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Navya Naveli Nanda and Tinkle comics present ‘Wonder Naari’
Mumbai: The eagerly awaited creative collaboration between social entrepreneur Navya Naveli Nanda and the beloved comics publication ‘Tinkle’ has come to fruition, with the official launch of their book on 25 September 2023.
The event took place at the Dixit Road BMC School, Mumbai with a bunch of bright and enthusiastic students as participants. The collective efforts of Navya Naveli Nanda and the Tinkle Team have given rise to a truly remarkable collection of stories, ingeniously titled ‘Wonder Naari’. While the collaboration was eagerly awaited, the story themes remained under wraps, adding anticipation to the launch.
It was revealed that the book ‘Wonder Naari’ shines as a beacon of empowerment, featuring four captivating stories, each intricately woven around a core theme that mirrors the pillars of Navya’s visionary initiative, Project Naveli. These themes encompass Legal Awareness, Entrepreneurship, Mental Health and Education, with narratives meticulously crafted to resonate deeply with readers and inspire a sense of empowerment. Post the book launch, there was an interactive workshop where the children were engaged with an opportunity to explore the world of ‘Wonder Naari’ through fun activities and games.
At the launch, Navya Naveli Nanda passionately shared her journey of creation, vision for women’s empowerment and thoughts on the joy of storytelling through comics. Joining her on this momentous occasion was Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd President and CEO Preeti Vyas, Tinkle editor-in-chief Gayathri Chandrasekaran, Savio Mascarenhas, group art director, Deepesh Kothari, VP of digital and D2C Businesses and other members from the Tinkle Team.
What truly distinguishes ‘Wonder Naari’ is its unwavering commitment to accessibility, ensuring that its messages of empowerment transcend boundaries and language barriers. The book will be thoughtfully available in multiple languages including Hindi and Marathi ensuring that its profound impact reaches diverse communities nationwide.
Commenting on the book launch, Navya Naveli Nanda said “I am absolutely thrilled to finally share these stories with the world! We’ve poured our hearts and souls into crafting authentic narratives that shed light on the real-life challenges women encounter. My hope is that these stories will entertain and ignite inspiration while resonating deeply with our audience’s hearts. Collaborating with Tinkle truly felt like a magical journey!” Navya has worked closely with Tinkle’s editorial team to create each of these stories.
Tinkle editor-in-chief Gayathri Chandrasekaran who was present at the launch said “At Tinkle, we’re very passionate about stories and storytelling. For over 40 years we have endeavoured to bring diverse, inclusive and empowering Indian characters and stories to children. With every new generation that we write for, our stories evolve in keeping with their needs and the changing social milieu. It has been an absolute joy partnering with Project Naveli to tell inspiring stories about the meaningful work they do in areas that are close to our hearts as well. We had a lot of fun co-creating this book with Navya and can’t wait for the stories to reach far and wide!”
The book will be available on the Tinkle app to read for free. It will also be available in all leading bookstores.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
