Mumbai-based Suranjana has been confronted by many challenges in her professional and personal life including a life-threatening illness, physical disability, burnout at work and divorce. Along the way she discovered a clarity of purpose and now shares the lessons she has learned on her journey to help organisations and individuals to become more resilient.
Suranjana, a seasoned global marketing and communications strategist for organisations including Kelloggs, BBC World News and CNBC-TV18, was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in her leg aged 18. The diagnosis led to a four-year journey involving multiple surgeries and eventually having her leg amputated above the knee.
After learning to walk again, Suranjana twice faced traumatic experiences at airports in India when she was forced to remove her prosthetic leg in public, for an x-ray check.
Feeling violated and stripped of dignity, Suranjana decided to campaign for change to ensure no other amputee had to go through the same experience. Having kept her disability private and hidden from others, this decision to become a public face and share her experience required huge strength and a change of mindset.
Later experiences with the breakdown of her marriage and a sense of feeling overwhelmed at work, saw Suranjana seek help from a coach and a therapist to recalibrate her life and achieve a healthier work-life balance.
The themes and topics Suranjana covers include:
- Becoming more resilient in the face of setbacks
- Discovering a sense of purpose
- Having the courage to follow your instincts
- Using mindfulness to be more present
- Body image and self-acceptance
- Confidence and handling perceptions
- Accessibility and mainstreaming marginalised narratives
- Moving from visions of inclusivity and diversity to implementation
- Developing diverse talent as a long term strategy that becomes the norm
