On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we bring you some of the most notable and distinguished women eduleaders from the education industry to share their incredible journey, insights, and experiences. Here are the excerpts from the interview
Aishwarya Rao
Director & Managing Trustee
Vivekalaya Group of Institutions, Prakriya International
School, The Prem Anand Foundation, Coimbatore
We easily forget women have the most precious job of raising the world’s young. For eons they have been birthing, protecting and raising the men at the heads of tables the world over, isn’t it time that they have a seat there too? Asks Aishwarya. The world needs more women in positions of power and in places where decisions are made.
A decision to engage fully with Vivekalaya Group of Institutions has helped not only her to grow as a person but propel Vivekalaya. Aishwarya says, “I always knew that Vivekalaya would be a part of my life in some capacity, but 10 years ago little did I realise a month’s internship would become such a large part of my life. Destiny chooses us and not the other way round,” says Aishwarya.
Sharing her journey Aishwarya says, “Many moons ago, I was figuring out what course to pursue for my master’s and was weighing the options between a MBA and a MEd. I had previously worked in the textile sector for three years and was looking to find purpose and not merely a change in profession. It was then I stepped into Vivekalaya, this time not as a student (which I had been at Vivekalaya throughout my school going years) but as a curious young professional. The professionalism w gave roots to a deep passion for education that blossomed, and the rest as they say is history. She goes on to add, “What was presented to me as a possibly inherited profession quickly became a passion for me.”
Leading such a large group is not easy. The pearls of wisdom gained over the years, since 2011 to be precise in her own words include: Always listen to both sides during a conflict, take ownership of your faults and failures. Any success belongs to your institution and team, any failure is yours and not theirs. Don’t fall prey to the dissolution of public opinion. Any decision you make, ensure you do so with facts, clarity, vision and conviction and she swears by patience. Make a decision in haste and it will be a waste she says.
While the pandemic was wreaking havoc, the PremAnand Foundation was established in July 2020 to support women’s empowerment, education and skill development. The Foundation also supports animal welfare, by contributing towards surgeries, sterilization, adoption drives and shelters. Both of these causes have been close to my heart for many years and ones that I hope to support in a greater manner in the future, says Aishwarya as she signs off.
