Radhika Gupta is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Edelweiss MF. But there was a time when she was bullied for her ‘crooked neck’ and she contemplated suicide at the age of 22 after she got her seventh job rejection.
Gupta, who is among the youngest CEOs in the country, has shared her inspiring journey.
"I was born with a crooked neck. If that wasn't enough to single me out - I was always the new kid in the school; dad was a diplomat. I lived in Pakistan, New York, & Delhi, before I arrived in Nigeria. My Indian accent was judged; they named me 'Apu', a character from The Simpsons," she wrote in a post for online portal Humans of Bombay.
The 39-year-old said she had low self-esteem as she was constantly compared with her mother during her school years.
"They compared me to my mom, who worked at my school. She's a stunning woman, and people always told me how ugly I looked in comparison; my confidence plummeted," she said.
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Contemplated suicide at the age of 22
Gupta said that she contemplated suicide at the age of 22 after she got her seventh job rejection.
"I looked out the window and said, 'I'll jump.' My friend called for help! I was wheeled into a psychiatric ward, and diagnosed as depressed,” she said.
"The only reason they let me go was because I said, 'I have a job interview - it's my only shot'," she further said, adding she bagged the job at McKinsey.
Becoming CEO at 33
“My life was on the right track,” said Gupta. “But 3 years later, after I survived the financial crisis of 2008, I wanted a change– so, at 25, I moved to India & started my own asset management firm with my husband & friend.”
A few years later, their company was acquired by Edelweiss MF. “I climbed the corporate ladder. I became a saree in a room full of suits & I wanted to raise my hand for opportunities,” said Gupta.
Therefore, when Edelweiss MF began looking for a CEO, Gupta was initially hesitant but decided to apply, encouraged by her husband.
A few months later, Radhika Gupta became one of the youngest CEOs in India at the age of 33.
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