Woman in the Mirror Ft. Rama Bijapurkar

Nitika: Hi, I’m Nitika Goel, CMO at Zinnov, and welcome back to Woman in the Mirror, a Zinnov podcast series. We’re back with Season Two.

Last season, we had the privilege of speaking to 20 incredible women across industries — from Healthcare and BFSI to Software and Retail. Every conversation brought something honest, powerful, and deeply personal to the table.
If there was one big takeaway, it was this: leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s bold. It’s messy. It’s real. But it’s always rooted in self-belief.

This season, we are continuing that journey, and I couldn’t think of a better way to kick things off than with someone who doesn’t just think deeply, but makes you think deeply too.
Our first guest is the inimitable Rama Bijapurkar — author, thought leader, and one of the most insightful voices on market strategy and society. She’s a brilliant conversationalist, and trust me, this episode is full of sharp insights, honest reflections, and plenty of moments that will make you pause and think.
So grab your coffee, and let’s get started.

Nitika: Hello and welcome to another episode of Woman in the Mirror. I’m Nitika Goel, CMO at Zinnov, and today, we have an incredibly special guest here with us — a name you all know, and a person I don’t really need to introduce you to, but I will do so nonetheless: Rama Bijapurkar.
Rama is one of India’s most respected voices on business strategy, markets, and consumer behavior. I’m pretty sure all of you must have read her book We Are Like That Only or Customers in the Boardroom.
She’s been in boardrooms across the country. She’s helped shape how companies — and even governments — think about leadership, growth, and what really drives change. And for years now, she has been challenging the fundamental way in which we think.
Today, we’re going to be talking about her power, leadership, and what it really takes to own the room — not just sit at the table.
Rama, we are incredibly excited to have you on this podcast, and welcome to this episode of Woman in the Mirror. 

Rama: Well, thank you. I’m delighted to be here, and looking forward to a great conversation. Thank you for having me.

Nitika: Great! Rama, you’ve worn many hats, right? Author, strategist, board member, teacher. How have you personally evolved across these different roles?

Rama: You’ve also forgotten the other hats I’ve worn – daughter, wife, mother, pet parent.

Nitika: So how do you think your personal evolution has been across these different roles?

Rama: When you’ve been around as long as I have, you forget where you started from. But I think in every one of these roles, there is a reason why you get into it – there’s something that drives you.
I started teaching at my alma mater, IIM Ahmedabad, because I actually wanted to teach executive education. It was a startup market research agency, and I felt it was a good way to look for clients.
But then things happened that I didn’t plan. I was told I had to teach second-year MBA students first, and then they’d decide if I could teach exec ed. But I found I was having so much fun teaching in the PGP program, and that’s how I evolved as a teacher.
I’ve cut my teeth as a market researcher. Market research was in its infancy when I started in India, and I feel privileged to have been part of building that industry.
But along the way, I felt that market researchers didn’t understand business, and those who understood business didn’t understand consumers. So I went on a search for that holy grail – being high on both business and customer understanding.
That journey took me from market research to management consulting at McKinsey, and then to my own practice. Evolution is not often planned – that’s why it’s called evolution. It happens through serendipity.
Now I tell everyone: look at what you want to do, push that envelope every time you get a chance, and things will happen. I’m from the “navigation principle” school, not the “destination” school.

Nitika: Got it. I love how you talked about being from the navigation principle school. Now I’m going to put a gender lens on it. Do you think it was different or more difficult for you because you were a woman playing those roles? Because life was also happening in parallel – you were a mother, wife, pet parent – juggling so much. Was it different because of that? And how did you navigate through it?

Rama: Of course, it was different. It’s not like My Fair Lady – “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” People say these things. When I started working, there were very few of us.
The reason I’ve never worn anything except saris to work is because it was expected. People already looked at you differently. I had a friend whose boss spent a whole year saying nothing to her except, “Sweetie, get me a cup of coffee.” That was the time before we were woke. I’ve written about my IIM job interview – and let’s just say, if that happened today, it would be unacceptable.
Back then, we didn’t know we had the liberty to be outraged. So staying true to your feminist principles was hard.
I always say: our gender battles are fought more at home than in the office.
If your home supports you, then yes, you can show up like anyone else. You can travel, take on projects – provided someone picks up the slack.
I lived in a small apartment close to work to save time. I flew my mother in and out – this was before Indigo cheap fares – and had almost no savings. Took 4:45 am flights.
Would I have done that if I were a man? Probably not. But mercifully, in those days, we didn’t feel gender-oppressed because we didn’t know we were.
In the workplace, there were amusing incidents. I used to joke about mounting the slide projector on the ceiling because clients wouldn’t make eye contact with me.
If I brought a peon to carry the projector, clients would talk to him instead. I’m kidding – but only slightly.

Nitika: It happens even now.

