In the chain of motivational lectures today it was Ms Sofia Dahiya , Secretary Finance and Secretary CRID in the govt of Haryana who addressed the students of IIT Kanpur live 10:00 am.

Col Ashok Mor, the Officer-In-charge NCC at IIT Kanpur told that Ms Sofia Dahiya is an alumnus of MNSS Rai. Ms Sofia is a Electrical Engineer of 1991 Batch. She did her MBA from Melborn Business School, Melborn University, Australia. In the year 1994 she cleared her UPSC and joined Indian Civil Account Services (ICAS) and joined the Ministry of Finance. Presently she with GoH on deputation.

Ms Sofia has worked in public financial management related roles in several ministries of the Government in India: Human Resources Development, Social Justice & Empowerment, Culture, Science & Technology and Fertilizers & Chemicals. She has also worked towards fostering e-governance in different sectors. While working with theUNDP from 2008 to 2014, she made significant contributions towards developing capacities in the public sector in Afghanistan by use of relevant and effective models such as South cooperation in the field of Sub National Governance and Civil Services Reforms.

Ms Sofia is a Marathon runner has been a national level swimmer an dstate level volleyball player and likes travelling.

In her address to the students of IIT Kanpur Ms Sofia said that as she is also a B Tech but a way long back, she too was remembering her college days while talking to the students.

When students asked to name some lesser known Female leaders, who have made a difference in the Leadership in spite of being a Female. She answered that “ From her personal experience in 25 yrs of service in the ICAS. one of the first Lady Leader she would like to speak about is Mrs Soma Roy Barman who is heading the ICS Indian Account Services who has a very strong sense of integrity and is a team leader. She is heading a team of 10,000 work force. Mrs Soma Roy Barman has changed the perception of Account Services and has also trained the second-generation leaders in the Services and her line of succession, which is not generally preferred by any leader. Her actions are giving good results in the country now.

The next person who has made a mark in the Leadership being a Lady is Mrs Aanchal Mishra, Gen Manager in Shell . She has made a balance in her personal and professional life she has made a bit difference in the Digital Transformation in the company. Company has gained a lot form her Leadership skills and her personality in particular. Her contribution to Health sector has also been appreciated from time to time.

Then she spoke about Mrs Neeta Verma as a Leader, she told that Mrs Nita Verma is DG National Informatic Centre a govt arm that is the Digital vision of the country rests. The PM has chosen her for this important flagship project. Her leadership is creating wonders in the country and will make an impact on Tomorrows India all this happening because of her ability to handle the basic issues of HR and others when she took over the NIC and turned it in a direction that it is today.

The next Female leader that I would like to speak about beside myself is Ms Medha Dalvi, I worked with her in a project called Public Financial Management System (PFMS),a treasury management software of Govt of India. It also tracks the Funds Flow of the govt given in the grants in aid to the institutes, companies or individuals till the last for delivering its objective. Her ability to get in details and work hard and leading the Team’s as in IT a joint effort gives result and that’s what she achieved with her Leadership. PFMS as achieved lot of objectives under her Leadership.

Ms Sofia spoke about the strength about women. She said that during her time there were just 2 to 3 % women in the Engineering and never crossed beyond 10%. Now it is good that it is going up to 20%. She said that the boys will agree that women are more hard working and sincere in their work and that is the quality that helps at the time of need. At the senior management level. Ms Sofia highlighted that women are less prone to corruption in the todays world and that is good for senior management.

She brought out that women have the capability of handling Multi-Tasking, they fit in well in the role of a master chef in the kitchen, Mother, sister, wife, Boss in a company. This helps in the office also and gives better results to an organization. Sofia said that today society has given lot of space to the women in the society as compared to what it was twenty years before.As women are in important places in leadership roles in important organizations, they can take bold and strong decisions and that is making changes and giving results.

Ms Sofia brought that there are some constraints and challenges in senior management level for the women like the family responsibilities. She brought out that lot of her batchmates even after doing professional qualification gave up their career for their kids and family. Though the govt policies are a lot friendly, but the constraints are there. Ms Sofia brought out that the security factor too plays a role. She gave her example that if she has to work late in the office may be up to 8. 30 pm she works, but keeping in the society that we are living in she prefers to some male member may be a PA etc in the office as most people leave office by 5.30 pm.

Ms Sofia brought out that the social Gender distance too plays an important role to play in the constraints. The exposure that women get being home bound in their areas let’s limited and that too plays a important role in reaching high positions. Ms Sofia made it a point that her school MNSS Rai made a important impact on her as she was raised in a co education school and she got all the opportunities and benefitted from the institute.

In the end she said that Women do have challenges to Face but they come out as winners by making these challenges as opportunities in their life. She wished all the students a very best of luck for the challenges ahead in their life.