Shobha Ramswamy

An enabling work environment and loads of ability helped Shirin Batliwala refine her leadership skills and her belief in people

She expects no concessions for her gender and has made light work of glass ceilings. She believes that the pathway to success— for men as much as women — is paved with talent, hard work and ambition. She is articulate, direct and faces your volley of questions with an equanimity that would do a Zen master proud. There is certainly something about Shirin Batliwala.

The exterior may seem fragile, but this vice president (food and beverages), Indian Hotels, is tough as nails. "When ability, instead of position, commands respect, gender becomes irrelevant," says Ms Batliwala. "Your staff must recognise and be convinced of your competency. That done, being a woman makes no difference."

From being one of the first women trainees in Indian Hotels' banquet department to first woman food and beverages manager in the country to the first woman general manager of a major property, Ms Batliwala's career graph is embellished with a clutch of achievements. Surprisingly, her journey to the higher reaches of the hospitality industry has been devoid of gender-related stumbling blocks.

"It's been smooth sailing for me, thanks in no small part to the fact that Indian Hotels fosters a conducive environment," she explains. "Women have always enjoyed a level playing field in the company. Opportunities are aplenty, as long as people are willing to accept the challenges. That's probably why we have so many women holding senior positions here."

Traditionally, the hospitality industry, along with the services sector, has been women friendly. The story is not the same elsewhere, especially in the manufacturing industry. "Most manufacturing plants are based in smaller towns, where gender bias is inherent and strong," says Ms Batliwala. "Also, shop-floor conditions can be taxing for a woman. It is encouraging, though, to see women enjoy prominent positions in finance, once perceived to be a man's world. ICICI, for example, is run almost entirely by women."

The positives aside, Ms Batliwala says, the life of a career woman is crammed with hardships. With marriage, babies and lack of support systems, many tend to opt out of the race. "Unlike in the west, most women here do not get adequate maternity leave nor do they have access to good crèches or other conveniences. Nonetheless, the spirit of the Indian working woman has to be saluted. I see some of our women employees leaving home early in the morning and travelling for more than two hours one way to reach their workplace. After getting home late in the evening, they have to attend to the regular household chores and spend time with their family. The next morning the entire cycle gets repeated. Their energy amazes me."

Strangely, Ms Batliwala's first love was medicine. "I was not good at mathematics, which was a crucial subject for the science stream in those days," she recalls. The desire to take the road less travelled as well as to work with people led her to the Institute of Hotel Management, Mumbai. In 1970, she joined The Taj Mahal as a graduate trainee in the food and beverages department; this at a time when women were assigned only housekeeping duties.

"The Taj was the big option in those days as there were no other hotels. I guess I was lucky, being in the right place at the right time," she muses. Today, 35 years later, the relationship is still as strong. A congenial atmosphere and an exciting work profile have enabled Ms Batliwala's bond with the company to grow stronger with the years.

Her most challenging assignment came when she was deputed to the Taj Bengal as its first general manager. She had to take care of a range of responsibilities, from dealing with government officials and recruiting trainees to managing the property. There were problems with infrastructure, power and telephone lines, among other things. "We had to implement a unique strategy to prevent the lack of work culture from permeating our hotel," she says.

The drawbacks of Kolkata were, as always, balanced by the many positives it had to offer. The city provided Ms Batliwala numerous opportunities to meet Mother Teresa, her favourite woman. "She would send us people for employment from her shelter," remembers Ms Batliwala. "The power she emitted was unbelievable; it was akin to a strong magnetic force. It's impossible to verbalise that feeling."

So, is leadership gender-specific? "No. Both bring to the table a certain quality. While men are probably more forceful or think more rationally, women have far more empathy and sensitivity. Each brings a different dimension to leadership. After all, leadership is all about helping people achieve their goals along with the company's. It is about motivating people to give off their best. It is also about recognising and igniting the spark of leadership in each employee."

Uploaded on May 13, 2005