The Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit

In LA this year between October 3-5 and as a mentee of Joan Amble and Denise Pickett of American Express (FORTUNE/US State Dept Global Women's Mentoring Partnership 2011) I get to attend this amazing event. 

The event this year looks truly stunning and to be attending this event is a matter of great pride and honour for me. The support of Joan and Denise has continued long after the mentoring program was over and I am humbled by the commitment these ladies show.

Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo, Ellen Kullman of DuPont, Pat Woertz of ADM, and Anne Lauvergeon of AREVA, Ginni Rometty of IBM, Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook and Arianna Huffington of The Huffington Post Media Group. Also confirmed are Human Rights Advocate Somaly Mam, Singer-Songwriter and Author Rosanne Cash, Talk Show Host and Author Chelsea Handler, Dr. Nancy Snyderman of NBC News, and Meredith Whitney of Meredith Whitney Advisory Group LLC —plus Warren Buffett, are just some of the people who would be attending the event.


I should be live-tweeting the event and also blogging about it as and when possible.



Looking forward to this is totally understating it.
 

Its amazing how attached one can become to their pet. And within such a short span of time. I miss Joey terribly and wait to see him whenever I come back from work. So much so that I have begun blogging about him :) 

Its beautiful to have him sleep off on my shoulder sometimes, or on my hands. That's what he does most of the day. The remaining time he pees and poops. And then he chews on whatever can find. My ankles and toes and whosoever else's he can find as of now. 

I love him to bits and this birthday was definitely the most special of all because Joey came home. Was telling a friend that I miss Joe and he said that's the best and worst part of having a pet. 

Joey is now part of my family. I think he'd be way better than those who actually are supposed to be my kith and kin! :p

Joey!!!

Tooooo much thought went into naming the birthday puppy and now we have named him Joey. Kinda rhymes with Chewy because thats what he does all day. Chew. Other than sleep of course.
He is amazing. Super cute and adorable.

And that is Joey for you :) Say Hello!!

Quite a day

Yes, I know. I am more actively tweeting than blogging. But at times the 140 character limit at a time doesn't help verbose expressions. So here we come back again to good old blogging.

Its been an interesting day recording for Dheva sir. Originally went into sing one song. But he ended up asking me to sing one more. One duet was with a newcomer called Aditya Ram and the other with the veteran SPB sir. The only other time I sang a duet with SPB sir was again for a film that Dheva sir composed for, several years ago. Which was again a Brother-Sister sort of a song. There must be something there :)

A few months ago, people closest to me knew that I was lamenting for a puppy. Like really, really lamenting. I want a puppy. I want a puppy. My mother had heard enough. And then finally I gave up. Because I couldn't find one that I liked. Even though I had visited a few people. Thought it was not written. And then a friend landed up at my home this morning with a basket. I was just waking up from a really strange and partly scary dream, which later, according to experts was a good thing after all to have a dream like that. So when I saw a basket with a furry thing that moved inside, I screamed. And my friend was weirded out. And then it hit me that I had a puppy on my hands. It was all a blur. Bathed it, fed it, went to office, left it with mom and went to the recording.

Once back I finally caught up on sleep that has been in serious short supply for days, if not weeks. I have been dubbing non stop. Recording songs was difficult as after the bout of a viral fever my singing voice took quite a while to get to form. And my first recording after almost 25 days happened 4-5 days ago.

And then the Mirchi Music Awards was slated to happen today and happen it did. I was nominated for the Best Female Playback singer. Didn't think any award will happen to me, and thought this pattern of not winning an award for an AR song will continue (of course barring the TN State Govt award, no other awards had happened right from Kannathil Muthamittal to Kilimanjaro). And interestingly looks like the jinx was broken, if there was a jinx. I always felt sad that I could never hold an award in my hands and thank Rahman sir for the song and the award. State Govt Ceremonies don't give opportunities for Thank-You speeches. So yes, I still haven't held an award for an AR song and given a thank-you speech. Someday. 

Also, on the other hand, I have been doing a lot of things. Working on starting a culinary venture. But want to have be a socially conscious initiative. So the background work is taking time. Also we have been getting a lot of genuine advice on red tape especially in this kind of a venture. And how much if such red tape is not encouraged, how a carefully built reputation will be ruined :)  Yes it might sound filmi but apparently it does happen.

