From adoption leave to flexi hours, Samina Vaziralli ensures women’s careers are insured at Cipla

Women in leadership positions have often objected to being asked about their ability to manage both home and office, when their male counterparts never get asked the question. Cipla’s executive vice-chairman, Samina Vaziralli deviated from this narrative last month. She introduced herself as "a mother of two, daughter and wife," and then shared her designation.

"I chose to introduce myself so because as women we play many multifaceted roles. Don’t run away from any of them," she said, recounting her days at investment bank Goldman Sachs in New York and the foundational role her stint there has played in her career. She spent six years at the bank, often being a part of teams which were headed by women. There was ample diversity within the team and women were given an equal opportunity.


In an open letter to her daughter, ICICI Bank’s CEO Chanda Kochhar explained how her family supported her in life.
(Image: BCCL)

So when she came back to India and joined Cipla, she experienced a bit of a "culture shock". "There were so many women who were falling off [leaving the workforce]. Unfortunately for us, our biological clock and our career clock are ticking at the same time. Women have to make very specific choices," Vaziralli said. She has been since doing "whatever needs to be done to stop women from falling off" at Cipla. From adoption leave to maternity leave to flexi hours, she’s exploring all options.


PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said that she didn’t regret having a career, but there were “heartaches” for not spending enough time with her two daughters. (Image: BCCL)

In the end, it is a tricky path. "Is it easy? Absolutely not. I struggle every single day. But that is the reality of life. You have to make some choices. You embrace some, you give up some," she said.