A Touching & Proud Moment

Some moments in life are worth capturing forever. Guess this was one.

After our four days in Goa I went to Mumbai, specifically to see Vishakha's office, something that's been on the to do list for a while now.

The office itself is beautiful...... bright, high energy, and hip looking. I was duly, and more, impressed. Glad I went. And gladder for another reason too. Being there, enabled a getting in touch with a space way deeper than the office itself.  It was a space that brought out the tears, and as you can imagine, it surely wasn't just the beautiful office.

This is from inside her room which is completely glass walled.

The deeper, was seeing her there

Much to her chagrin, and embarrassment I think,  I had her give me a pose with her awards too. She picked the one which is dearest to her, The Institute of Chartered Accountants awarding her the Business Leader Woman of the year.

The whole experience brought on the realization of how there are moments which get defined and enhanced by spatial experience...... when visual impact of the moment evokes way more emotions than what the knowing can. 

To use metaphor......it's akin to writing a book, going through the whole process of conceptualizing, writing, rewriting, editing, finalizing.....the publishing..... and then that moment when you're actually holding the first copy in your hand. Priceless.

Seeing her there, in that chair, was that moment. Priceless. It seemed to bring out for me all over again her entire journey of singular determination and drive .....through the twenty five years since college, a journey that can make a book, a journey that has brought her all the way to the MD & CEOs chair.

The journey itself....... she started her career as Assistant Manager, in the New India Assurance in 1987. Those were days we worked in the same building in Hyderabad, different offices and different floors and we couldn't believe our luck. We'd meet for lunch everyday.

After 13 years of learning experience there, she took the plunge of moving into the private sector, which was just beginning to open up in the country. She moved to Birla Sun Life Insurance as Chief Manager, Bancassurance and Group Business. In May 2006 she moved back to general insurance as the Chief Marketing Officer Universal Sompo General Insurance, heading both sales and marketing. (this was again a stint when we were both posted in Bangalore, and that so much fun as we were both there without husbands :)

In 2007, she joined IDBI Federal Life Insurance at a pre license stage and set up the bancassurance channel to deliver business for three years, demonstrating y-o-y growth. She then joined IndiaFirst Life Insurance as the Chief Business Officer. Then moved as Director - Sales and Marketing to Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life insurance. And then the final step to MD & CEO of IndiaFirst Insurance.

IndiaFirst Life Insurance is today one of the fastest growing life insurance companies in the country, having covered over 2.7 million lives and showing 64% growth from previous year and an 82% growth in premium collection for the same period.

I know I'm beginning to sound like the ET or Business line, but then it's to show that it's not just a proud friend doing indulgent talking. In fact even as we were on our trip in Goa, the Economic Times carried an article with these numbers.

Moving back to personal space..... sitting there in her office, sipping a cup of tea, overlooking the mountains that her window faces, she pointed out to her seat of a few years back, across the room, when she was with the same company in different capacity. The move across the room took her a few years, and a step out to another company and back. And if I have to pick one defining moment of the experience it was that. Symbolizes the proverbial and critical last three steps I guess.

There are days today when I'm in awe wondering where she gets the energy to do the fourteen hour days she does, time between our morning and evening call see. And also secretly thinking, god help those who work with her :). She's changing their benchmarks. A true leader should, and she does I guess.

And then, all our discussions from back then came rushing in...starting from the moment when she even dared to dream.  The innumerable hours spent parsing through implications and possibilities., in terms of impact, responsibility, family, gender stress and so many others. Even aspiring to it was a conscious decision. But then she's made of super strong mettle. Not much can stop her once she puts her mind to something.

Vishakha, so glad to have been there, and to have shared yet another forever moment. Proud of you pal !!