has she got it all?

HAS SHE GOT IT ALL???

I distinctly remember my doctor friend saying it with great pride in one of her lectures to the public “oh! We women are super women. We can do just about everything…. Therefore our health is most important.” The term super women hit me and I began wondering, how much does this imply to women today.

As I browse through the morning’s newspaper, I read the headlines on the first page with great pride… “ Indira Nooyi takes over as CEO of Pepsi group.” , “ Kiran Bedi selected to head a mission in the UN”, “ Lata Mangeshkar wins award”, “ Anju bobby George wins a gold medal”… and so on. Indeed a matter of pride that women have excelled in all fields. But what do I read on the second page..” Father rapes daughter”, “ women strangled to death by husband over dowry”,…how agonizing that these women have to pay a price for their lives.
It is such an irony that in today’s world, where women have excelled even where men haven’t they still they have to prove themselves time and again. Going back in history, there was a time, when people said women have to stay home, cook, take care of their house and children. But as times changed the woman began to come out of her shell. Of course history gives us examples of super women like Raziya sultana, Rani Lakshmi Bai, and in the later times Sarojini Naidu, VIjaylakshmi Pandit, Indira Gandhi and many more. But these were just the lucky few who got to go out and work.

Even as time progressed and with the spread of western education, women were permitted to work in very limited areas. People thought that women could either be teachers or doctors. Who ever thought that a woman would be an IPS officer until Kiran Bedi created history by becoming the first woman police officer. Women slowly started making strides in every field. From MBA’s to chartered accountants, from doctors to engineers, teachers, professors, and even politicians, women have made place for themselves in just about every field.

I take great pride in saying that today’s woman is indeed a superwoman. After all can men juggle so many roles? If a man can manage one relation that is with his wife, and of course earn his daily living it is an achievement in itself for him. Dr Sukanya Srinivasan says “ a man can manage only one relation, he either gets along with his mother or with his wife! But look at us women, we juggle so many roles, we are experts at multi tasking, we are no doubt super women.”

A woman has so many roles to play. At home she is a wife, a mother , a daughter in law , and she manages to play each role beautifully. She completes her tasks at home and heads to her work place where she has deadlines to meet and the most male chauvinistic boss to deal with. And yet she manages… with a smile on her face! What more do u need to prove that she is a super woman.

Mrs. Jigyasa Giri, grand daughter in law of ex president V.V Giri, kathak dancer and author of award winning cookbook “ cooking at home with pedatha” says “ I believe it is a reality that women have become super women. But I also believe that all of humanity has become large. Life has become large… extra large.”

I always believe all women irrespective of whether they are working women or housewives are superwomen. I agree with Dr Mythili Venkateswaran, professor of business communication , SP Jain institute of management , Mumbai that “ mothers are the best managers even without doing an MBA”. Have you ever woken up in the morning and found that you don’t have toothpaste to use, or that your bottle of shampoo is empty? No way. So good are the procurement and management skills of your mother. As Dr Mythili says “ women haven’t become super women, they have always been super women. What we lack in physical being, we make up emotionally and in other ways. So we are super women all the way.”


The women set examples for each other and provide solutions to problems they faced at home and at work. They sure seemed to have done it all — from striking a work-life balance and breaking into male-dominated professions to dealing with the powers and perils of being a woman boss! As women become leaders worldwide, they still fight various battles at work and at home, from gender prejudice to glass ceilings. But the joint effort of corporate organizations, women and their families can perhaps help make this journey of women's advancement a little smoother.

At the end of the day if you are still wondering if the concept of a super woman is a myth or a reality… wake up? It is indeed a reality. Because she's got it all! The perfect job, an enviable pay cheque and a happy, supportive family — she's really the super-woman!