‘Lack of women role models in the top management is a concern’ : KV Sudha, executive director, development engineering, Dell India R&D

KV Sudha

The challenges of being a woman executive in a top role

They are not very different from the challenges of being an executive irrespective of gender, some of them being adopting strategic and longer term thinking; being mindful of words and actions as one is now being seen as an ambassador for the organization and developing appropriate amount of delegation and oversight.

The Educational Background

Sudha has a Bachelors in Electronics & Communications (Karnatak University), Masters in Software systems (BITs, Pilani), EGMP (IIM-B).

Family Background

Her father was an accountant in Binny’s and mother a school teacher. Husband works in the Automobile industry and only son is majoring in Biology (Undergrad in IISc).

Working in male-dominated field of IT

Coming from an engineering background, I never noticed the field as a male-dominated one. In the initial years of my career, I did have excellent female colleagues, but as I moved up the ladder, the number of women counterparts were fewer. Lack of women role models in the top management has been my concern. Other than that, I have been extremely comfortable working in this industry to the extent that the gender factor is not very visible.

Does a Glass ceiling exist?

I believe that the Glass ceiling exists for all professionals and not just women. We get capped by our own limitations as well as of the organization we work for. If for example I am limited by my ability to move across different functions in the organization or by my mobility (my own choice), I encounter a glass ceiling. Similarly if an organization is not growing or there are no roles availabie vertically, one again hits the glass ceiling.

Advice to working women

Capitalize on your innate strengths of being able to connect, communicate and empathize with people around you. Learn to put your multi-tasking abilities to good use. Do not expect preferential treatment -if you behave like an equal, there will be always equal opportunities.

Hobbies

Enjoys traveling, reading and listening to a variety of music.

Future plans.

My road ahead involves giving my best to the organization I work for! Once I retire from active work, I look forward to being a freelance programmer.

Ekta Saxena

(ektasa@cybermedia.co.in)