Mom's life and mine has been an example, that we have never been asked to pay a bribe anywhere. I have been a known face only the past 6-7 years. I have never seen mom talk about anything like that. And I am sure this will continue even in my case. There is only one way to lead our lives and that was decided ages ago. If it doesn't happen the straightforward way, I'd rather let go of the idea.

Also launched the Blue Elephant Record Company today and that was basically because Dharan, Madhan Karky and I are working on an album. Have been talking to Karky for a pretty long while and Dharan as well. We should be ready with our single soon. After all, that's what we Dakshaa LLC and I launched the iOS app for. 

As for the app the Android version is getting tested and the little chinks and nicks in the iOS version will also be rectified in the update.

Until then this is Chinmayi signing off :)

From today - The Chinmayi App

The first iOS app by a musician across all iOS devices and also the first female singer in India to have an iOS App. The android version will also release soon. 

I had known the brain behind Dakshaa LLC, Naveen, virtually for a while and he is a serial entrepreneur. When I was in the US for the Fortune/ US State Dept mentoring program he told me to release an app. I, of course was apprehensive, wondering who would want to see an app released by me. He was good at convincing me and he is, as I see today from the response I am getting from the Press and Twitter, quite right. 

This will be an interactive App from the next update which will come in 3 weeks and this will also be the platform where I will release my own music or the result of any collaborations I am working on now. This app will also feature exclusive video content in the future. 

I guess this is enough said for now. I have been getting a lot of reviews and inputs from those who have downloaded it reading my tweets and I understand there are some who read my blog that also read my tweets. :)

So yes, this is the beginning of a lot of things to come :)

Here is a preview of the app

Nandi award

Announced today for my dubbing in Ye Maaya Chesave. 

I had never thought of dubbing before SOK. And never thought I ll get an award either for my first film in Telugu. 

This journey, too started from Rahman sir's studio when the studio engineer Karthik called me to test for Sillunu Oru Kadhal. I, in my opinion, had a very un-girly, un-sing-song voice. I was just the normal voice. Somehow Director Krishna decided this is the voice he wants for Bhumika Chawla and I am now 22 films old for dubbing in about 5 years. I continue to be surprised with this though. This was never something I planned. But then I wasnt planning for Blue Elephant since I was a child either.

But I can tell you that this path was not easy. And I also said I didn't want to be doing this at some point because some things were becoming too difficult to handle. I faced a lot of resistance. Not to mention a lot of envy. However, destiny took over. Things changed. And I am grateful for the opportunities. 

Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaaya and Ye Maaya Chesave are definitely one of the best films in my dubbing career. I love working with Gautham sir. Learned a lot of things from him. Especially subtlety in dubbing. 

Before Vaaranam Ayiram I was just plain scared of GVM. Had never been introduced to him before this film and I was always intimidated and iced out by him. But I am super thankful that he chose me to be the voice of Sameera Reddy despite everything. And then the voice of Jessi.

Had a great time dubbing this film at 7th Channel Studios as I had probably mentioned earlier and a major thanks goes to Mahesh Anna at 7th Channel for making me sound so good. Samantha was one of the first people to call me once the film released to say that people loved my voice. Love her sense of security and her heart to compliment in private and in public.Super happy for her that she got the jury award for YMC. Gautham sir won for best screenplay writer.

Hope I win one for singing as well though.. some day. 

For this Nandi Award, a big thank you to Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mahesh anna, the Jury, the one-of-a-kind-film-fans of Andhra Pradesh and team VTV. YMC/VTV will always be super special.

Other awardees - entire list here

A lesson - well learnt

So many times have I received mails that ask about issues that I have faced with BE.

So here goes..

By agreeing to get some work done for a friend on the basis of an oral agreement. And then they refused to pay. Let go of the friend thereafter.

Two Malayalam linguists - A and A who showed us that sometimes its better to not trust the work of linguists on face value and always, always double check quality of work and references.

Linguists in India have a basic issue. Of not respecting deadlines. I have almost always faced that. Closer to the deadline - the hard disk will fail. Computers will crash. Accidents will happen. Transformers will burst. And an uncle will die. 

I heard the very same Uncle was serious in hospital twice from the same linguist. Poor uncle, he must be really accident prone. :)

Even worse they will never take phone calls. This was a very early lesson we learned and the basic reason why we chose to work with native speakers of all the foreign languages that we work in. As for Indian languages, I eventually go to know lyricists who agreed to translate for me. Thank God for them. But yes, we did slip in the case of A & A. And decided never to work with them anymore.

