Organisations today are more flexible and considerate
Published on : Sunday 08-03-2020
What was the inspiration for the chosen stream in higher studies?
The inspiration definitely came from my father. He is an engineer and an entrepreneur. He always encouraged us to look at everything logically, understand the concepts, tinker with stuff, and experiment. This coupled with my interest in mathematics and physics…the path was clear! During my under graduation in COEP in Instrumentation & Control, I was fascinated by computers and software programming. Those were the days even before the PC era. Combining the two, I decided to do a career in industrial automation software. Actually it was not really a studied decision, but driven by my passion and intuition. But it worked out well. And here I am today, leading a successful business in Industrial Internet of Things.
An engineer’s routine is not an easy one – no fixed working hours – how difficult was it initially?
Of course, at times there are pressures. How one copes with them makes all the difference. If you plan well, are competent, work smartly, have right priorities and above all have a good team to support you, handling pressures becomes easier.
A woman also has a greater role in managing the home – how supportive is the family? I had a little unusual journey post engineering, marriage and kids. I wanted to enjoy childhood of my daughter and son and be there for them as much as possible. Hence I decided to be a freelancer when they were young. It was not very easy in 1980s as the industry was not very flexible. But I managed due to some good opportunities. I started working full time only when my younger one was 8 years old. My husband Arvind, was and still is, very supportive in whatever I wanted to do. The kids were also very supportive and understanding and not resentful. So were my in-laws.
Often projects demand stay away from home. How is that experience? After starting full time job, I travelled to Germany within the first 3 months. International exposure was of course great for my career. On family front, it meant Arvind had to take greater responsibility and kids had to be more independent. Few times, I was able to take kids with me on business travel. This exposed them to kind of work their mother does and they could better relate to it. They also felt special and happy that their parents are going out of the way for them.
Did you ever wish you did something else – followed a more conventional career path?
No – there was no such occasion to brood.
One often hears about gender bias at work. Did you face any such issues in your career?
I did miss out on almost 6 years of my career…but it was 100% my decision and I never felt unhappy or resentful because of that. What I experienced in that time was priceless! If I go back in time, I will do it same way all over again!
Have things changed for the better now, than what the situation was earlier?
Definitely. Organisations today are more flexible and considerate. They have diversity and inclusion policies. But policies is just the start, it is people who have to imbibe them in spirit and act accordingly. And there are all kinds of people everywhere and old habits die hard! So we have some way to go.
When it comes to leadership roles, are women still getting a raw deal?
As I said above, it depends on people and the circumstances also to some extent. With recent events, people are cautious and don’t want to take risks. This may mean some opportunities are denied to women. More importantly it depends on women themselves. Whether they stand up for their rights and are confident and ready to deliver. Today business environment is very competitive and there can be no concessions for women when they take leadership positions. They have to lead from the front.
What would be your message to the youth, your children for that matter, in career choices?
Take up a career that matches with your interests and passion. Listen to your heart and don’t get bogged down by trends and what others do. Today you can excel in any career if you are passionate and competent. You should enjoy and feel good about each day at work even if you mess up once in a while. If you are in the job/business out of compulsion and your heart is not in it, just get out and look for an alternative…it is never too late.
How would you describe your life and career in just three words?
Exciting, fulfilling, best yet to come!
Sujata Tilak, successful entrepreneur and technologist, is a thought leader in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and convergence of Industrial Automation and Information Technology. She has ably led Ascent Intellimation as a leading provider of Industrial IoT solutions. Ascent has developed an IIoT platform, PlantConnect, which is deployed in areas like environmental monitoring, smart manufacturing, reliability engineering, etc. Sujata’s focus is to help organisations recognise and embrace diverse ways in which manufacturing data can be beneficially used by various stakeholders. Sujata is active in organisations like ISA, IIC, TiE and CII.
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