Once you remove the women CEOs and Board members who are there because they belong to the promoter family, the number of women CEOs and Board members in India is much less than European countries (“She-change in India Inc”, April 16). One of the main reasons for the slow increase in the number is what’s called the glass ceiling. Many men still believe that women have limited capabilities due to which they become unfit to occupy high positions beyond a certain level.
It took Norway about eight years to enact and operationalise a law in 2009 which mandates 40 per cent of Board appointments for women. Another problem that women face is the dual-career dilemma — when both the husband and wife are working, it is the woman who compromises with her career, barring exceptions like Shikha Sharma which the article talks of.
Organisations can promote an encouraging environment by granting longer maternity leave and sabbaticals as alternatives to those women who have no option but to sacrifice their career in favour of motherhood.
Y G Chouksey, Pune