“Who Said She Can’t?” – In Conversation with Author Rashmi Bansal

Rashmi Bansal, an MBA graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, recently published her book “Who Said She Can’t?” which chronicles the inspiring stories of Gen Zero women graduates from IIT Bombay. Insight interviewed her about the book and her journey of writing the same.

The interview sheds light on her inspiration for undertaking such a project, the challenges encountered along the way, some memorable experiences of the women graduates and what impact their stories might have on future students pursuing education in STEM. The author also talks about the response to the book so far and upcoming projects she is working on currently. Check out the full podcast video below and to get the book “Who Said She Can’t?” Click here.

Q1. What inspired you to write a book about the woman who graduated from IIT Bombay specifically?

Actually, this is not my idea. This is a project undertaken by IIT Bombay. In fact, in September 2022, a book was released called “Her Story” and I helped them with it. The entire project was looked upon by Mr. DC Agarwal who probably is from the 1969 Mechanical Engineering batch of IIT Bombay. He felt that it is a very unique aspect of IIT Bombay that despite the poor strength of women in STEM in those times, they were still able to impart a positive impact & their story can be inspirational for many.

I came into it because growing in a TIFR campus, it was very common for students to aim for IIT and the interesting thing is that 5 of the women featured in this book are my childhood friends.

One of my friends asked me for this project as these stories deserve to be told so I accepted the offer and here I am today with the untold stories of women pioneers. 

Q2. What was the most challenging part while writing the book?

Initially, there was no book actually but a podcast. I mean, everybody in the book is spread out throughout the world. Many are in the US, some are in Australia, or in different parts of India. They’re very busy people who are devoted to their field, whether it’s research or other work, so often they wouldn’t reply for a long time. We had to keep requesting their inputs, photos, and other materials to write their stories. Collecting all the material from them, especially photographs, was a big challenge because some are very shy and only provided one small or old photograph. We wanted old pictures from their hostel days, which made it even more difficult.

Q3. You conducted 30 interviews which is a huge number. What was the time span for this?

Actually, I did not conduct the first interviews. They were done by IIT Bombay alumni Damini Kumari from the 1992 batch. She did a podcast which covered about 30-40% of what we needed. After that, I followed up, created the format, did email interviews, filled in the gaps, and put it all together in a more relatable or interesting way. The podcast was not heard by many people, so I worked on transforming the material into a book, which has its own value.

Q4. Did you have any memorable experiences or anecdotes during these interviews with the graduates?

Yes, we launched the book in September 2022 at IIT Bombay. At that time, around 15 of the women from the book, including some visiting from abroad, gathered. It was a wonderful chance to meet everyone. We had two eminent chief guests: Diana Idalji, former captain of the women’s cricket team, and Falguni Nair, CEO of Nykaa. It was memorable because Diana Idalji attended my school, St. Joseph’s High School in Colaba, and Falguni Nair is my senior from IIM Ahmedabad. Their perspectives on overcoming challenges in the corporate and cricketing worlds were very inspiring and aligned with the theme of the book.

Q5. After interviewing all these women, what do you think are the major challenges they faced, and how did their time at IIT Bombay shape their careers and lives?

Many of them were often the only girl in their entire class, which meant a lot of attention and expectations. They had to learn to be self-sufficient and independent because they couldn’t rely on the same level of peer support as the boys. This experience helped them become bold and confident in expressing their opinions, which was crucial when they moved into professional environments where they might again be the only woman in the room. One woman mentioned that after studying at IIT Bombay, where she was the only girl, attending MIT with three other girls felt like an improvement.

Q6. What kind of impact do you hope this book will have on future students, especially women pursuing education in STEM?

The book aims to inspire current and future students by showing that if these women could achieve so much at a time when it was rare for women to study engineering, today’s students can also excel. Although there are now more women in STEM, many girls still face societal and familial barriers. We want this book to reach high school girls and their parents to show the vast opportunities in STEM careers. The stories highlight that career paths are not always linear and that it’s okay to change directions and seize new opportunities. This message is vital for everyone, not just IIT students, to understand that setbacks can lead to new opportunities and growth.

 I enjoy writing, so I think you have to focus on your aptitude and interest, and based on that, you can do very well. Yes, if you have an aptitude for science, you must go for it. If you don’t, you should not force yourself because it’s become a fashion. If you work hard, you can do it, but if you work hard and don’t enjoy it, then your life will be miserable. So, the message is not that everybody should go to IIT and take up a STEM career. It’s like, if you have the aptitude, please go for it. If not, you will find something else suitable for you.

Q7. During your interviews, did you find any answers that you had not expected to hear from the women you were interviewing? Like some kind of revelation?

No, but one thing I noticed was that many of them had taken a break from their career for a few years because they had children and were able to come back, sometimes in the same field or a different one. Because technology keeps changing, you can reskill yourself and re-enter the working world even after a gap. This flexibility is more prevalent in technology than in management. For example, some of my friends from IIM Ahmedabad who dropped out never went back to have a career, but in technology, startups will take you, or you can enter a new field.

Q8. How has the response to your book been so far?

It’s been very good. We haven’t done any major events or promotions yet because we are waiting for IIT Bombay to start the session to address all the students. The book is in bookstores and is available online, and alumni from all over the world have shown interest. For instance, the IIT Bombay Toronto Alumni Association wants to do some online events. This book is something we plan to promote throughout the year to students in schools and colleges and those in their early careers. We need help with social media promotion, especially from students who can read the book and share reviews.

Q9. Do you have any upcoming projects or books that you are working on?

Yes, I’m working on “Arise Awake, Part Two,” which is about people who started a company right after college. The stories are about people who started something as students, and some of those projects became successful businesses. This book is for students who wonder when the right time to start a business is. It will come out in about three months and will include stories of startups, including one from IIT Bombay.

Q10. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Now that you’re in IIT, take full advantage of these years. It’s not just about getting placements. If you like your subject, do a project with your professor. If you don’t enjoy engineering, do something else, maybe start a small business. Enjoy this time to the fullest and use the opportunities available to you. Join clubs, participate in activities, and develop your personality. This time is unique, and you won’t get it back once you graduate.