A Woman — Her Self, Her Roles — When She Pursues Power

Pursuing power in the society is not the ambition of every woman. To put things into perspective, it is not the ambition of every man either. A woman’s power and calling may lie in being a housewife, managing home, nurturing her kids as much as it may lie in holding a position of power in the society and running the show outside home. One is not above the other and both the tasks have sanctity of their own and cannot be compared.

However, the story here today focuses on how, when a woman starts pursuing power in the society, the journey assumes different hues, takes different turns, compared to those when a man starts pursuing power. How the balance in her life may go for a toss and how dearly she has to fight to hold it all together.

Here’s a brief chronicle of Jayalalithaa’s life as a case in point:

1. She won Gold State Award for topping the state in 10th standard in Tamil Nadu.
2. She was trained in Carnatic music, Piano and different forms of dance.
3. She was fluent in 7–8 languages.
4. Of course, she was an actress in multiple languages and that needs no explicit mention.
5. She was physically assaulted in TN Assembly in 1989 by opposition members. (Ref 1)
6. She vowed to come back to Assembly only as CM and she did!(Ref 2)
7. She went on to serve as the CM of Tamil Nadu six times.
8. She dismissed over 1.7 lakh govt workers under ESMA when they went on strike (who were later reinstated on compassionate grounds). (Ref 3)
9. Probably, the only politician who sacked so many jobs in one go, setting an example of far-sighted governance, in dealing with unreasonable strikes with an iron hand.
10. She was charge sheeted in a couple of cases including Disproportionate Assets cases.(Ref 4)
11. The rumors had it that she had a son out of an affair with a South Indian hero and that she raised that son as a nephew of Sasikala.

If it was true, then imagine the hypocrisy with which she had to live, ceasing to be the mother of her son.

If it was false, then imagine the restraint and discipline with which she had to ignore the rumors and get on with her life.

We never know the truth. But one thing is clear, she did not live in peace. We know she did not die in peace either. Hopefully, she is resting in peace at least now.

The world respects its mothers, celebrates its daughters and sisters, appreciates the contribution of a woman as a wife.

A woman is defined by her roles. But a man is a man. Do we see a man being defined by his roles — of being a son, a brother, a husband, a father? It might even sound funny to a few, if one did that. He is measured by his values, integrity, character, passion and work.

Yet, the world likes it if a woman is a woman, as it designated her to be — sweet, pleasing and fragile, functioning within the roles of daughter, sister, wife and mother in that order. But a “woman in power” ahhahh, now that doesn’t sound completely right. Something is amiss. Now, THAT’s the world for us until half a century ago. Or even a decade or two after that.

Fast forward to 2021. The world is changing and for better, for sure. More women are now able to scale up the ladder of power to higher echelons in various spheres of society. The fact that I study in IIMB along with my fellow women, pursuing MBA (PGPEM) with dreams of a career pivoted around power, at an equal footing with men and participate in all aspects with an equal spirit is a testimony in its own little way, that the world is in a better place now. Kudos to all men and women who have brought the world to this stage. As they say, we are standing on the shoulders of giants. The glass ceiling is breaking for women, though we are not there yet and there’s a long way to go.

Here’s hoping for a world that embraces “women in power” more and more. For a world where a woman is defined for herself and not only by her roles. For a world where the journey to success and power for women is equally (or let’s say similarly) complicated as it is for men and not necessarily more complicated. For a world where the words “woman” and “power” go together well…down our throats, minds and souls.

— The author is pursuing PGPEM in IIMB. The opinions expressed here in the story are purely her own, and do not express the views or opinions of IIMB in any way.