In other cases, I have met people who considered themselves our competition that they took things so seriously which gave me a crash course on how unethical business 'veterans' are. The things they do. The things that get done. We decided we'd rather not work with clients who don't respect values or ethics. In the bargain, we might have let go of some great names on our dossier, but I'd rather let our company be a reflection of who I am in ethics and values than be an also ran. 

I learn something every time. But more than anything else, a few years down the line, Blue Elephant will be known for values, ethics and the translated words that have gone out from our office to all over the world, helping businesses that work with us, to reach their goals and effectively communicate to the people they want to speak to.

Experience - The Feel of India

Don't know how I missed this album.
Its a wonderful album that I was a part of and got to sing an Abhang and a line in Raghupathi Raaghav.
Please listen and do buy the album if you like it.
It was composed by the very talented guy called Gopalakrishan

http://music.napster.com/shankar-mahadevan-music/album/experience-the-feel-of-india---indian-classical-fusion-%5Balbum%5D/14368894

Rock the Tabla - Cairo to India

Rahman sir told me to sing in a track for a collaboration that he was doing with the very famous Egyptian Composer Hossam Ramzy, many moons ago. And though it may be strange I got to know via a tweet that the album is set to release and Cairo to India carries my name in the credits. 

To be credited in an ARR collaboration is humbling for me. And a reaffirmation of what my mom has been putting into my singing and helping me grow as a musician and an artiste. The gratitude to Rahman sir keeps piling up though. There have been days when tears have flown freely due to various reasons. Anger has been one of them. Frustration another. Sadness yet another with regard to my career. 

But if there has been one person who has believed in me for whatever 2 pence I was worth, it has been Rahman sir. From the day of the recording of Dheivam Thandha Poove during my board exams to now, almost a decade has passed. But when I enter the studios today, I am still the child that I was. Time and again have I said, that he was our beacon of hope at the end of a dark tunnel, a ray of hope to a harassed single mom. And a girl who also had begun to question what's the point of living an honest life? Not to mention that the question hadnt been raised more in the recent past but the thing is I have been cast in a way. The die was made in a certain way. The mould cannot change neither can the impression. 

More than anything else, I live my life today, in gratitude for the food on my plate. All thanks to that first song that Rahman sir gave and continued to, when it was the era of the kuthu songs, when no one thought it was 'right' to make me sing a Kuthu song. Kept a wilting creeper alive through all those days.

Angels do walk the earth. The maseeha I know is Rahman 'anna'. The way I called him the very first time I entered his studio and he chuckled at that naive 15 year old. 

There is nothing that someone like me can give back to him or his family except wish and pray with all our hearts, like millions of his fans, that he be healthy and spiritually protected. 

And today I send my thanks to the God above for giving us hope in life. 

And if you are at this point where a lot of things seem hopeless, I wish for you that you may find the hope that I eventually did. My mom waited almost 50 years for that. I waited a mere 14. 

Eventually there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

It is white.
White as snow.
White as nothingness
White as the burst of light behind closed eyes
White as hunger
White as desperation
White as thirst
White as the soul
White as heat
White as the clenched knuckle
White as the shroud 
White as the heart that grieves
White as a prayer
White as salt
White as the teardrop.
It is white.

Malar Manjariyil - Composed by Sri Ousephachan

I refer to this post on the 13th September 2010. At that time I mentioned that I had a divine time recording for this composer. And the composer I was referring to was Sri Ousephachan. I recorded this song on my birthday and the experience is captured in that post. Figured I don't have to add to that.

This is the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zomhZnLbOTU

For the Film Karmayogi and here the duet version with Ranjith.

Sara Sara Saarakaathu

I got an opportunity to sing Vairamuthu sir's  Karthik Netha's lyrics after quite a while and this time, for the debutant M Ghibran whom I have known with another name all these years. Think its better not to state his erstwhile name so that there are no confusions. I have been singing quite a few jingles for him and he used to be studying abroad, come here, compose and go back.

I was very happy to know he got a break with Sargunam's film - Vaagai Sooda vaa. And more than anything else this was a deadly song. Super lyrics to say the least. I had a ball while working on this song. A song like this doesn't come to me all the while and am super glad that Ghibran chose me to sing this one.

