Honesty ensures your success under every all circumstances
Published on : Monday 01-03-2021
Ritu Agarwal, Dy GM – Instrumentation, Projects & Development India Limited.
What prompted you to pursue a career in engineering?
My father is an engineering graduate and since childhood always saw his dedication and passion for work. As they say ‘Like Father Like Daughter’! Since childhood, I wanted to be just like my father. My parents always motivated me to join Medicine which I was getting post 12th but not comfortable with ailments and blood, decided to forego Medicine undergraduate seat and opted for Engineering, which was nothing new for me.
Having obtained the qualification, what was the experience in getting a job?
25 years back in tier-2 towns like Vadodara, there were only few employers and those were also hesitant to hire a female engineering graduate in the organisation. Female employees were limited in single digit percentage of the total work force at that time, but M/s Linde Engineering (a German MNC) had selected me and provided me a global opportunity for a career.
Is a career in engineering more demanding vis-à-vis other options?
I personally believe that a career irrespective of stream, is always demanding if anyone wants to excel and has passion towards the work, be it engineering or any other profession.
Often projects demand stay away from home. How is that experience?
It provides ample opportunity for on-the-ground learning. I have got immense opportunities to stay abroad for work related projects. Also attended meetings in India, different sites, FAT, etc. All this teaches us practical knowledge and offers a broad perspective, broad outlook, exposure to different cultures, languages, food, people, etc., giving us varied acceptability of different aspects in life.
Have you ever missed a career opportunity or promotion due to gender?
I am lucky to have never missed any opportunity or promotion but may be because I always took all responsibilities like any other colleague at the organisation.
Are workplaces today more sensitive to gender issues than a generation earlier?
Certainly true. Last decade in particular has shown tremendous change and also recognised women as partners in overall development, rather as support only.
Is there a glass ceiling when it comes to leadership roles in engineering?
I believe that there is no glass ceiling for women in engineering leadership roles.
What has been the experience with seniors at works and the management?
Always found my seniors and management supportive, courteous, flexible and cooperative.
How did the Covid pandemic affect your working routine and what are the learnings?
Covid pandemic has impacted the routine a lot due to work from home and no time (24x7). In terms of learnings, it has proved that ‘Nothing is Impossible’, but you should have the intent and efforts to achieve.
What would be your message to those seeking career guidance?
Always be focussed, keep a positive outlook and take small steps at one time.
It is said if you educate a man you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family, generation (nation). Your views?
Absolutely true. An educated woman nurtures her child accordingly with new beliefs and contributes towards betterment of the society. The child develops according to these ideologies and grows to a responsible citizen which carries on further generation to generation.
Would you like to share information about your other achievements?
In the first half of my two-decade plus career, I was mentored by Mrs Isabel Mendez, an engineering graduate from Latin America, the Electrical & Instrument Lead for Liquefied Natural Gas in Norway, Hammerfest project in Linde Engineering, Germany. Isabel coached that hard work and honesty ensures your success under every/all circumstances.
In the next half of my career I was mentored by Mr Sanjay K Tripathi (General Manager Instrumentation, Planning & MR), PDIL, who taught me things like ‘never say no’, ‘don't take at heart’, and ‘swim with tide rather than running away’.
What are the three words that best capture the essential you?
Honest. Responsible. Dedicated.
Ritu Agarwal is currently DGM (Instrumentation) in M/s Projects & Development India Limited (PDIL), a Central Public Sector undertaking. She is an Engineering Graduate (Electronics & Instrumentation) of 1995 batch from Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, Vadodara and started her career with M/s Linde Engineering (a German MNC) and served them for 12 plus years in India and Germany, before moving to PDIL where she is serving since April 2009. Her father is B. Tech Chemical Engineering, 1969 from HBTI Kanpur and was involved in most of the Indian Fertiliser plants executed till today. Ritu is married to Pradeep Agarwal and has a 7-year old daughter.
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