Based: Mumbai
Role: Graduate Surveyor, Marine & Offshore
Tenure at LR: Circa. 2 years
Pooja joined LR entering our 4-year technical graduate training scheme, as a Graduate Surveyor in Mumbai. But what inspired her to enter the marine sector, which is still quite a heavily male-dominated industry in India?
She recalls “I had always dreamt of a life involving the sea and considered a career in defence. Once while attending an open day at the Indian Naval Academy with my family, I saw just one woman represented in the crowd, a Defence Officer, and resolved that I would join her and do what I could to not only create a successful career for myself but also inspire other young girls to follow their dream”. Pooja convinced her family that studying engineering would allow her to build a career that she would enjoy for a lifetime – after all, one will be doing it for 35 or 40 years of their life, so you need to find something you truly love!
"Strong role models have the power to change our world"
She went on to gain a degree in Naval Architecture and Ship Building, leading to a career as a Naval Architect. Although she enjoyed the job, she soon realised it wasn’t for her - she didn’t enjoy sitting at a desk all day, always doing the same thing, and wanted to be challenged and inspired.
With this in mind, she explored classification societies and was immediately drawn to Surveying. Happily, at this point, LR opened their graduate programme in India. Pooja says, “I think that maybe it was fate that brought me here, I’m really happy with my career”.
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Pooja was nervous, the first time she undertook a survey on a ship. It’s unusual to see women undertaking this role in India. She, however, felt excited, and confident that LR’s professional integrity bestowed respect on her as a Surveyor, coupled with our reputation for supporting, respecting and valuing women within the marine sector. Pooja is now flourishing within LR and is currently the only female surveyor within LR in India, something she, and her family, are very proud of.
She has also been given a number of opportunities to travel with LR, exploring roles in – Mumbai, Kochi, Goa, and most recently Andhra Pradesh, and is relishing her new adventures. She says, “Every state in India has a different culture, so the best part of my job is that I’m constantly getting new challenges and meeting new people in the process. Along with the people being diverse in my work life, the same can be said for my personal life, and that has just given me the confidence to keep on moving forward and inspiring others to follow”.
Pooja continues, “the opportunities within LR are endless. The training you receive, across all departments and from all different kinds of people, is invaluable, and something you wouldn’t get elsewhere. I look forward to my future with LR and encourage other women to think about a career within the marine sector, and with LR”.