Meet The SHEROES: Sumiit Cheema, Shipping Professional, Head - Wista North India Chapter

I am a sales and Marketing professional with the Indian Shipping Industry, and quite honestly,  I landed up in this profession by default, as a post graduate management trainee.  Even though I hail belong to a family of seafarers and shipping professionals, I had never planned it that way.

Growing up, I was inclined towards creative pursuits especially baking and the culinary arts. I took culinary courses frequently, but it has ended up as more of a hobby. My education was basic, graduation in commerce and an MBA in marketing. My parents had encouraged me to pursue engineering and science, but ultimately gave me the freedom to choose my own subjects. I always had the unhindered support of my parents and family in charting my own course.

I wouldn’t say I became what I ‘studied’  to be but yes my post-graduation did help  groom me and prepare me for the corporate world. Of course, the hands on learning happened a couple of years into the job. Like any fresh post-graduate, I was young when I entered into this profession, it took me a while to learn the ropes. My stint in the shipping industry began in 2002 with Forbes Sea Consortium, and the initial couple of years were fairly easy.

However, it was when I joined the liner companies that I started to face challenges. I have had the privilege of working for two of the largest shipping lines of  the world: Maersk and MSC. But  some clients were apprehensive accepting me, a woman,  as their account manager. They would rather work with my male counterparts. However, over the years, I proved myself  through hard work , dignity and  determination, and earned their respect.

Like I said, my family was supportive, while mentoring me towards what’s best for me, they  gave me the freedom to choose my path. There were no personal hurdles as such, aside from feeling of demotivated on and off, while I struggled initially to be accepted into the liner  industry. I have been lucky to have had great colleagues and seniors who recognised my abilities and provided the right environment for growth. I decided it was best to silently prove myself through my work and professionalism.

In the end, performance and the right attitude is what matters.

There was no point becoming defensive. Instead the quiet , dignified approach to my work helped me get through this phase. Women shy away from joining industries, like shipping because of a couple of reasons. One, is a lack of awareness about career opportunities in shipping. This lack of awareness has been created at an early stage, at  school and colleges no one talks about shipping as a profession.

The industry mindset also has a role to play, especially in India. Although we are starting to see a shift in perspectives of decision makers,  industry leaders toward hiring women, this section of the industry remains fairly small. Also, Shipping industry in India is not given the importance it deserves and does not figure in the priority list of the Indian government.

Wista is a fantastic global platform for women in shipping.

We at the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (Wista) bring industry executives and experts together, for knowledge sharing, discussion and networking. Members get to meet women in shipping who are shaping the future of their own careers, companies and the industry. We facilitate this through conferences, workshops, seminars, port visits and social networking events. We are thankful to have support from various companies in the maritime sector, and now we have a large member base in India due to that.

Sanjam Sahi Gupta, president, Wista India has been the driving force in making Wista India a success. She and I are initiating a campaign called "sustainable

shipping " in collaboration with a Norwegian company called Nor Shipping.

The campaign covers: gender diversity, adaptation of technology and  environmental protection. We are engage with shipping companies and ask  them

what are the steps they are taking in these areas. For shipping to be sustainable these are some of the core areas that the industry will have to adapt to.

Career counselling will play a major role in bringing more women into the shipping industry.

The change needs to happen at the university level. Companies visiting college campuses for recruitment drives, counselling students to opt for jobs in shipping will help. There aren't any recognised courses with shipping-related subjects for on shore professionals. Most of them cater to merchant navy professionals. Today, women are starting to explore their potential at an early age. They are availing the best education, are willing to leave their homes and study at the best colleges and schools. This comes  from a desire to be independent and realise their potential.

My 13-years in this profession have been challenging, but equally rewarding for me. However, women continue to be a minority in the industry. This trend is slowly shifting though, with multinational companies hiring based on talent , rather than gender.

As told to: Karuna John