The tech industry has a reputation for being demanding and fast-paced, which can make it challenging for anyone to balance work and personal life. For mothers, this can be particularly daunting as they strive to juggle the demands of their careers and their families.
However, at Vayavya, mothers are given the support and flexibility they need to succeed in both areas. With its focus on inclusivity and diversity, Vayavya Labs has created a culture that recognizes and values the unique perspectives and experiences of all its employees, including mothers.
We got a chance to talk to Vidyarani Katigar, a talented engineer at Vayavya Labs, to discuss her experiences as a mother in tech, the support she has received from Vayavya Labs along the way, and her advice for other mothers in the field who are trying to achieve a similar balance.
Q. What motivated you to make the transition from academia to the corporate world? And why did you choose Vayavya for this?
Vidya: I have worked in the corporate sector before. I knew there is more scope for learning new technologies in the industry than in academia.
While in academics, I was working with Vayavya Labs in recruiting our students. During this association, I got to know about the cutting-edge technologies that Vayavya works in and its work culture, which matched my interests and expectations. This is why I decided to join Vayavya.
Q. We have seen you come a long way and you are achieving a lot at Vayavya too. Being a full-time mom and also an Engineer – What has the process been like behind the scene? And how have you kept yourself updated with the latest trends and technologies?
Vidya: Thank you for acknowledging my progress at Vayavya. Balancing the responsibilities of being a full-time mom and a developer has been challenging but rewarding too.
Regarding keeping myself updated with the latest trends and technologies, I try to reserve some time to take online courses, attend webinars, and be involved in in-house tech discussions. I have also got opportunities to attend conferences and trainings. At Vayavya, there is a lot of encouragement and support to keep upgrading ourselves.
Q. Please share a few insights on your journey as a mom who restarted her career after a break, the challenges you have faced, and how did you overcome them. What are some of the things that help in making this transition a bit easier?
Vidya: When I switched back to the industry after a break of almost 5 years, one of the major challenges was to bring my skills and knowledge up to date. Vayavya’s systematic training process helped me upgrade my skills. But, I did not have a lot of time for ramp-up; I wanted to start contributing to the company as soon as possible. This obviously required spending extra time and effort which was the next challenge for me as a mom. To address this, after returning late from work, I ensured to spend most of the time at home with my daughter.
Over time I have learned to balance the two roles through time management, adaptability, and prioritization. I receive sufficient support from my family during increased work demands, such as project deadlines. Likewise, I also receive ample support from Vayavya when my daughter requires additional attention for any reason. This has made my transition easier.
Q. Who has been your role model who added aspirational value to your journey?
Vidya: I am fortunate to have many role models who have added aspirational value to my personal and professional journey. However, if I had to pick one who has had a significant impact on my progress in the current work domain, then I would say it is my manager Karthick Gururaj.
I always admire his exceptional domain knowledge, technical expertise, and managerial skills. His calm and cool way of handling any situation and perfectionism at any task is worth learning. Karthick has been a great mentor and guide offering valuable advice and unwavering support and has greatly impacted my professional growth.
Q. What are your thoughts on the portrayal of women in IT? Do you think we have moved to progressive narratives or do we still primarily build narratives with gender-specific roles?
Vidya: Yes, definitely there has been a significant shift towards progressive narratives. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for more diverse and inclusive portrayals of women in IT. Women are now being portrayed as skilled professionals, leaders, managers, and many more roles in IT; they are increasingly contributing to the growth and development of the organization they belong to.
Q. Any closing thoughts or a message you’d like to share for aspiring software developers/ programmers, or women in IT?
Vidya: For aspiring developers and programmers in general, I would say there is huge scope for continuous learning and growth in the IT industry. Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest trends in technology. Specifically, talking about women in IT, women are always special in terms of their capabilities, contributions to the organization as well as the unique challenges they face. With the spirit of resilience and perseverance, they can reach any heights in professional life along with balancing their personal life.
For young and energetic engineers, I have a special message- In the initial phase of your career emphasize more on acquiring knowledge and upgrading your skills. Most importantly, staying back with an organization that provides you with enough scope for learning and development for a longer period of time will fetch you exponential career growth and opportunities to grow vertically in terms of roles and responsibilities.
If you’re looking for a company that values inclusivity, diversity, and work-life balance, we invite you to explore career opportunities with Vayavya Labs. Visit our careers page to learn more about our open positions and join our team of innovative and talented professionals.
