August 1, 2024

WisdomStories Ep.57: Shravani Dang

Cultural expectations surrounding the elderly are being challenged today, and with good reason!

While it was the norm to slow down and retreat into a quieter life post-retirement, more men and women are finding purpose and joy in doing the opposite.

WisdomCircle honours such men and women by shining light on their journey through an inspiring series called “Wisdom Stories”. These people have successfully smashed stereotypes, and their stories remind us that life should be lived to the fullest, no matter what age or stage.

“I did my Masters in Communications and Advertisement from Indian Institute of Mass Communication, and was recruited directly into HCL, which was a start-up at that time. I put in ten hard but exciting years into the organization.

My father was an IAS officer, and my parents felt that I would follow suit. They saw me put in long hours, sometimes over holidays and weekends at HCL somewhat disapprovingly. But they always wanted me to have my own voice. They did not stop me. My mother was a working woman, and that made it easier for me to focus on my career.

I met my husband at work, and we got married to eventually start our family. One early morning, my husband was driving us back home from office, after a full night of presentations, and we both fell asleep on the wheels. This was a wake-up call. I decided to take a break and look after my young child. I took another career break when we had our second child. I used that time to follow my other areas of interest. I started a children’s workshop for creative writing, and one my students won a writing contest, which was awarded to him by Bill Gates in person in Seattle.

After my kids were more independent, I decided that I needed to get back to work. I joined an NGO called CARE but moved back into the corporate sector with organizations like CSC, Fidelity and Avantha Group. I retired from Avantha in 2019 as Group Vice President, Corporate Communications, where I had a global role. I felt that the world had forgotten me once I retired and rightly so. But occasionally, I am called upon to receive an award or a token of appreciation, and that feels good. I have a couple of lifetime achievement awards and an award for Highest Contribution amongst others.

There were quite a few people who have impacted me both positively and negatively. A particular person in my personal life tried very hard to belittle and isolate me. While it drove me to tears, it gave me a very important life lesson – I must be my own person in the face of negativity. I got my power back, by not allowing someone else to affect my confidence and learned to draw healthy boundaries. This came handy when I met with similar people at work.

I like to keep myself occupied all the time. I am currently on the board of a listed company, and I am Trustee to Charities Aid Foundation. I am following my artistic pursuits, a passion I discovered during COVID. I also started a “Home Chef” business and am writing a book on the History of Food, which was triggered by an unusual chain of events. My mother expressed a wish of visiting her erstwhile home (pre-partition) in Bangladesh, and I took her there. It was to be our last trip together. This trip unlocked many memories, and she shared anecdotes pertaining to her early life, including many forgotten stories on food and culture. These conversations gave me the idea to write a book on the history of food.

I resonate with WisdomCircle’s vision deeply. For quite some time, there has been a trend of undermining older people at the workplace in corporate India. They are being replaced by less experienced people, who may not have the wisdom and maturity for certain roles. There must be a way to bring the silver set back to work, as their experience is invaluable. WisdomCircle couldn’t have come a day earlier.”

– Shravani Dang

Interview & Photograph credits: Saonli Bedi of WisdomCircle

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