"Leading the Change for Gender Equality: Insights from Sutapa Sanyal"

Join us for an enlightening discussion with Sutapa Sanyal, former Director General of Police in Uttar Pradesh and a pioneering advocate for gender equality. With a career spanning from her entry into the Indian Police Service in 1984 to her leadership in women's empowerment through the Mahila Samman Prakoshth (MSP) and the creation of VIKALP, India's first police portal for reporting crimes against women, Sutapa has been at the forefront of driving change. She also dedicates her efforts to child rights and protection with the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation. This interview delves into her impactful journey and vision for a more equitable future.

1.What inspired you to pursue a leadership role?

Sutapa Sanyal: I was inspired to pursue a leadership role after I experienced many societal inequalities upfront. Growing up, I witnessed the pervasive gender bias and injustice that women faced, and saw many women struggling just to get basic respect and security. This ignited a desire within me to help those women who were being treated unjustly in society. Joining the Indian Police Service provided a platform to me to create a lot of change on a large scale. I felt compelled to help anyone who came before me, specially those women and children who had no one else to rely on. People usually go to the police when they’re at the lowest point in their lives and I felt that it was my duty to always make sure that justice was delivered to those who need it the most.

2.What inspired you to become an advocate for gender equality in your field?

Sutapa Sanyal: As the senior-most woman IPS officer in Uttar Pradesh, I frequently encountered instances of gender discrimination. I saw firsthand the challenges that women faced both within the police and in society at large. To help women gain justice, I started Vikalp, India’s first police portal exclusively for women and children, which had a 97% response rate. I also gradually realised that there was a large vacuum of women leaders at the top. I wasn’t comfortable being the only woman in the room most of the times and decided to invest my time and energy into creating more women leaders across India. I now act as a coach and consultant, helping companies empower their women employees and cultivate more diverse, talented leadership at the top.

3.Can you share an experience where you faced gender bias and how you dealt with it?

Sutapa Sanyal: One notable experience was during my initial training at the National Police Academy, where I was the only woman among 70+ male officers. Our physical training was gruelling: we had to ride horses, learn physical combat, do rock climbing and undergo arms training. I often felt conscious of being the only woman in a group full of men, specially since even our teachers and support staff at the academy were largely male. However, I coped by reminding myself of my purpose of being there and the larger goal of serving society. This experience taught me that self-belief is crucial in overcoming hardships and breaking barriers.

4. As a leader, what steps have you taken to promote gender equality within your organization?

Sutapa Sanyal: As the Director General of Police, I implemented several initiatives to promote gender equality. I established the Mahila Samman Prakoshth (MSP) to address issues specific to women and children. I also launched VIKALP, a dedicated portal for reporting crimes against women, which ensured a safe and efficient reporting mechanism for those vulnerable women and children who could not physically come to the police station to ask for help. Additionally, I served as the Chairperson of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the UP Police for POSH. During my tenure, I advocated for and implemented policies to create a supportive work environment for women in the police force, including measures to address sexual harassment and promote equal opportunities for training and career advancement.

5.What specific policies or initiatives has your organization implemented to support gender equality?

Sutapa Sanyal: I established the Mahila Samman Prakoshth (MSP) which implemented many policies, such as the VIKALP portal, to support gender equality. We pioneered the Nav Chetna initiative, which provided gender sensitisation training to thousands of police personnel. This initiative was recognised by the Govt. of India and has been used by many other states as a best practice. We also started RuBaRu, a cyber safety programme that taught school children how to protect themselves from cybercrimes and cyberbullying. Akshaya, a self-defence training programme for girls and Saarthi, an initiative to make public transport safer for women were also designed and implemented, amongst many other innovative programmes centered on gender equality.

These initiatives, in collaboration with UNICEF and other NGOs, aimed to create a safer 360degree environment for women whether they were inside their homes, in the workplace or in public spaces.

I also started D&I India Consultants, which runs training programmes on Women’s Leadership, to help put more women in CXO positions in companies. We also help companies build internal mentoring programmes that helps to identify and groom future leaders for those companies.

6. How do you measure the success of gender equality initiatives in your workplace?

Sutapa Sanyal: At D&I India Consultants, we are an all-women led team, and it is very important for us to show to the world that women can succeed in business just as men can. We help companies that we work with, to retain and promote more women throughout their company. I feel the best measure of success for gender equality initiatives is when a woman can grow in the company and reach to the top.

7.What are some of the biggest challenges you have encountered while advocating for gender equality, and how have you overcome them?

Sutapa Sanyal: One of the biggest obstacles is that often people are resistant to change and will do anything to maintain the status quo. In order to have more gender equal workplaces, we need men to become allies and recognise that DEI practices are truly geared to onboarding the most talented people, regardless of gender and other barriers. The biggest way to break people’s resistance is to build partnerships. One of our solutions is to help companies set up a mentoring programme that encourages men in senior leadership positions to become mentors to women in the organisation. We help men themselves to become an integral part of gender equality initiatives and this in turn creates an environment of collaboration and progressiveness throughout the whole organisation. I also deliver trainings on unconscious bias which helps break cognitive barriers against gender equality..

8. How important is mentorship in advancing gender equality, and what role do you play in mentoring women in your industry?

Sutapa Sanyal: Mentorship is one of the key programmes we focus on since it gives women a kind of support infrastructure that they have been historically lacking in their workplaces. Furthermore, we encourage male mentors to guide women within their organisations, because it helps break down gender barriers and change mindsets throughout the organisation. I actively engage with young women in the police and across multiple industries, and offer them career advice and encouragement whenever they need it. By mentoring them, I hope to empower a whole next generation of women leaders who can lead companies, generate great economic and social value and achieve their highest potential in life.

9.How do you believe achieving gender equality impacts overall business performance and workplace culture?

Sutapa Sanyal: It’s a proven fact that gender equality boosts a business’s performance and profits. The ILO has stated that gender-diverse companies tend to perform better financially, and have more innovative workplaces. According to McKinsey as well, companies that had the most diverse executive teams were almost 25% more likely to be more profitable. Gender equality brings varied perspectives to the workplace and creates an a more innovative, productive and engaging work environment over all. Furthermore, companies that prioritise gender equality tend to attract and retain top talent, thus making them more competitive overall.

10.What is your vision for the future of gender equality in your industry, and what steps do you think are necessary to achieve it?

Sutapa Sanyal: My vision for gender equality is a world where women have equal opportunities to lead, excel and influence policy. To achieve this, I continue to advocate for gender sensitive policing, and leveraging technology and training to create a gender sensitised police force. In the private sector, I continue to train women to be leaders in the workplace. I also equip companies with the tools and processes they need to build a more diverse and innovative workforce.

11.What advice would you give to young women who aspire to reach leadership positions in their careers?

Sutapa Sanyal: My only advice to young women aspiring to reach leadership positions is to believe in yourself and to embrace every challenge you face as an opportunity to grow and learn. You WILL face challenges—I can guarantee that 100%. But I also guarantee that all challenges have solutions. If you believe in yourself, and keep going, you can always make it to the top. It is also important to build a community around you that supports you. This community will include your family, your work colleagues, your mentors and friends. Seek out role models and mentors who can inspire you and keep you on track. Keep learning and growing every day. This is important because our world is changing fast and there is no room in it to stagnate. Most importantly, as you go along your journey, please support other women and advocate for a culture of gender equality and inclusion within your organisation and beyond as well.

Shared by Smt. Sutapa Sanyal, former Director General of Police in Uttar Pradesh

Published By She Business Time