And I wonder how a poet, a man, is able to suss out what a girl could feel at a given point in time and write lyrics. And maybe for the first time I heard Modaiketthan, a type of a keerai in a song. I know this one, and the director was surprised I did, when I recognized this one and giggled. Modaiketthan was a regular in my home when my grandad was around. He used to say its excellent for the joints. Especially if you had knee problems or maybe even back problems. Not too sure now if it was either or both. Modaiketthan Rasam vechu madakkathaan paakkuraen.. What lyrics. Kick everything :p

Ghibran is on Twitter @MGhibran. Do let him know if you liked the song and the album.


Update on January 2019: It was another one of the those open secrets that I got to know post #MeToo that Karthik Netha was actually the lyricist of Sara Sara Saarakathu. Those who were experts in sussing out the style of a poet said they would bet their bottom dollar that the style is not Mr Vairamuthu's.
However, since Karthik Netha himself did not speak up and neither had he asked me to share the story, I did not have the permission to share it
Here is an interview of Karthik Netha's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVFodEC-eYA&t=615s
where he details how his work came under Mr Vairamuthu's name for the sake of a 'brand value'.

Here is a Dinamalar report on the same.
I thank the journalist for trusting Mr Netha. Thankfully they didn't ask him "why after so many years?". :) Of course, except Dina Malar I don't think I have come to know of any other magazine/newspaper cover the issue. Mr. Vairamuthu's influence and power is massive. How would you explain that he hasn't had ONE interview in all these days but there are channels and newspapers publishing his quotes on Climate change and IMPEX laws. Such is the way of the powerful.

https://www.dinamalar.com/news_detail.asp?id=2194997

To everyone who commented to the post below, with all my being - Thank you.

If by God's grace I reach the goal I have set out to achieve, I know your sentiments and blessings would have played a part in taking me there.

Thank you.

Yours Truly.

"The Best Advice I ever Got"

When I was in New York my mentor, Joan Amble made sure that I got to go to a WNBA Inspiring Women's Luncheon. One of the best I had ever attended. Katie Couric was being awarded the Most Inspiring Woman award. In spite of the West claiming to be so progressive, or at least the US, in their 300 years of independence they have not had one woman as President. In India's independent 60 years we had our first woman PM 30 years ago. We have had various women leaders in the Govt. I understood why women's liberation was necessary in the west. Women still earn way less to the dollar compared to men there. Though India is still work in progress on several counts, women have rapidly come up the ladder.

Listening to Katie Couric on that day, the first solo female anchor of a weekday evening news program on one of the three traditional U.S. broadcast networks, was an inspiration. I had a gist of the challenges she had to face. Those who went to the luncheon that day got her latest book - The Best Advice I ever Got - Lessons from Extraordinary Lives)

I get to read her input at the beginning of every new section and its almost as if everything is speaking to me. A lot of singers, musicians, songwriters, actors, head honchos, billionaires and the who's who that contributed to Katie Couric's book have excellent messages to share. 

At various points we think those who are successful have it easy. Or that they got there easily. But let me tell you, even those born with the proverbial silver spoon need to work their seats off to maintain the silver spoon. Only if they are smart enough, they ll turn it to gold. 

Today I get messages on Facebook that curse me anything ranging from a horrible accident to death to I will have a miserable life or anything on those lines, just because I don't accept a friend request. And this usually comes only from men. Sorry if it comes across as sexist, but I have to say it as is. No woman has cursed me because I didn't accept a friend request. Others think its OK to be profane on Twitter to a celebrity. And again this is men. I sometimes worry what sort of fathers these guys will make. So many spew venom at my mother because they know she's the reason why I got here and will go where I want to go. I get a range of other emails too but its unnecessary to talk about them and the really weird people behind those any further.  

As a female singer,  I face several challenges that I have to overcome with the able guidance of my mother. Not alone, thankfully. I am not going to be spelling them out. But I know the path I need to take to get to my goals. It might be a tad slower than most others, but if God is kind enough and if I have divine grace I might actually get there. 

Several men and women have had to go through terrible times, poverty, hunger, malpropagation and even worse experiences and finally end up triumphing. But someday I hope to stand as an example that someone who took the straightforward, righteous path can be at the pinnacle of success too. 

Who do you want to be today? What's in your mind when you start the day? What's your first thought? 

