She Speaks is an original Shenomics’ series of dialogues between leading women from various disciplines on relevant issues pertaining to professional women in India. Disclaimer: All views contained in this article represent the individual’s personal views, and not those of any organization with which they might be affiliated.
The world today is a fascinating arena for women – the Census of 2011 shows us that there were 116% more women graduating in India, as compared to men, but a report published by the World Bank in 2017 showed that only 27% of women were a part of the labour force in India, the lowest among BRICS nations. While there is a long way to go for women at work, there are a few women choosing to tread unconventional paths.
Scuba diving instructor, Madhumathy Chandrasekaran, 22, and Shatbhi Basu, 57, a mixologist and beverage consultant, talk about their experiences as women who chose atypical careers in the face of stereotypes defined by society, in a candid chat moderated by Shonali Advani.
How did you decide to get into your respective professions?
Madhumathy Chandrasekaran: I’ve never been academically inclined even though I got good grades. I was an outdoors-y person. When I was 17.5 years old I got into scuba diving through my tennis coach. I attended college for three months studying biotechnology but that didn’t work out. I quit and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in English through correspondence so I could work. My first job was in Cooke Island in Fiji when I was 19, and it’s been amazing since.
Shatbhi Basu: I started out wanting to be a veterinary doctor and got into a college too but my family doctor advised my parents against it as I was prone to many allergies. They introduced me to hotel management. After a year of F&B in the kitchen I moved to restaurants and the manager there pushed me into making cocktails. I gave it a shot and it scared the hell out of me so I realised I better start studying it. The more I experimented the better I got, and fell in love with mixing. I could see people’s expressions as they drank and I could correct those drinks- something I couldn’t do in the kitchen. I also opened Stir Academy of Bartending in 1999, to give back to the fraternity.
What were the first reactions from family when you chose your profession?
Madhumathy: Well my parents weren’t happy, because it meant dropping out of college. However they also knew I’m a stubborn child and I would do it with or without their support. Their only request to me was that I do some sort of graduation so I don’t regret it later. I have been working since I was 18 years old. My parents have been guiding me through various ups and downs. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without their support either.
Shatbhi: I’ve been lucky because I come from a family that’s travelled extensively so I didn’t have to convince them that I was on the right path. My friends and family in fact were my guinea pigs. I could make mistakes with them. So were my in-laws. They figured I wasn’t the average bahu they were expecting.
How did people in the society react to your job?
Shatbhi: When I was standing behind the bar, women were just so happy. They’d come up to me and say, “We can come up and talk to you and you can help us figure out what we want to drink.” Younger guys would stay away thinking they didn’t want to give me extra attention as a woman, while older men had the comfort of talking to someone like me. Funnily, after two drinks even younger men would talk to me! Also, I always ask what is society? We are also society. If we have the courage and passion to do different things, people have to accept it, because we are part of the same society. If we evolve, society evolves with us.
