Not-so-saree anymore: Woman execs now prefer Western dresses

Indian women graduating from Harvard Business School is hardly a novelty these days. But back in the day, when Naina Lal Kidwai graduated from the haloed B-school, it was one. In 1982, Kidwai became the first Indian woman to graduate from Harvard. Kidwai entered the finance sector at a time when there were no female role models around. She had no one to emulate, or look up to for guidance in matters as basic as clothing choices. At an event days before she retired from HSBC last year, Kidwai said, “I didn't even know how to drape a saree then. But it seemed like the perfect choice, given the rather conservative nature of our business (finance).” Things have changed dramatically since then, even attire-wise .


Tanya Godrej (Image: BCCL)

Women entering the workforce have many female role models to look up to, especially in banking. But where bosses like Kidwai and her peers Shikha Sharma (Axis Bank) and Chanda Kochhar (ICICI Bank) are almost without fail seen in sarees, the younger lot favours western formals like suits and trousers. Kidwai feels this is partly due to a proliferation of western wear even in personal life.


India's first Harvard graduate, Naina Lal Kidwai (Image: BCCL)

“You hardly see younger women wear Indian clothes on a regular basis when they do everyday things, probably that's why they feel more comfortable in western formals as opposed to sarees.” .


Axis Bank's Shikha Sharma (Image: BCCL/ Amrendra Jha)