Asking is the best way to be heard and dont be afraid to do so
Published on : Tuesday 08-03-2022
Mirunalini Chellappan, Director, Swelect.
What was the inspiration that prompted you to pursue this career path?
My father, Mr R Chellappan, the founder and Managing Director of Numeric (and now SWELECT), has been my inspiration from day one. He is a technocrat with a natural business and financial acumen. I grew up watching him build the company into a leading UPS manufacturer through his hard work and passion for the technology. This made a deep impact on me from a young age and I was clear that I wanted to join the business. Hence, it was a natural choice for me to pick Electrical Engineering followed by Power Electronics and join the business immediately after my Post Graduation.
Further, during my Masters at Texas A&M, my mentor, Dr Prasad Enjeti and I used to discuss ideas about Fuel cells and renewable energy. In fact, my Master's Thesis was Fuel Cell-based UPS System under his guidance. He was one of the people who were key to me getting into the solar field after I joined Numeric.
Can you recall your early days – say the first few days at work – and anything you would like to mention about that?
The first day at work was intimidating since I was going to work as a Product Engineer with a group of experts, already well-established. I also recall being under a huge stress since I was the Director's daughter and people had high expectations. But, the team was very supportive and non-judgmental, eventually helping me to learn and grow in the field.
For a woman, it is a matter of finding the right balance between the jobs and managing the home – how do you manage this?
To be honest, absolute work life balance is a myth. Every day, it's a judgement call we need to take on what is the priority – whether its family or work and it is ever changing depending on the situation. There is always guilt about missing out on either work or family and we need to accept the emotion and move on. I am usually very open and brazen about the fact that I have a young daughter and that my work schedule revolves around her. My parents have been an excellent support system at home and my team at work has been more than understanding in this regard. I have come to realise that quality is better than quantity. My daughter and I have a dedicated time during the day to be together and we make sure that this is not missed. During this time, I am 100 percent present without distractions and this makes up for the times when I need to prioritise work and travel.
What challenges (or privileges) do women stereotypically face, based on their gender?
I am in a male dominated industry with few women at the leadership positions.
In my early years, the vendors had a huge mental block discussing with me directly, it was a natural assumption that my male colleague (at times someone who would be reporting to me) leads the team and the discussions are always focussed on him. It took a few meetings for them to get comfortable with the fact that the end decision maker is a woman and they need to get the point across to her.
Further, during my Project Management times, I was usually the only woman at site and the execution team head or the project head usually had a tough time accepting directions or amendments coming from a woman manager. It took a while to get through and get accepted.
Have you ever missed a career opportunity or promotion due to gender?
My dad has been someone who always thought women needed to have equal opportunity and that reflected in the company as well. I have always been given an opportunity to explore new roles and it was the same with the other women in the company. So far, no opportunity has been missed due to gender inequality.
In fact in our organisation, the majority of the department heads are women such as our CFO, HR head, Channels head, etc.
Are workplaces today more sensitive to gender issues than say, a decade ago?
Yes and no. Organisations are becoming more aware of the need for gender equality and are striving to have a policy to ensure the same. But, whether this equality is achieved purely in terms of numbers, or does it actually address issues such as pay scale, opportunities, positions based on pure capability and qualification need to have a closer look and analysis. Every company needs to deep dive into what is their gender equality policy and are they addressing the root cause of the same. Based on this, they need to restructure their policies to ensure true equality.
Which women's 'cause' needs to be challenged and changed, first?
Work life balance is something that not all women are able to achieve, especially due to lack of support system at home and affordability to do so. Every organisation that hires a woman, needs to be conscious of this specific challenge and have the provision to help the women overcome this issue, especially mothers of young children such as the leave policy, work time flexibility, etc.
Are there areas at work that still restrict women when it comes to leadership roles?
Not really. All roles are open for women to step into as long as they are determined to do so. We are starting to see more women in leadership roles, but definitely not enough. Women need to break the glass ceiling, and always look at How do I send the elevator back? in order to get more women higher up in the ladder.
What women-related myths or taboos need to be broken?
People think that once a woman has kids, her priority towards work changes and might not be interested in pursuing a fast paced career path. This has to be broken and instead look at how I can enable the woman to get back to work.
Do you have a mentor or a role model? If yes, you may state briefly how it inspired you.
I do not have a specific mentor per say. As a role model I do look up to women like Indra Nooyi and Mallika Srinivasan who are amazing leaders. That being said, every woman who has gotten to where she is by breaking barriers is an inspiration. Every woman's story, told or untold, is an achievement.
What would be your message to the youth who are just starting their career?
First and foremost, work hard and work smart. Also, always think about what is that one additional value you can always add to your work which is outside the defined scope of work.
Secondly, do not limit yourself with preconceived notions about what can be done as a woman. Most barriers are broken when we think, yes, we can. We should truly believe that there is nothing to stop us from achieving our goals.
Lastly and most important – the simplest way to get to where you want to be is to ASK! In order to ensure you are heard, you have to ask. It could be as difficult as asking your boss for a promotion, better pay, additional assignments, bigger role, or as simple as asking your family to support you with the kids or the household responsibilities. Asking is the best way to be heard and don't be afraid to do so.
Describe yourself or your aspirations, dreams in 3 words.
Passionate. Ambitious. Seeker.
Mirunalini Chellappan is a second-generation entrepreneur driven by passion for a sustainable future and Cleantech, specifically Solar. Member of the Board of Directors at Swelect Energy Systems Ltd. Currently, the Head of the Solar PV Module Manufacturing Division (Brand Name: HHV Solar Technologies – HHV ST), Head of Products & Special Projects.
With over a decade of experience in the Solar Industry with hands on experience of products and Projects. Core values are Customer first, Quality products and People relationships. Believe that success comes from not just hard work, but smart work and willingness to work bottom up. A voracious appetite for new learning opportunities and innovative technologies.
In short, a technocrat with a strong business acumen.
.jpg)
