The next time you're tempted to accept things as they are, simply because that's how they've always been - save and come back to this post.
In 1974, a postcard changed the course of Indian corporate history. It wasn't the postcard itself that mattered, but the audacity behind it.
TELCO, now known as Tata Motors, had placed an ad at the Indian Institute of Science. They were fishing for talent – young, bright engineers with stellar academic records. But there was a catch, a small line at the bottom that read: "Lady candidates need not apply."
This was par for the course in 1974 India. But for one student, Sudha Murty, it was a challenge she couldn't ignore. She wasn't job hunting, but that line lit a fire in her belly. So she did what most wouldn't dare – she wrote directly to JRD Tata, the titan of Indian industry. Her weapon of choice? A humble postcard. "The great Tatas have always been pioneers," she wrote. She praised their contributions to India's infrastructure and education.
Then came the kicker: "But I am surprised how a company such as Telco discriminates based on gender."
It was a pebble thrown at a giant. But sometimes, that's all it takes. Ten days later, a telegram arrived. TELCO wanted to interview her. They even offered to foot the bill for her trip to Pune. Now, here's where it gets interesting.
The interviewers were blunt: "We have never employed ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory." They acknowledged her academic brilliance but suggested she stick to research labs. It was the polite way of saying, "This isn't for you."
But history isn't made by those who take no for an answer.
Sudha Murty became the first female engineer hired by TELCO, shattering a ceiling that had seemed unbreakable.
The moral of the story isn't about gender equality, though that's important. It's about the power of questioning the status quo. It's about how a single act of courage can ripple through time, changing not just one life, but potentially thousands.
#WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #BreakingBarriers #CorporateCulture #IndianBusinessHistory #SudhaMurty #JRDTata
#TataMotors #TELCO
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2moEvery person has the right to express their sexual orientation with pride and satisfaction, and has the right to engage in sexual activity with their partner as a personal freedom that is beyond debate.