Would you be your own follower?
Women have for long been subject to societal rules and taboos largely formed on a man’s diktat. The follower-mentality has thus been deeply rooted in a woman’s genes. Always viewed as the weaker sex, by others and self, has also been a factor instrumental in driving home the follower-mentality. For womankind therefore, the leader has therefore always been someone else. Fortunately, however, humankind has seen some feminine figures that have disrupted the establishment and led by example and action.
This piece seeks to cover two such women, not very-much-up-there public figures whom we all know, like Mother Teresa, but slightly lesser known public figures and not-so-public figures who have, in their determination to do something right, have upset the cart. Before you think this piece is a feminist piece, allow me to tell you that it is not; it is a paean sung for the Sheroes in our society who have dared to do something right, something different and have led a new thought-wave by example and action.
I would also like you to measure your leadership quotient compared to these two women.
Sindutai Sakpal - Mother of Orphans
Sindutai is an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for her work for raising orphan children. Being an unwanted child, she was nicknamed 'Chindhi' (torn piece of cloth). Her father was keen on educating Sindhutai, but poverty, family responsibilities and an early marriage forced her to quit formal education after 4th grade. She got married at the tender age of 10 and because she stood up against a local strongman, her husband left her during her pregnancy.
Left to fend for herself, she begged on the railway platforms and stayed there. At this time, she saw many children who were abandoned by their parents. She adopted them and fed them as she could, through begging. She decided to become a mother to anyone and everyone who came across to her as an orphan. She later donated her biological child to the trust Shrimant Dagdu Sheth Halwai, Pune, only to eliminate the feeling of partiality between her daughter and the adopted ones.
She has devoted her entire life for orphans. As a result she is fondly called 'Mai’(mother). She has nurtured over 1050 orphaned children. Many of them have grown up to become successful professionals. She got many awards but used her award money to build an orphanage.
At the age of 80, when her husband came back to her apologetically, she accepted him as her child stating she is only a mother now! She introduces him as her oldest child!
Gauri Shinde – Adwoman, Film Director – English Vinglish
A woman of my industry, the ad industry, Gauri Shinde is a leader in her own right. She has a husband in R Balki, one of the top ad agency’s (Lowe Lintas) head honcho and the maker of the famous film, Cheeni Kum; any average woman would flinch and think twice about storming her husband’s bastion, but Gauri did it twice. Not only did her ad films win accolades, but her full length feature film also won great recognition.
Gauri could do this only because she challenged herself and broke the comfort zone. She could have reveled in her old role as ad maker and stood beside her husband while savoring her husband’s film success. But she followed her own heart. She wanted to a film and she did it, successfully. Moreover, the topic of her film revolved around a home maker who could not speak English well, like Gauri’s own mother could not; a topic which was not just difficult to publicly acknowledge but tough to create a story of. A story which millions of Indian women and their foreign counterparts from non- English countries relate to even today.
Leadership to me is these two women, polar opposites in real life, yet establishing their leadership through actions. They are the Sheroes. They are the women with guts, sensitivity, and a leap of faith. This leap has and will take them far.
How ready and how far are you ready to take that leap of faith? That one sweep of action -that will be the beginning of your leadership. What kind of leader are you? What kind will you be? Will you be a leader, you yourself would want to follow?
That my friends will be the true test of good leadership for you.
