One-day Dy High Commission of UK Ritika Prasad calls upon women to take risks

HYDERABAD: Meet Ritika Prasad, a 23-year-old post-graduate student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences(TISS) who won the 'High Commissioner for a Day' contest and served as Deputy High Commissioner for a Day on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, 2023.

Ritika Prasad, who was overjoyed to take up the role, stepped into the shoes of Gareth Wynn Owen, the deputy high commissioner for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, for a day on Wednesday and began her day with the team working to strengthen ties between the UK and Telugu states.

She gained insight into diverse team dynamics and their inter-connectedness and was impressed by the positive ecosystem for companies in the UK and India.

Later, Ritika visited the G Narayanamma Insititute of Technology and Science (GNITS) for her first public engagement, participated in a panel discussion, and interacted with young girls at the G Narayanamma Insititute of Technology and Science (GNITS). During the panel discussion, they also exchanged views on the proportion of women, opportunities, and barriers in STEAM fields.

Later, she met with CEO Krishna P of technology company Covalense to talk about her journey and learn more about the company's gender-friendly policies. Ritika says they are an example of how a company’s willingness and efforts can lead to more diversity in the workforce.

She also met Chevening fellows working in STEM fields to get to know about their professional journeys, and Chevening lives in the UK. She was greatly impressed and charged to listen to their stories.

Ritika, who earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science from Miranda House, University of Delhi, had an excellent experience and learned a lot of new things while serving as Deputy High Commissioner for the day.

While sharing her learnings of the day, Ritika said, "At the first event, I learned about the different departments of the British High Commission and how these departments function and interact with each other. How does the UK in India work with the UK in Hyderabad? I also learned how the UK in India collaborates with the UK in Hyderabad, bringing significant changes through their engagement with various other groups.

"I had the opportunity to connect with a few students from GNITS College, and their perspective has prompted me to pause and think about different perspectives since they are from the field of technology and I am from the humanities department. I learned about the barriers to women entering the tech field and how women can contribute to the field. We also visited Covalense, a tech firm, where I experienced a new, women-friendly tech company with flexible policies, gaining valuable insights from the day," she adds.

The day's highlight for Ritika was meeting Chevening fellows, who shared their journey with the UK in Hyderabad and their experiences in the UK during the Chevening fellowship. She expressed gratitude for their time and eagerly anticipates becoming a Chevening fellow.

Ritika, inspired by her mother, believes that women should always take risks and serve as leaders for others. "Whenever we accomplish something, we may think, Who cares? But, as I observed today, when one woman makes a step ahead, it absolutely inspires and influences other women, and they believe that if she can do it, so can I, and they get driven. We should not think twice about taking risks because it would hinder or spoil our lives if we did choose a different path or get into the male-dominated sector; instead, we should just do it and take risks and go forward, inspiring other women since it undoubtedly inspires them," Ritika adds.

Ritika ended her day interacting with former winners of the High Commissioner for a Day contest and was fascinated to hear about their experiences and life stories. Ritika adds that despite their diverse backgrounds, they all share a common goal of working towards the betterment of young women.

Ritika has also contributed to a number of academic papers and policy briefs, including a recent publication relating to the G-20. Ritika envisions a career in public service and policy analysis, where she hopes to collaborate with government agencies, think tanks, and international organisations to shape policies that address the pressing challenges of our times.

There is a lot that needs to be done to promote women's representation in politics, industry, the media, and society: Gareth Wynn Owen

The 'High Commissioner for a Day' contest is an annual ritual for the UK in India, said Gareth Wynn Owen, Deputy High Commissioner to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The British High Commission has been organising the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ contest annually since 2017 to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child (October 11) every year.

Deputy high commissioner for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Gareth Wynn Owen, said, "It was a very interesting day, and it's one of those days when I take a step back and think about the generic role of women in workplaces. What I admired about Ritika when we went to GNIT was that she was willing to talk about the application process and how she prepared for this event. If the next generation of women is more like Ritika, India will be in very safe hands in terms of experiencing greater quality in a country like India where women have voices everywhere and across all dimensions, which is critical in any democratic society for equal rights for men and women.

''Therefore, we can see more women in positions of leadership, leading businesses, politics, and the media. But there is a lot that needs to be done to ensure that women are promoted, that women have prominent voices in politics, business, the media, and society, and that both countries need to do their part,'' he added.

"We also visited Covalense, a 20-year-old tech firm, which showcases the potential of women's knowledge, skills, and experience in leadership roles and business growth. The firm exemplifies the potential of women's skills in both lower and leadership roles, demonstrating their significant contribution to business growth and success, which is very inspiring to me and this is also an inspiring example of how women can lead successful international companies," said Gareth Wynn Owen.