Do you go through the day keeping your eyes open? Seeing, looking and observing? Hearing listening and registering? What is the last thought in your mind when you end the day? Do you think that there is more to life and living?

As we grow ad observe the life that happens around us, we come to realize that there are not too many absolute truths or absolute lies. Things are not black or white and that they are mostly gray. And perhaps we derive clarity depending on how dark or light the shade of gray is. 

But there might be times, if we listen, will reveal to us the truths we want to live by. And we being wired the way we are - which is usually, to follow the pack because it is the safest thing to do, wondering if our near and dear and even the not so dear would approve - decide to ignore these insights. And thus let the magic slip right between our fingers.

After a point, like the wise say, these magical opportunities decide to find a better medium of expression, reveal themselves to those that will work on them and manifest them into reality. Someone once told me that ideas float around in clouds. And though several may see them, some might identify them, only one or two might actually have the guts to work on these ideas and bring them to the fore. Who is the first mover, is the million dollar question. How many times have we heard some people say, 'Yep, I had the very same idea"? 

During my mentorship program, I was mostly listening and observing. Every cell in me listened, observed and learned. Thank God for that opportunity. A lot of my talented co mentees in the program who came from Libya, Egypt and Palestine had to speak about the turbulence in their countries to most people, they were constantly asked questions because everyone was interested to know what a 'real' person said, to see how different it is from what the media was feeding them.I met truly inspirational people at various events like the WNBA Luncheon, or a Fortune Most Powerful Women gathering, or at the board room of American Express at the WFC, or the cabins of the various women who had given me time from their super hectic schedules to talk to me, understand who I was and how they could help me, Joan Amble and Denise Pickett, my mentors from AMEX and AMEX Open, I have come to know even better that opportunities present themselves to us each day. It truly and really depends only on us on how we want to make it work, if at all. Possibilities are endless. And this entire trip reinforced the belief what my mom inculcated in me, to be genuine, honest, no bull-crapping and to be closest to the truth as absolute as it seems to me. 

Even though the experiences and life in general might lead us to question and even decide against such a path, which is definitely difficult, but its all well worth it. Insofar as the life I have seen so far, I have had my own share of experiences, some of which I wish you the reader dont ever have to go through. Even more so for the ones that my mother had to face. 

Inspite of what everyone may or may not tell you, this life is yours. You can be all that you want to be. Everything you want to be. We are at most time, everything that others want us to be, isnt it? So its not really beyond us to not be all that we want to be. 

Grab every opportunity. It doesnt matter if you didnt succeed. And then again, the definition of success is very fluid and is not set in stone. The dictionary's first result of success is : "the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors". 

So there you go. Give your own personal definition to success. Or just dont define it at all. May it rise beyond definitions. 

Most of the time, my mother and I were advised a lot of things. The ones closest in my memory given to me - "Don't talk. Dont host a TV Show. Dont host a radio show. Thats too much talking for a singer. Dont blog. Dont tweet. Dont be accessible to people. Make yourself rare. Behave like a celebrity. Put up your price. Dont do dubbing. Concentrate only on music. Dont think about Blue Elephant and sell the company. Quit Business. Get off Facebook. Stop tweeting...." Tired? I usually hear stuff like this on a daily basis. Sometimes I do think that being simple and humble got me nowhere and it did lead to a lot of people taking undue advantages. I did my duty. But they didn't do theirs. Anyway, I cannot change from my core values. 

Mom had the wisdom and courage to decide against all of that. The question I hear the most " How do you manage your time.. you are doing soo much??!" Honestly the one answer I can give - my mom. She has, without spelling it out, let me be everything I wanted to be. And more. Her insights and her unshakeable guidance is why I am here today. And will be all that I want to be in the future as well. Everything which will be firmly rooted in the ethics and the truth I have grown up with.

So... who do you want to be today? And how do you want to get there?

Day 2 in Corporate America

So here I am sitting at the 30th floor at the World Financial Center, AMEX office.

I have been meeting amazing women and a couple of men too, who are nothing less than hugely inspirational. One of the things I really liked was this conversation with Mr Ira Galtman, Corporate Archivist of the American Express Company. And as I walked into office today, I saw this book "Becoming American Express". This is a company with quite a rich history. And as Mr Ira said, there are not too many companies who can claim to be in business for over 160 years.

