Thursday, March 31, 2005
Noticed this the first time the ignominious manner in which the Energy Kapoor escapade broke, and the ensuing chaos thereafter. One of the many conclusions/interpretations drawn by a barrage of illiterate newsreaders, “analysts”, “media moguls” and the like was that this incident was not isolated and similar stuff has continued Time Immemorial. They have stretched the argument further and expectorated that the knowledgeable ones ( those who’ve been to the schools and colleges that they have, and spout drivel ) that this has always been “an inevitable evil”, “ an accepted and recognized fact” and more seditiously , “ a way of life” in disparate fields and disciplines such as Media—print & television, Films, Sports, Management, Medicine, Government affairs (sic) and other streams.
Must confess to being nonplussed by the fact that I did not even hear the familiar protesting and resisting squeaks against this bland generalization. Almost as if all around us had condemned themselves to this perdition silently.
While I may possess a debilitating paucity of first-hand knowledge in other strata, I adduce a fleeting strain of a contrary opinion—not quite a bark, but more than a bleat.
It is a scathing indictment of any achievement to insinuate, covertly or otherwise, that the feat has been accomplished by anything other than merit, industry, gumption and grit. There is an element of Luck in every sphere but that peters out and evens out with time and longevity.
In India, there is a plethora of reasons to explain why the distaff side has not always been well represented in the corporate world. The more apparent ones being, familial domestic duties, location issues, pride at home and a yawning overall lack of ambition, fuelled unfailingly in childhood and fostered through adolescence. These are endemic and not individual issues.
There have been stray cases of peaks climbed, which indeed are misleading because of their being portrayed as Amazonian, and insensitive, or else as Superwomen, to whom all else is suborned. And there could be more meaningful causes to which the preponderance of the gender in the only Indian firm that has made a song and dance about the matter.
More recently, the burgeoning software and BPO industries have ensured that more women enter and contribute to “regular” work ,read other than housework. I’ve some reservations about these, but they can wait…
Moreover, most companies have explicit guidelines on any aspect germane to the topic, and it is indeed unfathomable, that an individual can get away with even a wafting hint. If anything, erring is on the side of caution and folks make an over-the-top effort to maintain bonhomie and camaraderie and not even a whiff of untoward occurrences emerge.
Furthermore, although I’ve come across at least shades of misadventures and misdemeanors in other areas, I have yet to even hear canards or sniff undercurrents in the corporate world.
No smoke, hence no fire ?
Am I missing something ?
Must confess to being nonplussed by the fact that I did not even hear the familiar protesting and resisting squeaks against this bland generalization. Almost as if all around us had condemned themselves to this perdition silently.
While I may possess a debilitating paucity of first-hand knowledge in other strata, I adduce a fleeting strain of a contrary opinion—not quite a bark, but more than a bleat.
It is a scathing indictment of any achievement to insinuate, covertly or otherwise, that the feat has been accomplished by anything other than merit, industry, gumption and grit. There is an element of Luck in every sphere but that peters out and evens out with time and longevity.
In India, there is a plethora of reasons to explain why the distaff side has not always been well represented in the corporate world. The more apparent ones being, familial domestic duties, location issues, pride at home and a yawning overall lack of ambition, fuelled unfailingly in childhood and fostered through adolescence. These are endemic and not individual issues.
There have been stray cases of peaks climbed, which indeed are misleading because of their being portrayed as Amazonian, and insensitive, or else as Superwomen, to whom all else is suborned. And there could be more meaningful causes to which the preponderance of the gender in the only Indian firm that has made a song and dance about the matter.
More recently, the burgeoning software and BPO industries have ensured that more women enter and contribute to “regular” work ,read other than housework. I’ve some reservations about these, but they can wait…
Moreover, most companies have explicit guidelines on any aspect germane to the topic, and it is indeed unfathomable, that an individual can get away with even a wafting hint. If anything, erring is on the side of caution and folks make an over-the-top effort to maintain bonhomie and camaraderie and not even a whiff of untoward occurrences emerge.
Furthermore, although I’ve come across at least shades of misadventures and misdemeanors in other areas, I have yet to even hear canards or sniff undercurrents in the corporate world.
No smoke, hence no fire ?
Am I missing something ?
