MAM
Khadim’s completes its #LetsTakeAStep campaign with great success
MUMBAI: The advent of the festive season means shopping for new clothes, jewellery, accessories and shoes. It is a joyous and celebratory time for most of the citizens. But what about those who are a little less privileged than others? To address this issue and bring smile to a few this festive season, India’s leading homegrown footwear brand Khadim’s had undertaken a unique campaign, #LetsTakeAStep in association with Hope Kolkata Foundation and Rotary Club of Calcutta Innercity, through which they provided shoes to the street dwellers and lesser privileged of the city. The campaign culminated with Khadim’s distributing the shoes to recipients in the presence of Mr Amit Gope (Head Marketing, Khadim India Ltd), Ms. Geeta Venkadakrishnan (Director, Hope Kolkata Foundation) and glamorous actress Srabanti Chatterjee.
Conveying his thoughts on this social activity, Mr Rittick Roy Burman, Director, Khadim India Ltd, said, “It gives me great joy to announce that we have successfully completed the #LetsTakeAStep initiative. The main aim of this initiative was to bring smile on the faces of those who cannot afford even a basic necessity like a pair of shoes. We are extremely glad that our initiative was met with such great response in its very first year. I would like to thank each and every person who participated and donated their shoes for a noble cause. I would also like to applaud the efforts of the Khadim’s family for coming up with this idea and completing it successfully. This was a one-of-a-kind initiative from Khadim’s, and I hope it grows every year.”
There are thousands of people across the city who walk barefoot in rain, heat, cold and are subjected to blisters, cuts and broils every day. Moreover, they contract various diseases and infections by walking bare feet. The campaign urged the citizens to donate their old shoes in wearable condition at select Khadim’s outlets. Over 2259 shoes were collected from the month-long campaign and for every 2 pairs of shoes, Khadim’s donated a new pair.
Actress Srabanti Chatterjee added, “I think this is a really nice initiative by Khadim’s. I would like to congratulate them. It is overwhelming to see the smile on the faces of the recipients.”
Ms. Geeta Venkadakrishnan, Director, Hope Kolkata Foundation, added, “This was a very good initiative undertaken by Khadim’s and we are extremely proud to be a part of it. There are those unable to afford basic needs like food, clothes and shoes. We want to thank Khadim’s for taking note of this issue and coming forward with donations. We will ensure that the collected shoes reach the ones in need.”
Mr Amit Gope, Head Marketing, Khadim India Ltd, further added, “#LetsTakeAStep was derived from our company mission ‘to be in every Indian step’. I was extremely moved by the stories I heard from Hope Foundation about the thousands of people who go bare feet in Kolkata itself, not to mention children who even travel to school without shoes. Our objective for this campaign was not only to help people don a pair of shoes but also to promote foot hygiene. We look forward to organizing this activity pan-India and make it bigger and better in the coming years.”
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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.
