“Real success lies in empowering others”- Pooja Shivani

Episode 1 : From a small town to Google Women TechMaker Ambassador

As the first girl to enroll in the science class of my school in a small town in Madhya Pradesh, I was not expected to excel, but my humble family’s strong values and support gave me the wings to fly. Through diligent study and determination, I achieved the third position in the merit list of Madhya Pradesh securing 95%, a recognition honored by the Chief Minister.

Unfortunately, destiny had its own plans as my father suffered a stroke when it was time to apply for higher studies, which made me emotionally vulnerable. In light of this, I decided to stay back in my town and pursue my studies at a local college, taking care of my father.

Despite my impatience, I viewed it as a pause rather than a full stop. Nevertheless, I forged ahead without regrets, fuelled by hope and perseverance.

Eager to grow and enhance my exposure, I pursued a post-graduate diploma in Big Data Analytics from CDAC, Pune.

The program opened doors to my career at Nokia and later Oracle. My journey thus far has instilled in me the confidence that I can carve my own path and navigate through life.

At Oracle, my unwavering desire to give back to the community led me to join the Oracle Volunteers Club.

Through this platform, I expanded my community engagement by supporting underprivileged and autistic students, which helped me to cultivate empathy and a sense of compassion towards others.

It was during this time, that I felt a deep desire to bridge the gap for women from small towns who were interested in STEM, which motivated me to start mentoring young women in their careers and be a role model for the girls in my locality, which eventually led me to become a Google Women TechMaker Ambassador, which is a global initiative empowering women tech community.

My journey doesn’t end there. What direction will my life take from here? Catch the next episode to find out more.