Few weeks back, I was surfing channels on the television. I ended up watching an impressive interview. The interviewer asked the guest, what does personal life means to the guest, the guest replied saying “Life means work and work means life”. What an answer. She is ranked third on the 2008 and 2009 list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women, named one of the America's Best Leaders by U.S, proud Indian Mrs.Indra Krishnamoorthy Nooyi.
Indira was born in a conservative family in Chennai. During her childhood, her mother post meal, always asked Indira and her sister, what they would like to become when they grew up. She asked both of them to come up with their ideas and everyday her mother would reward the best idea among them. This made Indira to dream big.
She completed her Bachelor's degree in Physics, Chemistry and Maths from Madras Christian College in 1974. In an era in India where it was considered unseemly for young women to exert themselves, she joined an all-girls' cricket team. She even played guitar in an all-female rock band while studying at Madras Christian College. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Physics, Chemistry and Maths in 1974 and she was a part of 11th batch of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976.
Later she worked for 2 years with Johnson and Johnson. Her urge was always to pursue her higher studies in Yale, US. She had little money and no safety net. If she failed, she failed. But her determination was just like a rock. She joined Yale for her post graduation. She started working as a receptionist from midnight to sunrise to earn money and in the morning she attended her classes as usual.
She was supposed to attend her first job interview out of Yale. She struggled hard to save US$50 to buy herself a western suit. Incidentally, she wasn`t comfortable trying out a formal western outfit and ended up buying trousers that reached down only till her ankles. She was rejected in the interview. When she tearfully consulted her Career Development Counsellor, she consoled her and asked if she was attending an interview in India what would be she wearing? Indira replied saying “Sari”, the professor advised her to wear a sari and stick to what she was comfortable with and said “if they can’t accept you in a sari, it’s their loss, not yours.”
She wore a sari for her next interview. She got the job and has followed this philosophy for the rest of her career. She`s been herself, never tried to change her basic beliefs, derived strength from her traditions and believed in who she is. As she says, I` m so secure in myself, I don`t have to be American to play in the corporate life. She worked hard and in time was counted as one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes.
After her graduation she knew her journey is not rosy, for two reasons; one for being a woman and the second for not being an American. She worked harder and harder to achieve all the success. As she says, if you want to reach the top of a company, you have to start off saying that you have got to work twice as hard as your (male) counterparts. This wonderful attitude has made her the CEO of $25 billion Company in the world.
She has created wonderful extended family, the PepsiCo employees. She writes to the employees often on various topics. It always surrounds on the importance of family, friendship, moral values, and small aspects of life which brings happiness. The letters she writes is always a source of motivation and inspiration to all her employees
Indira was born in a conservative family in Chennai. During her childhood, her mother post meal, always asked Indira and her sister, what they would like to become when they grew up. She asked both of them to come up with their ideas and everyday her mother would reward the best idea among them. This made Indira to dream big.
She completed her Bachelor's degree in Physics, Chemistry and Maths from Madras Christian College in 1974. In an era in India where it was considered unseemly for young women to exert themselves, she joined an all-girls' cricket team. She even played guitar in an all-female rock band while studying at Madras Christian College. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Physics, Chemistry and Maths in 1974 and she was a part of 11th batch of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976.
Later she worked for 2 years with Johnson and Johnson. Her urge was always to pursue her higher studies in Yale, US. She had little money and no safety net. If she failed, she failed. But her determination was just like a rock. She joined Yale for her post graduation. She started working as a receptionist from midnight to sunrise to earn money and in the morning she attended her classes as usual.
She was supposed to attend her first job interview out of Yale. She struggled hard to save US$50 to buy herself a western suit. Incidentally, she wasn`t comfortable trying out a formal western outfit and ended up buying trousers that reached down only till her ankles. She was rejected in the interview. When she tearfully consulted her Career Development Counsellor, she consoled her and asked if she was attending an interview in India what would be she wearing? Indira replied saying “Sari”, the professor advised her to wear a sari and stick to what she was comfortable with and said “if they can’t accept you in a sari, it’s their loss, not yours.”
She wore a sari for her next interview. She got the job and has followed this philosophy for the rest of her career. She`s been herself, never tried to change her basic beliefs, derived strength from her traditions and believed in who she is. As she says, I` m so secure in myself, I don`t have to be American to play in the corporate life. She worked hard and in time was counted as one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes.
After her graduation she knew her journey is not rosy, for two reasons; one for being a woman and the second for not being an American. She worked harder and harder to achieve all the success. As she says, if you want to reach the top of a company, you have to start off saying that you have got to work twice as hard as your (male) counterparts. This wonderful attitude has made her the CEO of $25 billion Company in the world.
She has created wonderful extended family, the PepsiCo employees. She writes to the employees often on various topics. It always surrounds on the importance of family, friendship, moral values, and small aspects of life which brings happiness. The letters she writes is always a source of motivation and inspiration to all her employees
Despite the monumental successes of her career, Indira Nooyi remains a quintessentially Indian woman .She handles her work with the same demeanour as a mother and a wife. She lives in Connecticut. She has a large puja room where a diya is lit and the inviting air of incense always greets. She is a big fan of Carnatic music, which plays 18 hours a day in her home which relaxes her.
As she always says, true success is being happy with yourself, being fulfilled. And that comes from devoting your time, your life, to doing what you love the most. Nooyi has always seen the world through the prism of her faith and beliefs which has been a guiding light in her life.
One of the most impressive women, as always said women of substance and great inspiration to all of us.
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