more of me. I am rather looking forward to more challenging projects, that can extract my best talent!"
And here I feel like shouting out to everyone and anyone who thinks that women don't want to work: Hey, you there...come here and meet women like Ramandeep, who are trying to excel, hanging to a thin but strong rope of hope! They wish to excel, all they need is an opportunity."
But then, a calm Ramandeep perhaps has learned to take such people in her stride, because she has left a beautiful message for all those who are reading this:
"You can do more than you think. So DO NOT let others define your worth. Take the chance, rise, and shine."
If Ramandeep Chugh has left you motivated, do share her story and don't forget to pour some love for this SHERO in the comments column!