Meet the SHEROES

Published on 24 Apr 2015 . 3 min read



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She was the first girl from Ranchi to clear the IIT entrance test and over the years grew to become a well known Architect.  She runs her own venture - Vastu Kendra now. Architecture, she says is a combination of Science and Art. Without an element of creativity, you can't succeed in this field, is her belief. 

Let's hear what Kiran Gupta wants to share with us today and maybe we can learn a lot about grit and determination from her!

How and why did you decide to pursue Architecture as a profession? 
Pursuing Architecture was pure destiny for me. I was an academically good student especially where Mathematics was concerned. So when I heard about the IIT entrance test, I decided to crack it just for fun. To my utter surprise, not only did I succeed in passing the test but also became the first girl from Ranchi to do so. I was called to IIT Kharagpur for counselling and that's where they suggested Architecture as a branch for me. That was the first time I heard about this profession. We did not have internet those days to be aware of the different career opportunities. Whatever life handed us, we took happily. 

What are the greatest challenges of being a woman in this field?
Managing the field work can be an uphill task for women architects especially where women safety is concerned. Moreover dealing with labour especially in India where most labourers are not very educated can be a major challenge for a woman architect. However these are initial challenges during the early years of a start up and can easily be overcome by experience.                            

What qualifications-cum-qualities must one have to succeed as an entrepreneur in this field?
One needs to clear the common engineering entrance exam after their 12th to take up the field of architecture. One has to clear the aptitude test also. This branch is a combination of science and art. However simple studies and the basic qualifications are not enough to succeed in this profession that is extremely creative; and it is said Creativity cannot be taught. You either have it or you don’t. Artistic talent, aesthetic sense, good free style drawing, good visualization and creative skills are important requisites of being a good architect.

How do you balance your work / life pressures?
Effective time management is the key to my balanced lifestyle. I am a very organized person and plan my day well in advance. This helps me in completing my household chores and managing my office work in an effective manner. Not only this, I am an extremely disciplined person and tend to give my 100% to what I am doing without letting my mind get easily distracted.

Any words of advice for upcoming entrepreneurs?
I would like to tell the aspiring entrepreneurs to put their heart and soul into their enterprise and nurture it like their own child. It is very important to work out the financial viability of the venture before starting taking it forward so that you don’t have to compromise on your ethics in future to make ends meet. Last but not the least, take your decisions objectively rather than emotionally. 


Kiran Gupta
Paroma Sen
Paroma Sen is a professional content and creative writer.


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