One of the best events on Day 1 at Amex was the lunch with Joan Amble, my mentor, at the 50th floor which has this most amazing view of New York. And as the gentleman who served us our lunch told me, he would whip something up "fit for a queen". You bet I felt like royalty that day.

Walking across, meeting various people who are leaders in this company and the community that they affect, its been enlightening.

Its true when they say you learn a lot when you travel. And you probably learn a lot more when you talk to people.

Sitting in India, we have this glorified view of women in western countries that they have it all figured out, all worked out and everything is easy as, to us, thousands of miles away, the west is made of so many progressive countries. But for the first time, I have come to know of the challenges that women here face. How the women here are forced to leave illustrious and promising careers just to save their marriages and take care of children. And when, unfortunately the man, during a mid-life crises or whatever one might want to call it, leaves her for the cliched younger woman, she is left without the man that she believed would lead her remaining life with, without a career and basically with little direction about where to head in the future.

I hear, its quite rare, but not impossible, to have an American husband supportive of his wife's thriving career. Many talented women have left the workforce because the men have told them to. And they just decided to do it that way, inspite of the void they feel. Or they simply take the highway.

In comparison, I am beginning to think that men in India don't seem to have so much of a problem with their working women - women have been in the fields along with the men (and I mean the agricultural field), girls outperform boys each year at school exams (I am not sure about what happens at university) and unless of course, the women starts making more than her husband or is in a higher position than him, there isn't too much of a problem.

We had a woman Prime Minister about 30 years ago, which most nations cannot claim. And some nations aren't even getting close to that. Its true that I have mostly met only women achievers so far. And their journeys are incredible.

I just heard a speech (It's a Jungle Gym Out There) of my mentor, Joan, at UCLA and she ended that with "Success comes from knowing that you did your best, to become the best".

And of the many things I will take back from these amazing women and this amazing lady who is now my mentor, this is something I am going to paste on my wall.

Listen to her speech here and I wish for you that you be able to learn a bit of what I am learning with her right here, at Amex.

Week 2 - New York

I have probably not had a week this hectic in recent times. With everything planned to the last minute and the last detail. 

Learned a lot about how events are organized. Events or entertaining , as such in India is nowhere close to any of what happens here. In spite of the kind of people I have met and who they are.... some of them are on the Fortune Most Powerful List.. but they come on time. They respect other people's time. While in India, there is an ongoing battle with everyone to do anything on time. Forget award ceremonies, thats too much to ask for in India I guess, but I still do not understand why most channels cannot start their shoots on time. Anyway. Cannot but help compare it with what we are used to.

On the other hand, our mobile phone services are better. There are just way too many dropped calls here. Domestic flights are way better. And in a way I think we Indians are comparatively more polite and nicer on the services side and are willing to help or assist.

Also, talking to the other mentees who are a part of this program has been quite an illuminating experience on cultures, thought processes, people and their perceptions. And also, no matter where women are, which country, which culture, we can all connect instantly. And I guess it makes sense to have more women as policy makers and in politics. I somehow believe the world will be a better place that way. 

I have also been meeting mostly women the past few days who are key decision makers, high level policy advisors ( We met the Policy Advisor to the First Lady at the White House), women who are campaigning for change and yes this country needs a lot of work too. A lot of us outside of America think this place is perfect, but not quite. I met Michela English over lunch yesterday and was totally amazed by her work and the facts she showed us. http://www.fightforchildren.org/ is the President and CEO of this organization. You might want to take a look and I learned so much from her in those two hours.

Other observations -

Washington is way smaller than I imagined. Most roads are single lane in the city

Roads in Chennai seem wider :)

Traffic is held up here as well when an important politician passes. We were held up for about 10-15 minutes in DC. So maybe we in India should not complain. It happens in developed countries too :)

Amazing subway system and the officers at the Information desk at the subway are super helpful.

 

And meeting so many women and actual doers in politics I wonder how much longer before it all happens in India. And I wonder how much longer we will have excuses. How much longer the really educated and visionary enter politics. How much longer......

Week 1 - Washington DC

I realized I wouldn't have much time to look aroundWashington, which seems smaller than how it is made to look on the screen. Decided to visit the Smithsonian and look around a bit before coming back for the welcoming dinner organized for us. And I finally met all the other mentees yesterday over dinner and also Chris Miner, Managing Director at the US Department of State.

