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IndiGo, Bose’s ‘Poorna’ salute women
MUMBAI: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, IndiGo celebrates the historic feat of Poorna Malavath, the youngest girl in the world to climb Mount Everest, by collaborating with Actor and Director Rahul Bose for his second directorial venture – Poorna. Through this association, IndiGo aims to honour the achievements of Poorna Malavath and many other women champions who defy odds to scale.
Poorna, releasing on 31 March 2017 is based on the life story of Poorna Malavath, an Adivasi from Telangana, who in 2014, at the age of 13, became the youngest girl in history to climb the Mount Everest. It powerfully encapsulates all the lessons of empowerment of the socially marginalized, gender equality, the importance of education, and last but not least how with courage, determination, and hard work, a child can achieve anything! The movie features Aditi Inamdar and Rahul Bose in lead roles.
‘Poorna’ director and producer Bose said, “It was just a perfect fit to partner with a brand like IndiGo that consistently recognizes and respects the incredible achievements of women. I hope this partnership turns into a lifelong friendship of shared values.” The co-producer of ‘Poorna’, Amit Patni, Founder of RAAY Media, said, “When Rahul suggested we tie up with IndiGo airlines we immediately agreed. Their professionalism, commitment to excellence and ‘Girl Power’ initiative left us in no doubt that this would be a natural, mutually productive partnership.”
IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said, “It is indeed an honour to be associated with a movie such as Poorna that reminds us of a young girl’s extremely difficult yet courageous journey. Her exemplary display of determination, self-discipline and physical fitness is an inspiration for all of us. I would like to congratulate Rahul Bose for creating such a masterpiece and I am confident that the movie will receive love from the audience.”
Ghosh further added, “At IndiGo, we believe that women have the power to change any industry and with this belief we have endeavoured to empower women (both employees and communities outside). Our collaboration with Poorna aligns naturally with our ongoing programmes – #GirlPower and #FitToFly that believe in empowering everyone inside and outside the organisation with better opportunities.”
Empowering women has been core to IndiGo. It is evident from the data as 43 percent of the entire workforce and also 25 per cent of the leadership team comprises women workforce. The company also has dedicated women empowerment and education programmes under IndiGoReach – company’s CSR programme.
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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.
