IIM-C chief urges women to aim high and be what they want to

Kolkata: Women academicians and entrepreneurs have shared their experience at an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Expert Committee for Women Development and Empowerment. Women entrepreneurs talked about their experiences in fighting perceptions in a male-dominated field, financial challenges and others during the discussion on Saturday.

The programme, attended by Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) Director Dr Anju Seth, also discussed ways which could be of help in understanding these problems. Drawing from her academic and professional experiences, Seth stressed on the need for family support for empowering women and instilling the idea in them from a young age that women can become whatever they want to be.

Several young woman entrepreneurs met Seth and other women business leaders after the session. "Many women here are entrepreneurs, many have taken over their family businesses....and they have all done something which is entrepreneurial," corporate public relations expert Rita Bhimani told PTI later. "It has been a very dynamic session and to get the first woman director of IIM-C is a huge jump in mindset," Bhimani said. The Co-Chairman of private educational institution Techno India Group, Manoshi Roy Chowdhury, said "It is a huge step taken by leaders in management, leaders in engineering and education, leaders in commerce to come together and combine."