Rama: Does it?

Nitika: Yes.

Rama: I thought the world had changed.

Nitika: It has – but only in pockets.

Rama: Yes, and I’ve also heard that if young men wear suits and women wear salwar kameez, there’s automatically a perceived hierarchy – which is sad.
When I made it to my first big board – which I won’t name – I told a friend, “I didn’t know I wasn’t part of the boys’ club until I was admitted to it.”
And suddenly, I saw how things worked – how people make space in meetings and include you.

Nitika: That’s such an interesting transition. Many people don’t even realize they’re not in the club. What were the signs? What did you do to get in? And once you were in, how did you use that space – for yourself and for other women?

Rama: I never tried to get in. I never sought it. My mantra to young women is: Perform. Don’t seek to belong.
I’ve been called Boardroom ki Jhansi ki Rani. I’ve also been told, “Usko mat lena, woh tereko kha jaayegi.” That comes back to you sometimes. But I’ve also had amazing mentors and supporters – mostly men, given the ratios.
If you stay authentic, people will make space for you. Also, I’ve always had a support group of women. My husband jokingly called it the Working Mothers’ Union. We’d pick up each other’s kids, trade favors, be there for each other. Even today, when something subtle and gendered happens, I call my women friends to check – “Did that really happen, or am I imagining it?”
That’s invaluable. I offer that role to others, too. I have a daughter – she’s an accomplished management consultant – and we talk about these things. Sometimes, I see things that aren’t right. Like when premium B-schools tell women to wear western clothes for placements. And I think – what rubbish! Wear what you want. Why let anyone dictate it?

Nitika: That’s such a valuable point. Most people only talk about family support. No one talks about this kind of peer boardroom – your personal board of advisors. You’ve really articulated something powerful.

Rama: Yes – and please, don’t always take your husband’s advice. Mine used to say, “Just tell your boss you can’t do a late meeting.”
And I’d say, “If I did everything you told me, I wouldn’t be where I am.”
That’s why you need outsiders – people who have your back, without the family politics.

Nitika: I also hear a lot from women in leadership that they feel they have to work twice as hard to prove themselves. Do you think that’s a mindset issue, or a reality?

Rama: It’s contextual. I see it as a majority-minority issue. If you’re in the minority – whether that’s gender or thinking – you have to work harder to build consensus. Also, if you don’t match the likability mold, you work harder. I’ve only processed all this in hindsight. That’s why older women make great sounding boards.
During your career, you just do it. You don’t stop to analyze. But yes, the “tyranny of the shining halo” is real. We tried too hard to be perfect. Now, I’m careful with words. I write things down before saying them. It’s not personal – it’s just unfamiliar to them.

Nitika: Women also judge other women – especially when they don’t seem nurturing. Do you think that happens too?

Rama: Yes. But most women don’t enter meetings thinking “I need to support another woman.” Unless there’s a clear gender context, it’s not top of mind. Some women even oppose quotas, saying it questions their competence. But Angela Merkel once said – “Never mind how you get a seat at the table. Once you’re there, show your mettle.” That stuck with me.

Nitika: What about when people say, “She got promoted because she’s a woman”? How should women deal with that?

Rama: Perform, not belong.
Pick your top two skills – areas where you can shine. Don’t try to prove everything to everyone.
Drive outcomes. That’s the answer.

Nitika: There’s research that says women make perfect the enemy of good. Did you ever hesitate to take on roles because you didn’t feel ready?

Rama: Yes – the imposter syndrome is real. But I had mentors – tutors, really. On one board, I’d make notes of everything I didn’t understand, and ask the Finance Director during the flight back. Even now, I call five people if I’m stuck. Always take tuition. Keep learning.

Nitika: That’s so Indian – tuition! It never ends. And now, let’s jump into a quick rapid fire. What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

 Rama: Be more patient. Be less abrasive.

Nitika: What about your present self?

Rama: Find balance between “Viagra” and “Vairaagya” – the drive and the detachment. Take time off.

Nitika: Your future self?

Rama: Enjoy the sunset of life. Slow down.

Nitika: Three consumers from India – past, present, or future – you’d have dinner with?

Rama: The ones who buy 10 lakh handbags without guilt. I want to understand that.

Nitika: Best piece of advice you’ve received?

Rama: “The only way to take decisions is to take decisions.” And: “You are already successful. Stop agonizing over it.”

Nitika: And that was Rama Bijapurkar – bold, unapologetic, and deeply insightful.

She never waited for permission. She rewrote the rules. She pushed back. She stayed grounded. Maybe that’s the most powerful leadership – to be true to who you are.
If you’re wondering whether you belong, or whether you’re good enough – remember Rama’s mantra: Perform. Don’t seek to belong.

Thank you for tuning in to Woman in the Mirror. I’m Nitika Goel. See you next time.