Highlights of Fireside Chat : “Glass Ceiling: Myth or Reality”

IAMC, Hyderabad in collaboration with Fox Mandal & Associates, Hyderabad, organised a Fireside Chat on the topic, “Glass Ceiling: Myth or Reality” on 29th April, 2024, aimed to spark an open dialogue among key stakeholders on leadership challenges and opportunities for women.

The Fireside Chat was graced by the presence of Hon’ble Ms. Justice Hima Kohli, Judge, Supreme Court of India, as our Chief Guest. Our esteemed panelists also included Ms. Shikha Goel, IPS, ADGP, Women Safety Wing, Telangana Police; Mrs. Suchitra Ella, Manging Director, Bharat Biotech International Ltd.; Ms. Manisha Saboo, Campus Head, Infosys Hyderabad; Mr. Vivek Reddy, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Ms. Anat Bernstein Reich, CEO of BDO Israel-India Investment Banking and President Israel-Asia Chamber of Commerce. The session was moderated by the esteemed Ms. Purnima Kamble, Senior Partner at Fox Mandal & Associates.

Highlighting the challenges women face, Ms. Justice Hima Kohli, a first-generation lawyer herself, addressed the persistent issue of glass ceilings that limit women’s advancement. She pointed to the low numbers of women in senior legal positions and the societal pressures women encounter throughout their lives. Ms. Suchitra echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for girls to develop self-confidence through family support, education, and experience.

Ms. Shikha IPS called for dismantling gender stereotypes in law enforcement, highlighting that competence trumps gender. She emphasized that societal protectiveness could hinder girls’ potential.

Mr. Vivek Reddy commented on how structured setup will break Glass Ceilings and unstructured setup will bring in more barriers while Ms. Anat emphasized how glass ceilings exist everywhere and it is the thickness of the glass ceiling that differs. Ms. Manisha shared her views on how the IT sector offers diverse work environments with equal pay and focuses on safety.

The discussion witnessed participation of women leaders from organisations such as CII IWN, ALEAP, We-Hub along with Legal Heads, Consulate members, Senior Advocates, amongst others.