Sony Pictures Networks Nukkad: An ode to women leaders who are breaking stereotypes

A woman’s perspective of leadership does not start when she proves her academic worth in college, gets her big break, or is appointed to a position of authority. The path to leadership begins considerably earlier in her life and is determined by significant factors. According to KPMG women’s leadership study – ‘Moving Women Forward Into Leadership Roles’, 83% of working women know that the steps they take today in business will help set the stage for future generations of women. And 76% of working women plan to personally take active steps to help other women advance in their careers.

To have an in-depth discussion, ‘Nukkad Live’ by Sony Pictures Networks India, which was held virtually, took a deep dive into the subject of ‘Women leaders who have embodied the spirit of breaking stereotypical roles with their accomplishments’.

The session was hosted by sports journalist Indranil Basu, along with Subhashri Prasad, Head - Distribution Marketing, Sony Pictures Networks India. The panelists included:

Dr Akshata Narain, Group President, AM Television

Jamie lever, Comedian, Actor and Singer

Dr Nirmala Kotnis, former Indian Badminton Champion and Lead Operations at Padukone Sports Management Academy

It was heartening to know and note that each of these panelists was accomplished in their spheres of work as diverse as stand-up comedy, head of a media organisation, and sports management. What was noteworthy is that both Jamie Lever and Dr Akshata Narain pursued their dreams in what was most intrinsically close to their heart and excelled in their respective line of work. Jamie is currently in the UK, pursuing a course in acting. But she has been carving out a niche for herself as a content creator in a largely male-dominant field of stand-up comedy for the past decade. Today, she is recognised as one of the most well-known faces in the world of stand-up comedians and is amongst the few women to make her mark in this country. She has accomplished this feat purely because of her passion and with no leverage from her well-known father and king of comedy – Johnnie Lever.

So, the key takeaway is that when ‘Equitable Opportunities’ are available to a person, it is purely the person’s own inherent skill, passion and commitment which can help them accomplish and excel in their path to their dreams.

Like Jamie Lever, Dr Akshata is a young woman leader taking forward her family’s legacy in the field of media and entertainment. A dentist, it was medical science and not the field of M&E, where she started her career. But when she came to be at the helm of AM Television, founded by her father Dr Sanjive Narain, she showed her mettle as a successful leader in a field dominated by men. Dr Akshata is a firm proponent of gender equality and feels that in the fight for equality, based on the concept that we have right now, sometimes we get derailed from the actual meaning of equality.

For her, what matters the most is one’s calibre and offering equal opportunities irrespective of one’s gender. Nevertheless, when it comes to content on platforms under the AM Television bouquet, which include news channels, entertainment channels, an OTT platform as well as film production, Dr Akshata maintained that the aim was to promote strong narratives around women protagonists.

Incidentally, two of the dominant media groups in Assam and the North-East are headed by women – Dr Akshata, who heads AM Television, and Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, who heads Pride East Entertainments.

Women are known to be experts at multi-tasking and juggling multiple roles, and excelling at them comes naturally to Dr Nirmala Kotnis. She is a former badminton champion, who represented India in the international arena. She is the wife of an Army officer, a mother of twins, an actor and heads the Padukone Sports Management Academy, which scouts for raw talent from India’s interiors, presenting them with the amenities and training them to become fine badminton players for India.

She is passionate about not just providing the opportunities to girls to become the next Saina Nehwal or PV Sindhu, but also changing people’s mindset when it comes to letting young girls follow their dreams and honing their skills. “Why are the women getting filtered out? Why do we have to keep wondering who the next lead female badminton player will be?” she asked.

The discussion wrapped up with the panellists appreciating the fact that the market ecosystem is changing for the better. They expressed the confidence that women leaders at the C-Suite level will not be a rarity for long, but soon become the norm. So, be it heading media houses, or being out in the field managing difficult clients, being on a multi-city search for the next big sporting talent or owning the male bastion of stand-up comedy like a boss – women are no longer hesitant about taking the road less travelled, but are, in fact, creating their own pathways and leaving their mark.