What are the challenges and perks of handling age-old legacies? If you come into a position of power through a position of privilege, how do you make sure that you earn respect, more so if you are a woman?
These and many more questions are what Daughters of Legacy seeks to answer through the stories of twelve successful women who grew up with strong business lineages.
Daughters of Legacy: How a New Generation of Women is Redefining India Inc. captures stories of 12 Indian women who grew up with strong business lineages. The book features stories of Ashni Biyani, Manasi Kirloskar, Priti Sureka, Nadia Chauhan, Tara Vachani, Meher Pudumjee, Lavanya Nalli, Devita Saraf, Divya Modi, Amruda Nair, Bhairavi Jani and Sonica Malhotra.
The authors illustrate journeys of these women who maneuver maneuver several challenges on a daily basis and meets expectations. The book shows how these women have not only kept the legacies alive but have also gone on to carve a niche for themselves as individuals beyond their famous last names.
On the occasion of the launch of the book, Sonica Malhotra, Joint Managing Director, MBD Group said that leading a legacy business comes with its own challenges. Expectations are high and you are nervous if you will be able to match up. What you have though is a 360-degree view of the business and the opportunity to look at things at a strategic level. Divya Modi Tongya, Co-founder, Smart Global Group added that ‘You have to enter a legacy business with the thought that this was not created by me, that I am privileged to have this opportunity and I have to see how I can add value.’
Some of the others stories featured in the book include those of AshniBiyani, chief ideator, Future Group, who looks at herself as a co-creator of the business rather than just a legacy bearer, Manasi Kirloskar, executive director and CEO, Kirloskar Systems Ltd, admits that she is hugely privileged in inheriting a large business, but also goes on to point out that she could lose everything overnight if she isn’t competent. And non-executive chairperson of Thermax Global MeherPudumjee’s acceptance that legacies can sometimes feel like a burden comes close on the heels of the realization that there is nothing more that one can do except to give one’s best. Chosen from a wide cross section in terms of scale of business, roles and hierarchy, these women have not only kept the legacies alive but also gone on to carve a niche for themselves as individuals beyond their famous last names. Clearly for all of them legacy is far more than mere inheritance.
The author of the book, Rinku Paul is an internationally certified life coach and a proponent of women leadership and an inclusive work environment, and has brought together her love for entrepreneurship and writing in her published works. Her previous books-Dare to Be: Fourteen Women Who Gave Wings to Their Dreams and Millionaire Housewives were released to acclaim. Her passion project is ‘Dare to Be Conversations’ - a podcast series and a platform for women to be a part of stirring stories and breakthrough ideas. In her previous avatar, Rinku has had a corporate career spanning over sixteen years with the news channel AajTak, a part of the India Today Group, till she decided to pursue her dream-impacting people’s lives.
Puja Singhal, having spent more than a decade living the corporate life, strategizing on how best to marry business and people as an HR specialist, decided to take a break to focus on her family and other love, writing. Having co-founded a writing studio, The Muse, and published two books, Dare to Be and Millionaire Housewives, along with Rinku Paul, she is now back to juggling corporate responsibilities along with family duties and, of course, writing. Puja holds an honours degree in political science and an MBA in human resource management.