From Getting Bullied For Having Crooked Neck To Becoming One Of The Youngest Cross Let's Take A Look At Radhika Gupta's Journey

Bullied for her crooked neck and Indian accent at school then facing a string of job rejections, Radhika Gupta, at the age of 33 became one of the country’s youngest CEOs.

The Chief Executive Officer of Edelweiss MF, recently shared her story in her interview, “I was born with a crooked neck. If that wasn’t enough to single me out–I was always the new kid in the school; dad was a diplomat. I lived in Pakistan, New York, & Delhi, before I arrived in Nigeria. My Indian accent was judged; they named me ‘Apu’, a character from The Simpsons. And they compared me to my mom, who worked at my school. She’s a stunning woman, & people always told me how ugly I looked in comparison; my confidence plummeted.”

She goes on sharing, “I’d bury my insecurities.. At 22, when I got my 7th job rejection, I looked out the window & said, ‘I’ll jump.’ My friend called for help! I was wheeled into a psychiatric ward, & diagnosed as depressed. The only reason they let me go was because I said, ‘I have a job interview–it’s my only shot’.”

Her life finally fell on the right track after getting a job at McKinsey. At 25, she moved to India and started her own asset management firm with her husband and friend. “A few years later, our company was acquired by Edelweiss MF—I climbed the corporate ladder. I became a saree in a room full of suits & I wanted to raise my hand for opportunities. Yet, when talk of hiring a new CEO at Edelweiss MF began, I hesitated, but my husband encouraged me, ‘You’re the best person for the job!’” she shared.

And a few months later, at 33, Radhika Gupta became one of the youngest CEOs in India. “I was invited to speak at an event–I shared my childhood insecurities & my suicide attempt. I let go of my baggage. And my talk traveled; I became known as ‘the girl with the broken neck.’ People shared their stories with me,” she said.

Sharing is what gave her confidence ultimately was the decision to fully embrace her ‘flaws’, “and over the last 4 years, I’ve shared more about my story, & the stories of people who’d confided in me…I even wrote a book– LIMITLESS!”

Credits: Hindustan Times

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