With which company did you start your career?
I started my career at ITC as a Management Trainee in the year 1994.
Why did you choose human resources as your professional field? You could have chosen any other field as your future path.
I am a natural extrovert and connect well with people. So I realised human resources is where my strengths lay in and therefore took that career path.
Could you briefly describe the initial years of your career – what were the challenges you faced, the areas you enjoyed the most, the lessons learnt?
As I mentioned above, my initial years were in ITC, especially their factory environments in Munger and Calcutta where I learnt the ropes and understood the business.
The fact is that I realised pretty early that along with new learning that I had to do, there was also a lot of unlearning to do.
This was the time when classroom theoretical approaches were replaced by practical pragmatic solutions. It was here that I learnt to think on my feet and work in teams.
How did your achievements transform you personally and professionally?
My experiences and achievements have given me the confidence to hold my own in leadership and boardroom discussions. I have earned my seat at the table.
The CEOs, my many peers and even the promoters who I have had the privilege of working with, value my perspective, advice and opinion. Not only that, my team members too see me as one of them.
I believe that I have built trust and confidence over the years with the people and stakeholders who I work with, both, within and outside the organization.
What advice would you like to give to HR practitioners of the next generation?
The advice I should like to give to professionals in the HR field is firstly, balance the short term with the long term and always focus on doing the right thing, not the most expedient.
As an HR operative, you must carry others with you, or at least make a genuine effort. Be the one to lead the change, build trust and learn to work in teams.
Always empower your team to take decisions. Most importantly, be comfortable with failure you will not always win.
