‘No Mother Is A Bad Mother’: Edelweiss CEO Radhika Gupta’s Advice For Working Mothers
Radhika Gupta — Edelweiss CEO and investor on Shark Tank India Season 3 — shares her journey balancing motherhood and career, advocating for women’s voices in the workplace.
Image Courtesy: Radhika Gupta’s Linkedin
About 13 months ago, I embraced a new role as a mother, which has become the source of my greatest joy. However, navigating motherhood is like riding a roller-coaster, filled with its own set of challenges. When I joined work after my six-month maternity leave, I was excited to resume the work role that brings me fulfilment, but I was afraid about managing the demands of being a working mother.
Deciding whether to pursue a career or stay at home, contemplating parenthood, and considering how it might impact one’s professional trajectory are dilemmas faced by women of all ages and backgrounds. These questions are not exclusive to any particular demographic; they resonate across various roles and positions within organisations.
Even individuals in top leadership positions, such as Radhika Gupta — the Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Asset Management Limited — grapple with these uncertainties.
Radhika, who is a mother to a 19-month-old boy, has been outspoken about these issues and advocates for women to voice their concerns in the workplace. As the only female CEO among asset management companies in India, she embarked on motherhood at the age of 39, grappling with concerns about balancing work and life responsibilities.
Sharing her thoughts on a podcast ‘The BarberShop with Shantanu’, she mentioned that she “desperately Googled examples of Indian CEOs who were pregnant, but couldn’t find a single example as most women have had kids earlier”. She found the story of former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, which gave her confidence and hope that “Yes, if she can do it, I can do it”.
To spark dialogues around maternity and the workplace, and to encourage women to keep going and set an example, this ‘shark’ on Shark Tank India Season 3 decided to share her personal struggles online.
‘No mother is a bad mother’
Busy building her venture ‘Forefront Capital Management’ during her 20s, Radhika went through two miscarriages, which she kept to herself.
“The social stigma attached to miscarriage is so bad that I didn’t tell a soul in office. I didn’t even tell my boss. I was back at work the next day and went through that pain alone, which I regret,” she shared on the same podcast.
In June 2022, she welcomed her son Remy into the world. However, postpartum depression hit her hard. Despite this, she returned to work after just six weeks, as her professional identity had been a significant part of her life for over 17 years.
She even brought her son to work, with many feeling this was a privilege accorded to her, due to her position as CEO.
To this, she says that a woman is going to be judged for whatever you do. “Never, ever, let yourself feel guilty,” says Radhika.
“Whether you join work early, or take a break, you will be judged. Whenever I go to an event, I would be asked who is looking after the baby. I think the judgment is tremendous. I know that my son is my joy and I’m doing the best for him. We just have to drown out what the world says,” adds Radhika.
She also urges women to speak up on matters of maternity, miscarriage or just asking for what they deserve. “My boss told me that motherhood is a big part of your life, and six months is just a small part of your career,” she adds.
Radhika urges women to have big dreams and not give up on them. She shares that she embraced motherhood at 39, and manages money and diapers with equal elan.
To women confused about how to manage work and home or when to have a baby, she says, “Do not fall for the debate, and do things as per your time and will. If you want, you could always freeze your eggs, which gives you an option of having kids later.”
“My mom gave me the best piece of advice on motherhood. She told me that no mother is a bad mother. You can be poor, rich, educated, uneducated, working, not working, but not a bad mother. By definition, a woman goes through a second birth to have a child. No mother wants less than the best for her child. Stop telling yourself that you are a bad mother,” she shares.
As she shares on Linkedin, a working mother’s story is full of smiles and sacrifices, trump and tears, magic and madness. And yet, a baby’s laugh is what keeps us going.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
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