This resonates with my journey. My mother had to make a choice while I was studying which choice shaped my career. I had just joined articleship for the chartered accountancy course when my father passed away. The bank in which my father worked had an excellent policy, which offered a job to the kin of the person who dies while in services. My father had served for 37 years at the bank and died while in service. My sister was already working and my mummy did not wish to take up employment, so I could have easily got the bank job while completing my graduation. All my relatives recommended / instructed that I take up the bank job as our financial position was weak and clearing CA was next to impossible. But my mummy said NO, and so we gave up the bank job. I worked very hard – attended morning college, then full day articleship and evening studying. Thank you Mummy for the bold decision that you took and your belief in me. I cleared Inter and final CA both groups together in first attempt and was a CA alongwith BCom at 21 years. It is only because of sheer hard work, the blessing of my father and my mother and their love and belief in me that I achieved what I did at that age.

The choice that was made of continuing with my CA, made me what I am today.

I joined the most renowned firm and started my career in tax services. I was doing very well for myself and was also being recognised by the firm. I was handling many clients large multinationals corporates banks, representing client at appellate authorities and enjoying the work that I was doing. Yet I left the job. I got married to a Doctor from the Indian Army and then decided to leave my successful career for being a mother and house wife. I wanted to spend my time with my child and husband and enjoy life. Those years I enjoyed the most doing everything from singing, dancing, acting, compering, participating in ladies meet, holding ladies meet, everything other than tax. I also went through severe sickness, hospitalisation, coma and death very closely twice, and struggled through the super cyclone with my unwell small kids with no light or water for a month, and my husband away on work.

The choice I made shaped me into a strong personality that I am today, more confident with empathy.

I returned to profession after 6 years of sabbatical when I returned to Mumbai while my husband was posted to non-family field posting. Again I am thankful to my mummy as she encouraged me to join back and she supported me through out.

Returning to profession in one of the large tax consultancy firm was difficult but not something that cannot be achieved alongwith family responsibilities. I was asked to work on Knowledge Management and Foreign Portfolio Investors, both sectors that I had not worked before.

Opportunities should be taken as it comes and then give our best to succeed in that opportunity. Specialize, Innovate and create your niche in your chosen industry, which helped built a large FPI practice for the firm.

I was happy working but certain things were not as expected and I left the organisation to explore the unknown. I was very stressed as I was leaving my comfort zone, would have to start all over again building my practice and connections.

I joined a firm, which gave me a larger canvass of work and opportunities than what I was doing earlier.

This change and choice has given me growth in both professional and personal terms. I do variety of tax services, write more often, I speak more often at conferences; I meet Directors, CEO, CXO level persons; I am able to do something for the society and I won several awards and memento.

Change is important and positively accepting the change is very important.

I have been blessed to have excellent team members in all the organisations that I have worked. I have many to thank from my firms and professional circle who have trained, shaped and guided me.

There will always be people who will step over you, boys ganging together to keep you out, people confusing professional and personal likes and dislikes, people who will not be able to take a women’s view or work under a women, but if you believe in the Choice you have made, Stick to it.

“Weak People Revenge, Strong people forgive, Intelligent people ignore” – Albert Einstein

Make a Choice and find success and happiness in that Choice.