Last Monday ended on a note when I felt both exhausted and content with work. What followed next was an overwhelming realization – I was a month away from completing 2 and half years at my first job. Even completing a year was a big deal. I remember getting mixed reactions ranging from “Wow, you lasted a year at one place” to “Wow, now that you have worked for a year at one place, you should look at diversifying your experience”.
Over the last 2 years, my parents’ earnest attempts at understanding my work – digital advocacy campaigns and how crowdsourcing works – has been amusing, to say the least. I continue to ‘justify’ that my work is ‘real’ and often wish that I could talk about my aspirations, and find answers for my challenges. And I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way.
I am one of the 780 million Indians who is under 35 – the average Indian who spends over 2,000 hours a year working. Yet, there is so little is discussed about our hidden struggles, career aspirations and challenges. We ourselves hardly talk about our work lives!
To change exactly this and shape the conversation on the #FutureOfWork for Indian millennials, Youth Ki Awaaz and International Labour Organisation (ILO India) are hosting an event this Saturday, 21st January at 11 am at antiSocial Hauz Khas Village, Delhi. With the idea to encourage conversations around why we need to talk about how ‘work’ and the ‘workplace’ is evolving – join in and hear these 9 amazing individuals who are changing the face of ‘work’ for Indian millennials.
1. Gayatri Buragohain, Founder – Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT)
By Breaking the stereotype that ‘girls are not innately gifted at science and math’ Gayatri, Founder of Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT), is creating access to careers in STEM (science technology engineering and mathematics) for girls and young women. She also works to enhance their awareness, interest, and participation in technology.
2. Sarvesh Agrawal, Founder – Internshala
For any young person, internships are a stepping stone to the world of employment. With Internshala, Sarvesh Agrawal is changing the ‘ad-hoc culture’ surrounding internships, and working towards creating meaningful internships for both employers and young aspirants. Through the Internshala platform, various companies can hire interns. In addition to this, the portal also offers counselling, and short courses on a range of things – from cover-letter writing to resume building.
3. Karuna Nundy, Advocate – Supreme Court of India
A Supreme Court advocate, Karuna Nundy has fought landmark cases and is a powerful voice in human rights litigation. From talking about under-representation of women as senior advocates in Indian courts, to sexism and sexual harassment at the workplace – Karuna has played an active role in advocating for gender justice.
4. Apurv Agrawal, Founder – Squadrun
Can a mobile gaming app offer businesses cost-efficient operational solutions? Apurv Agrawal, Co-Founder of Squadrun, has effectively tapped technology to solve a problem and build a business! Innovation in technology has lead to ease of business but there is a lot more to entrepreneurship than how ‘starting-up’ is romanticized – from building a product that people love to building a team that shares your vision.
5. Nipun Malhotra, Co-founder – The Nipman Foundation
As the Co-Founder of The Nipman Foundation, Nipun supports people with disabilities to get access to wheelchairs and easy financing so that they can lead an independent life. In addition to this, advocating for equal opportunity and employment, the foundation recognizes companies and institutions that promote employment of people with disabilities, and also remove all physical and attitudinal barriers.
6. Saloni Malhotra, Founder – DesiCrew
Bridging the urban-rural gap through employment, with DesiCrew, Saloni, a young entrepreneur, took the ‘jobs to the people’ instead of ‘people to the jobs’. Integrating technology with changing business models, DesiCrew is more than just a BPO, and is helping create meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities.
7. Geeta, Driver – Sakha Consulting Wings
Geeta was married into a joint family at the age of 17. Lacking domestic support, she decided to ensure that her children got the best possible education. After training with the Azad foundation, Geeta worked as a driver with a client for two years, before joining Sakha Consulting Wings. Today, she has successfully completed a year as a commercial driver with Sakha.
8. Ashwaq Masoodi, Journalist – Mint
Working with the Mint for the last 3.5 years, Ashwaq has been actively covering gender and related issues. Last year, she received the Society of Publishers in Asia award for her series on human trafficking. This year, she received the Ramnath Goenka award for her stories on aspirations of young people in India.
9. Sher Verick (Deputy Director of the ILO Country Office for India and Decent Work Team for South Asia)
Researching the changing patterns of female employment in developing nations, Sher has actively spoken about the under-representation of women in India’s labour force. Recently, he also edited a book titled “Transformation of Women at Work in Asia: An Unfinished Development Agenda” that examines the drivers of and barriers to participation of women in the Asian labour market.