More women than ever are breaking the glass ceiling and occupying important positions within India Inc. Studies show that companies that have more women employees have greater empathy towards customers, drive higher profitability are more socially conscious.
Amazon has always taken pride in being an equal opportunity provider and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Gender equality is one of Amazon's priority areas and consistent work happens across all businesses to identify people who are passionate about diversity and inclusion. Leaders at Amazon have both a moral and strategic responsibility to promote gender equality.
Keeping in line with ‘Embrace Equity’—this year’s theme for International Women's Day—Amazon India has launched the second edition of #SheIsAmazon, a campaign that highlights various initiatives that Amazon takes towards increasing women's participation and growth in the workforce. The campaign spotlights women who’ve been at the forefront of innovation, and are role models to many within the company.
Meet three Amazonians who’ve built successful careers by adopting unorthodox paths and have redefined the roles women play in the fast-paced word of e-commerce.
1. Gayathri Divakaran
Senior Support Engineer, Amazon Payment Products
Gayathri began her journey at Amazon in 2010 right after graduating. Starting as a temporary associate, she has gone on to hold positions across a variety of departments, locations, and teams. Perseverance and hard work helped her develop into a skilled support engineer as she worked on several shopping events and operational improvement programs. She also learned how to build and manage payment infrastructure, and got actively involved in bringing top talent to Amazon. Gayathri currently works for the Amazon Payments Products team, where she and her team discover opportunities in Infrastructure Market Rate (IMR) efficiency by carrying out optimisations, infrastructure migration, and management. “Amazon India is a great place to work, I had a fulfilling 12 twelve years here. From a fresh college graduate, I have been nurtured by Amazon’s leaders and teams into a strong professional today. The company’s inclusive and peculiar culture has helped me discover my strengths and enabled me to carve a successful career,” says Gayathri.
2. Tamilarasi Ravikumar
Program Manager (Tech), Competitor Monitoring Team
Tamilarasi Ravikumar has paved a successful path for herself with dedication, courage, and determination. It’s been over nine years with Amazon, but it still feels like Day 1,” she says. Her career, which advanced from being a technology support analyst to project manager, has been a roller coaster ride with multiple obstacles, innumerable opportunities, and priceless lessons.
She shares, “I started my career as an automation analyst, streamlining the system infrastructure, and updating databases with cutting-edge technologies. This experience enabled me to establish a solid foundation and gain a deeper understanding of the technical facets of the business. My responsibilities increased along with Amazon's growth, as I got involved in scaling systems to delight our customers. This helped me transition into a project planning and management professional, which involved managing several projects at once.”
Ravikumar is of the opinion that Amazon’s unique culture and high standards bring out the best in employees. She credits Amazon for acting as a catalyst for her development.
3. Sakshi Dadhich, Sr Manager
Program Management, Amazon India
Sakshi Dadhich was the first woman in her family to move out and pursue higher education. While most women in her family were homemakers, Sakshi wanted to build a career for herself.
She joined Amazon India in 2016 as an HR business partner before moving up the ranks to become a senior program manager in the People Experience and Technology (PXT) organisation. In her present role, Sakshi helps deliver critical programs, initiatives, and processes to support the APAC and MENA HR leadership.
“I got promoted on the day I delivered my daughter, and I came back from maternity leave into an elevated role. Throughout my pregnancy and return as a mother, the organisation has provided me opportunities based on my merit along with flexibility when needed,” Sakshi adds.
Amazon’s child care facilities and nursing rooms on campus were a blessing during Sakshi’s early days of transitioning back to work. “As a mother, I feel comfortable that I don’t have to compromise on my career in order to raise a child,” she says. A peculiar culture is not the only thing that makes Amazon special but its support and care towards women employees and other diverse cohorts makes it stand out.”
The distinct skills and unique perspectives that women bring to their work at Amazon India has helped us raise the bar and innovate on behalf of customers every day. Amazon’s policies, benefits, programs, and initiatives for women have played a major role in nurturing a progressive and inclusive environment through equity. For more details on this, go here.
The distinct skills and unique perspectives that women bring to their work at Amazon India has helped us raise the bar and innovate on behalf of customers every day.
