I have met many outstanding women through my travels but two of them really stand out. They are Amrit Matharu and Sangita S. Mani. Amrit is an adventure instructor with the Camp Peach Valley, Rajgarh and Sangita is a naturalist with Taj Safari. Both hold jobs where not too many women have even ventured. I had the pleasure of interacting with them. They are so much fun. So when I think of women in leadership, particularly in the travel context, I think of their stellar work!
Amrit Matharu, Adventure Camp Instructor
I met Amrit Matharu (picture above) at an adventure camp in Himachal Pradesh. We started talking because we were the only women at the camp! She was so easy to talk to, we initially went into a chit chat about a small trek I did during the day. It was only after a while she told me that she was an adventure camp instructor.
I asked her what prompted her to choose a career like that? It was only then she told me that she was a trained mountaineer. She had successfully completed basic and advance mountaineering courses! About climbing as a career she mentioned that the knack to raise sponsorships was crucial.
She is soft spoken, if she would have not told me, I would never have guessed that in reality she was a tough climber who could walk for miles carrying another person on her back! And I can take a bet that while looking at her picture neither can you guess about her toughness and her profession! I can only imagine how difficult it would be for her to live at a remote location for her job but then she is truly passionate about it.
Sangita S. Mani, Naturalist with Taj Safari
When you went on a jungle safari in India how many times your vehicle was driven by a woman? For me the number stands at zero. I have never had a woman guide as well. But I had the luck to meet Sangita S. Mani who is a naturalist with Taj Safari. I met her at Baghvan, Pench. She was not the one who took me to the jungle but I got to have a dinner with her one night. I asked her how she got into this profession to which she said she actually worked in the corporate sector for a long time. But she gradually grew dissatisfied with it and wanted to go to the jungle!
She applied to Taj Safari but initially she did not hear back from them. In the meanwhile she connected with Ratna Singh another woman naturalist at Taj (whom I did not meet as she was at another camp) on Linkedin and that opened the door for her as well. She obviously loves her job and has no regrets leaving her corporate career. I saw her driving the jeep in Pench and she was so comfortable in her role!
As I said I have met many inspiring woman through my travels, some of them head hotels, some of them run their own PR agencies and do many other wonderful things but these two women choose careers that were so off the beaten track that I truly consider them leaders!
Complete wow! Hats off to both the women 🙂
Both Amrit and Sangita are truly inspiring.
Great post Mridula .. nice to know about these two wonderful ladies beside you 🙂
don’t remember if I have mentioned it earlier.. the blog cover looks awesome .. Its chavi I think 🙂
Thank you Kokila. Thank you for including me but then I am way too mainstream 😀 Yes that is Chhavi in the cover photo!
Mridula ji, Great post
Thank you Rupam. It was easy to write about both the fantastic ladies.
Great to know about these wonderful women who have chosen a path less travelled… 🙂
I too was thrilled to meet them Maniparna.
Mridula ji, you and many solo travelers are leaders too.
Tushar I hardly ever travel solo! But thenk you.
These women set a new field of working for young ladies. Great work
Thank you Gagan.
Wow.. hats off to these women’s will and thinking minds. thanks Mridula for sharing their stories.. I am so inspired..
Roohi I also found them truly inspiring!
You are also “brilliant” in your field Mridula ji and you are also a leader.
Thank you so much Yogi 😀
Good to know about them…and they are sure inspiration to those aspiring to join Travel industry…
Both of them did work so unusual that I stopped and took huge notice!
Great stories, there!
And–
All the best. 🙂
Thank you Divya.
Nice Post…….
Thank you so much.
WOW, very inspiring and admirable. Being an adventure and travel freak, have huge respect for them.
Saru I was equally amazed with both of them.
Typo in last para.. All Expense paid trip
Thank you Shrinidhi, I corrected it.
inspiring!!…hope more women who want to be in this field actually take it up!!!
I too hope so Sushmita.
So inspirational!
It was both the women are so impressive!
Great Post Mridula . This is very inspirational
Thank you so much Anindya.
Wow…hats off u my dear friend Amrit…
Dilpreet she is indeed amazing!
Hey Mridula this is a great and inspirational post that shows women can make it in any situation. I ama firm believer in women empowerment and would be grateful if you could look at the two posts.
https://theonettiencube32.wordpress.com/2015/04/09/do-women-really-need-to-think-like-men-to-make-it-in-the-world-of-business-4-tips-on-how-women-can-make-it-on-their-own/
https://theonettiencube32.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/librarianship-is-a-male-dominated-industry-fact/
Thank you for sharing the links Theo, will catch up on them soon.