From women climbing the highest mountains in the world to everyday women raising kids and just trying to make ends meet, I know a lot of strong women. For those who are unaware, these are the women who love themselves and are confident of their abilities. They are the few who don’t need validation from other people because they are sure of themselves and what they can give to society. They are fully functioning humans, who are independent and able to do things for themselves. It means they have opinions & beliefs that they stand for and would not settle for less. They embrace their color, shape and size without fear – yes, these are the brave and strong! and Dr. Renu Khanna is one of them at the top of my list.
After all, bravery isn’t reserved for mountaineers or people who run into burning buildings or attempt to stop crime. It’s also found in the acts of people next door that force you to take a deep breath. I know Renu from the time she came as a bride to the ground floor flat in our building. She was different from the usual stereo types and would not hesitate to call spade a spade. I often saw her sitting out in the verandah reading a book and a voracious reader she was. I thought she was reading novels but on hindsight I realized that she was doing serious reading/ research for her M phil/Phd. She was one of the few in those times to take up a job in a male dominated industry (Shriram Refrigeration) and rise to the level of VP in an IT MNC. Those were the days in 90s that she would ride a scooter 50 kms to & fro to attend office in an industrial belt where females were a rare sight. Despite many challenges at home & office, I have never seen her lose cool and always found her positive about life. She can stand shoulder to shoulder with any man worth his salt and who knows this better than Rakesh & me.
Happy b’day Renu. As they say life begins at sixty and what better way to begin than uncorking a champagne. ( I am ok with scotch & soda). Cheers to happy times ahead.
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