The CEO of Vital Voices addressed us telling us we got here after a really competitive selection process.  I have the embassy in Chennai to thank for this. All this seems bigger than I imagined. Meeting women from Egypt, Pakistan, China, South Africa, Ghaza..Most of us are still learning to say each other's names correctly :)

Talking of names, my last name is being pronounced in the most interesting ways here.

Today we head to Panel Discussions at the US State Department and the White House.

I thought, some day I would be performing at these places sooner or later but never imagined to be part of panel discussions with some of the most powerful women in the US State Dept .. ever. My Blue Elephant is quite a lucky vehicle :)

Listening to the women at the introductory dinner, their challenges, how they have grown to be who they are, their dreams for the future, was more a time of bonding than just mere introduction. Vital Voices has an interesting thought of "Invest in Women Improve the World" and I cannot agree more. Every lady who has been selected as a part of this mentoring partnership somehow made a silent pledge to just not help each other but also each others' communities. The world is as small or as big as we want it to be. 

Another milestone

One that I did not hope to reach let alone cross.

I am among 3 women selected from India and 35 women from all over the world who will participate in the prestigious FORTUNE/U.S. State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership Program this May. 

I am being mentored by two amazing ladies at American Express and American Express Open. 

I was nominated for this program 2 days after I was awarded the SAARC Women Entrepreneur Council award for achievement in a niche industry. When I filled in the nomination papers I wasnt too hopeful on getting through and when I knew, more than a month and a half ago that I had, I was surprised and didn't know what hit me.

Only those closest to me knew about the goings on. I was also insistent on following protocol and the US Consulate in Chennai was kind enough to organize a press meet in their premises to announce that they are sending me for this very prestigious program which would last all of May.

I saw the agenda and the plans that have made for me and all the other 30 women from all over the world. I can only gape. 

This is most definitely a brilliant opportunity and I only have God to thank for the grace. 

"The Fortune/U.S. State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership connects talented, emerging women leaders from all over the world with members of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Leaders for a month-long internship program.
The program begins with an orientation in Washington, D.C., where mentees meet with senior women leaders in government, business, academic, civil society and the media. Participants are then paired with one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Leaders from companies like Time Inc., Google, Inc., and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in cities across the United States. At the end of the mentorship, mentees reconvene in New York City to collectively reflect on their experience and discuss future leadership opportunities"

I am going to be on a learning spree, from other mentees, the people that I would meet and more than anything else, my mentors who I already spoke to yesterday. Two really amazing ladies and I cant wait to meet them and learn from them.

If you are in India and know of a woman who you think can be nominated for this program, contact the consulate in your city. There are several other programs for writers, artists, political leaders, to name a few.

More than anything else, I gaped to read the names that have been on this program from India before. I am one of the three from India and the first to go from Chennai.

Hoping all this would lead to a lot more women coming to know of this program and get such opportunities too.

Pictures from the press meet yesterday - here

Thoughts at a terminal

That I punch out on my phone.... I decided to go to the reflexology space at mumbai terminal that I loved at first session a few years ago. Found their therapy really good. Its only now that I could revisit as I had time on my hands at a domestic terminal after ages. 
I requested a 30 min session and was introduced to my therapist........ Who happened to be visually impaired. A multitude of emotions happened simultaneously and I was briefly overcome by them. I also felt guilt for a little while. But then here was an organization who were thoughtful enough to employ a differently abled person. My therapist herself was an independent, self supporting individual. How many times I have heard people say that we need to be an inclusive society that would not only be compassionate to those less fortunate but also create environs that could give them a feeling of self worth and maybe, even pride. But then I m probably getting ahead of myself. Most of our arenas for entertainment are not built or designed sparing a thought for the differently abled. We rarely see a lift with buttons that also have braille. Ramps are missing in most theatres. Concert halls dont think of reserving areas for those on wheelchairs. Beaches and Parks- am not sure if its possible for someone on a wheelchair to access these without anyone's help. Public transport and stations...less said the better. 
Its normal for us to feel compassionate for those who are not as fortunate but we ll have to remind ourselves to not confuse it with pity and worse still, express that emotion. 
And with that I couldnt help feeling proud for this lady who cant see but she is in the workforce, a tax payer and incredibly good in her work. 
If only more organizations would come forward to be inclusive, it d be an ideal world. 
Dear 'My Foot Reflexology' - Well done and keep it up.