The Journey to Becoming a Company Secretary
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, I decided to pursue the Company Secretary course conducted by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), a profession that was still emerging in the early 1990s. While my parents were supportive of my education, they were apprehensive about a corporate career. Teaching was considered the most acceptable profession for a woman, so I completed my Master’s in Commerce alongside my professional studies. I continued to persuade my parents, and eventually qualified as a Company Secretary, clearing every stage in my first attempt.
My husband believed in my dreams, and I began my career in the corporate sector as Company Secretary in Havells India Limited, and then moved to Oriental Bank of Commerce as a Specialist Company Secretary Officer.
Balancing Motherhood and Ambition
Motherhood brought immense joy, but also the challenges that countless working women experience. In 2004, I made the decision to establish my own practice driven by the desire to balance professional aspirations with family responsibilities.
Alongside my practice, I became a faculty member at the Noida Chapter of ICSI and gradually became involved in the Institute’s activities. Serving members and students gave me immense satisfaction.
From Participation to Leadership
Then I decided to contest Noida Chapter Managing Committee elections in end 2018, a decision made to have female representation at the Chapter and it changed the course of my journey.
I was elected to the Noida Chapter for the 2019–2022 term and had the privilege of serving as Chairperson in 2021—a year dominated by the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leadership during a crisis meant much more than conducting meetings. It meant standing beside members and students when they needed support the most. One of the initiatives closest to my heart was organising a vaccination drive during the peak of the second wave. Wearing a PPE kit, coordinating with hospital, and ensuring that members were vaccinated remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my professional life.
After completing my tenure as Chairperson, I decided to contest elections for the Northern India Regional Council (NIRC) of ICSI—covering seven states and thirty-two Chapters. It was a significant leap. Very few women had attempted this journey in over five decades, and those who had were considerably younger.
In December 2022, I was elected to the Northern India Regional Council for the 2023–2026 term. In 2023, I had the honour of becoming the first woman Treasurer in the history of NIRC. The trust and encouragement I received from members and students became one of the greatest sources of motivation in my journey.
A Journey Through Grief
Then, in December 2023, life changed forever.
My husband passed away suddenly due to a cardiac arrest.
In a matter of minutes, I lost my life partner, my closest friend, and my strongest pillar of support. The months that followed were incredibly difficult. During the same period, I underwent two surgeries myself and was confined to bed for nearly two months.
The Journey Continues
What kept me going was my profession.
The Company Secretary profession gave me purpose, responsibility, and a reason to keep moving forward. It reminded me that while life may change unexpectedly, we can still choose to rise again.
Looking back, the journey has been extraordinary—from a little girl who was never expected to study beyond graduation, to representing the profession at regional leadership levels.
A Future with Purpose
Today, my purpose extends beyond my own achievements.
I want to encourage more women to dream fearlessly, pursue leadership roles, and never believe that age, career breaks, family responsibilities, or personal setbacks define their future. I am particularly passionate about helping women restart their professional journeys after taking a break, because I firmly believe that every comeback is possible.
Leadership is not about having a perfect journey. It is about finding the courage to continue despite every obstacle.
If my story inspires even one woman to believe that it is never too late to begin again, every challenge I have faced will have found its purpose.
