Celebrating Womanhood In The Indian Event Industry

20-Sep-2019

Recently the  spice of the Indian Event  Industry, the host & dost of all, Gitikka Ganju Dhar was chosen as one amongst the 100 nationbuilders by India Today, who has handpicked each and every ranker for the category of’ Recasting the archetype and heading the talk on Indian stage’. Now she is expanding her wings towards motivational speaking, content curating and moderating events. Her true passion is to base success from craft and not fame and commercialism. This explains why she isn’t too bent towards becoming a star actress or celebrity like others.

Over the years women have made it a point to stand out as effortlessly as men have in different sectors of the economy. Women are not only breaking through in men-dominated professions but also leaving a mark in the much notable event industry of our country.

Gitikka Ganju Dhar feels that the live industry has always perceived women in the way that they themselves want to be perceived. ‘What you give is what you recieve’. She also strongly opines that irrespective of the choices a woman makes, she should be viewed at par with other women who are making conventional choices. In general, women at work are treated at par, in principle. She believes that the event industry is where women professionals are paid at par with or more than their male counterparts. But like in every other industry, there are prejudices and stereotypes at work. She has seen women behind the scenes navigating the direction towards a more fair regime but women on stage largely towing the line, succumbing to the male gaze. Be who you are or who you want to be. Women on stage are not dolls to delight, unless they want to delight, they are performers, artists, if they want to be is her rock solid belief. Women are a very important part of this industry, like they are of any creative industry, some realize this, some do not. In her words the industry should lead the way in embracing an item dancer, a show director, a model, a choreographer, an exotic dancer, an anchor, an emcee, a client servicing executive or a CEO, they must all be viewed with the same gaze.

“Women in the Indian live industry are multi-taskers, perseverant and amalgamative. But they also need to be far more fierce and lead from the front. I see some creative powerhouses  behind the scenes and some fire breathers on stage. The future is setting itself up well.”- Gitikka Ganju Dhar

“  Gitikka is very well deserving. I don’t see emcees like her; she is far beyond an emcee. She is fully self-sufficient. The depth she goes into for work, the research she does. Her impromptu speaking is awesome. Tads to her speech. It’s a man’s world?That is what many organisers of key stage events think. Despite the fact that majority of event management course graduates are women, there’s still a disparity of women being optioned to speak at key events. Having said that, women today are a celebration of empowerment and diversity in our industry and have a chance to shine in the spotlight as those leading the way. Like many fields, the events industry is also seeing a serious push to make sure that everyone feels safe and receives equal opportunities in both planning and executing large and small events. However, there’s a long way to go before women enjoy the same pay, career opportunities and leadership roles like men. But we are getting there steadily. Women today are an integral part of the Events and Entertainment world. Gone are the days when we would think "Oh she is a girl or a woman so she won't be able to work late, she won't be able to manage labour staff etc. Women today trod down the beaten path and are no less at work in any area. They are multi taskers and can handle many projects at a time effortlessly. They are well planned, meticulous and sensitive to all kinds of situations. Women are self sufficient with work ethics.  For me it was never just about money; I wanted recognition and achievement. This goal drove me and allowed me to achieve my ambitions. Once I reached my goals I realised that money isn’t all-important and it’s much more about what you do than what you have. Due to this, I ventured on to pass on some of my learning and expertise for the betterment of the new gen in the industry. I culminated it in mentoring young enthusiasts who took up the event management courses. Surely we have more n more women folk passing out every year. It's a pleasure to see woman folk now  leading large teams across the globe. I'm sure we are on the right path ahead. Cheers to womanhood.”-Tanaz Basrur

“ The event industry is very proud of Gitikka. I wish her the very best in life. It is heartening to see the landmark work being done by so many women along the leadership pipeline of the event industry, today. They are thorough professionals with an eye for detail. They work fearlessly and are dependable with a tireless commitment to their respective roles. Their work ethic is impeccable and overall they make a huge impact, not only to the output of the event but to the image of the industry at large. I personally draw huge inspiration from them as they unknowingly give inspiration to many other women to follow in their footsteps.”- Priya Sharma Shaikh

"Intellect & sincerity are 2 virtues very profound in my dear friend and a fellow kashmiri pandit, Gitikka Ganju. These qualities have always paved way for being & growth. I am not surprised that she is selected amongst 100 Nation Builders. I wish her even better in future. Every industry is incomplete without both genders so is the case in event & wedding management too. In my span of 19 years in this industry which is creatively driven, women bring to the table their core strength of finer details, aesthetic ability, patience and perseverance. In wedding industry a maximum contributors for guest hospitality & Decor/Ambiance creation are mostly celebrated women."-Aarti Mattoo

 

“Events are all about celebration and no celebration can be complete without women - in them or behind them. The EQ -'Experiential Quotient' of the events comes alive with a woman’s perspective  - as they are more astute, intuitive and have an eye for detail, that adds the extra layers and nuances to an event. Women today are more confident, have found their feet and there is security in numbers - with more and more joining the industry, this is one sector where the sex ratio is fairly balanced and that adds to the outcome of events. When you have to build from a brief and make that 'castle in the air' come alive, the balanced yin and yang perspectives bring forth most satisfactory outcomes. Today more and more people recognise the significant contribution that a lady in a team can make to a pitch/ event… her cardinal qualities of versatility, adroitness and innate creative and emotion instinct always adds to any event or situation. The industry today appreciates and acknowledges her strengths and the edge she adds with her savoir faire.”-Manika Garg

“ Standing ovation to the iconic woman she is. Considering her work ethic and unmatched warmth of spirit to always go the extra mile immersing herself in what she does this really does not come as a surprise. Thank you  Geetika for proving the power of perseverance and always leading by example. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Women working in event industry have proved over time how tough females can be. I have seen the gender ratio rise with time in every area of the field. I have seen them manage the difficult conditions neck to neck with their male counterparts. I have seen them persevere through the lack of sleep and constantly changing schedules without complaining even while balancing family life.I have seen more and more women bosses at the top.It's a great vision to be a part of and it's possible with the cooperation of our male colleagues. The team is strongest when both genders forget gender roles and make excellence their only priority.Cheers to womanhood in events!”-Swati Sharma

More astonishingly women event professionals have managed to out-power men with their engaging skills in the events and entertainment industry. Even today women rule the Indian Experiential industry with revolutionary vision, unmatched creativity, talent, skill & dedication. They prove to be the power house of the industry.

“ One of the people I have looked up to for her wisdom & acumen is Gitikka Ganju Dhar... so it’s not wrong if I say that in many ways (and she doesn’t know it) Gitikka has shaped my career too. She’s inspired me to be better & stronger as she’s inspiring millions in India. I congratulate her for being elected amongst 100 Nation builders by India Today. I believe, Live Events industry is the most gender neutral industry. It’s the talent, hard work & business acumen of a person that gets them treated & paid the way they are. Having said that, still there are people, like any other industry, who need to change their regressive mentality & behaviour towards women & start treating them like professionals irrespective of their gender or their choice of clothes.One cannot imagine Events & Entertainment Industry without women isn’t it? Let’s all make sure it’s a safe & comfortable place for a woman to work in.” – Shivani Sen

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