Rachna Ganatra

My Journey While Moving Ahead In My Career:

I began my career as a research investigator with Madras Institute of Development Studies and contributed to projects in the domain of indigenous technology and Trade Facilitation with WTO as the focus. The projects I worked on enabled me very early on to be able to communicate with top-notch academicians, officials and several Industry players. I learnt a lot both professionally and personally from them and I had my Mentors figured through them, whose guidance has helped shaped me as a professional and an individual.

Challenges Faced:

I think being a woman the biggest challenge I faced in the industry was more internal and not external. In time, I recognized my own demon called " I am not good enough" and once I did, I worked on myself as that is one thing, I had control over. Today, I am happy that I am a core member of the committee of a growing company who has 65-70% of women on its payroll, and all are here not because of gender but because they have excelled and have the determination of growing each day. According to me it is not the industry that poses challenges, it is your self- belief.

Words Of Wisdom To Restart Your Career:

As Women, we are very hard on ourselves and when it comes to being ambitious or taking career breaks/ quitting too, this applies. One has to first put in perspective that there is no need to carry any of this baggage at all, and to develop a sense of empathy towards yourself and understand that you have the right to make your dreams come true and make choices that make you happy professionally and personally. The decision of balance is up to you, and you have to learn to respect that, and others will learn to respect your choices along the way.