Tucked off of a busy main road in Bengaluru is a stunning campus, the Ecumenical Christian Center. This haven from the hustle and bustle of the city is full of tamarind trees, shady meadows, plentiful birds, and – for three days in December – also 200 U-Go scholars. These clever, talented, and driven girls came together to hear the stories and advice from prominent female leaders across a number of career fields, and exchange with each other the struggles they face. The 2024 Milaan U-GO Scholar Convening provided an opportunity for these students to learn together how to take on their shared challenges and spark new inspiration to continue forward despite them.
Scholars reflected together on hurdles like disparities in privilege, maintaining mental and physical health, and gender expectations. Swayta Murarka, Head of Global Banking at HSBC Global Service Center, spoke to the scholars about her journey both to gain education and then rise through the ranks in a male-dominated industry in her career. Her story of struggle and success brought to light the many difficulties of navigating being an outlier and an example at the same time.
However, during Mulakaat discussion sessions with other professional role models, a different approach emerged: perhaps being an outlier and being an example coincide with one another.
Students shared about how influence from the home impacts the way that they pursue their dreams. A civil engineering student described that she frequently receives pushback about her chosen field of study from peers and family members. “Women do not become engineers,” they said. She is determined to prove them wrong. Going against the advice of family and community elders can upset them, making her task all the more difficult. Ruchika Kashyap, Chief Customer Officer at Smart Health Clubs (SHC), put it quite plainly: reaching higher levels of education than the men around you and achieving your goals will do the opposite of making them happy. But, being an outlier in advocating for wants and needs, pursuing education fiercely, and achieving potential, is an invaluable example for current scholars to set for other girls with extraordinary aspirations to follow in their footsteps.
Even after getting a scholarship to university, the struggles to complete an education continue for students in new and different ways. Because of this, Kashyap demanded of scholars that they be confident, learn to take space, and to speak loudly, only then will people listen to them and their needs. Deriving inspiration from one another during the sessions worked to help the girls find more confidence within themselves, their abilities, their opinions, and their voices. Their shared learning helped scholars cultivate a support network to lean on, continue to motivate one another and lift voices that are meant to be heard.
Shelly Mittal, Global Sustainability Lead at Ex-Shell and founder of Stealth, expressed that though making yourself heard may be hard, without struggle, there is no success – the path of least resistance will not take you to the places you want to go. Stirring hope, inspiration, and motivation to pursue their dreams by creating opportunities to convene and support these exceptional students in their growth to become leaders and changemakers in their communities.
Author: Nichola Monroe
U-GO Volunteer
