30 yrs and still opening doors

KOLKATA: Mira Kakkar has many tags toher name — Director, Thoughtshop Communications, the ad agency, andsecretary Thoughtshop Foundation, a social communication NGO, are just two ofthem. The one that she enjoys most, though, is that of a "door opener." "Iwould like to believe I am still opening doors and making things easier forthose who follow," she said.Success was not easy. Born into one of the‘first families’ of Howrah, her industrialist father made sure sheand her three siblings had the best of everything, till when in college, theirbusiness collapsed. Then was born the will to fight and win. "Winning matches inschool used to give us a different high," she remembers.Forced to quit hermasters’ midway, Mira took up the job of an editorial assistant withOxford University Press. "It is essential to have a first good boss and I hadNeil O’Brien. And that is a job I regret leaving," she said. Kakkarjoined Grindlays for "a few hundred more. I wanted to see my mother’s facewhen I told her I earned Rs 980." Soon, she found she was nothing short of astenographer and spend eight miserable months at the job.A stint atcopywriting revealed her true calling. A break with Grants, and then Clarion,put her firmly on the road to success. Thoughtshop was born in 1982 with partnerand friend from Clarion, Mrityunjoy Chatterjee. The foundation came in 1993."It is a myth that male bosses are bad and women have it easier withwomen. Men assess you for your appearance, vigour and may employ you for a jobnot suited to your strengths," she said, after nearly 30 years in working life.Marrying into a joint family gave her the support to concentrate on hercareer. But one day, Mira’s daughter said she would take up a professionwhich allowed her to be home with her children."That is when I realisedthat my daughters needed me more than I was able able to give them." Mira nowlives life on her own terms. "I enjoy being glamourous and prove that glamourand grit belong together."