Awareness can go a long way

How do you typically start your workday?

I have a two-year-old daughter, so my day usually begins with waking her up, and making her breakfast. I head to work around noon, and start off by going to the gold and diamonds department, where I speak to suppliers and oversee everything else. Then, I meet the finance team to inquire about daily sales and sit down with the marketing and branding team, who keep me up-to-date. I actually end up multi-tasking a lot - I feel there are many tabs open in my head!

Describe your work in a sentence.

It's action-packed; there's always something going on. And because Joyalukkas is a family-run business, I can be involved in a lot of things, be it CSR activities like the Think Pink campaign or the financial aspect. It is such a blessing to be in a position where you can truly make a difference.

What is Think Pink and what does it aim to do?

It's Joyalukkas' breast cancer awareness programme that runs during October, and is now in its fifth year. This year, we have tied up with Aster Medical Group and are trying to spread awareness through radio programmes and classes that are conducted in multiple locations, from churches to corporate offices. There, participants interact with doctors, who go over the importance of medical checkups and show women how they can do regular checks themselves. Moreover, every purchase made at Joyalukkas comes with a booklet about breast cancer awareness. We are also trying to reach out to men this year, with the message that, since all of them have women in their lives, they too should be invested in ensuring that those women stay safe.

Why do you believe breast cancer awareness is so important?

Statistics show that one in every eight women is affected by breast cancer, but there's a 96 per cent chance that if you detect and treat it early, you can be cancer-free. It's a cancer that can happen to anyone and we've had cases in our own family, where people have lost their lives to it. Because of its nature, it feels very private and personal, so the best way to combat it is through awareness.

Who is your role model as the perfect professional?

My husband is an incredible role model. I love how he works, balancing family and work so well that there is never a moment I feel like he is spending too much time away from us. He makes it a point to be on top of his game and knows almost everyone on his staff by name - I find that incredible. Another person is my father-in-law. I think he has a million tabs open in his head. There are many different aspects to our business, and he knows everything that is happening everywhere. He's made the foundation of the business so strong that, even if he's not there, it runs smoothly.

What is your personal principle/success mantra at work?

When faced with a challenge, I've always found that I can rise to the occasion. If I feel like a task is too hard, I make sure that I put in more effort to prove myself. It's just the sort of person I am. I don't do it to prove something to others; I do it for myself.

What is the last thing you (usually) do before you go to sleep?

Sometimes, when I put my little one to sleep, I go to sleep as well. But, usually, the last thing I do is sit with my hushand, and we pray and thank God for all our blessings. We take some time for ourselves and talk to each other. We have a policy at home: no mobile phones before we go to bed. So, we switch off our WiFi and put our phones away.

Any message you want to give women out there?

I know so many incidences where women have had a hunch that something is wrong, but they ignore it, thinking it will go away... If you feel like there's a chance you might have breast cancer, open up and tell your near and dear ones, and get help.

• WKND