Our People
The day Jasvir Riyat joined Hindalco as a secretary, she made a firm decision to retire from there. “No more changes,” she told herself. However, life had different plans for her. At the age of 39, she enrolled in an LLB course and now, more than three years later, she is an advocate, working as a legal SPOC single point of contact at the Utkal unit. What led to such a dramatic change in her career path?
In 2016, she moved to Hindalco from Grasim Chemicals as a secretary to the then Chief Legal Officer, Minesh Patel. Being a quick learner, Jasvir settled into her new role in no time. In 2017, Mr. Patel moved on to a new position, and V R Shankar took his place.
Mr. Shankar began conducting regular one-on-one meetings with all employees to discuss their career goals. During one such meeting, he asked Jasvir how many years of service she had left. “23 years,” she replied. “Jasvir, a decade is a lifetime, and a double decade is a life-lifetime. Please build your capability to such an extent that even if you're asked to leave this role someday, you have your own skill set to rely on,” he advised her.
She knew he was right, but her own apprehensions and self-doubt held her back. However, Mr. Shankar was determined to support her throughout. “If you need tuitions or books, we will provide them. If you want flexible work timings, we'll accommodate that for you. What is stopping you from taking this step?”
With trust in him, she enrolled in a three-year LLB programme at the age of 39. Looking back, she admits that she initially never had the inclination to study law. But as she began studying, she developed a liking for it. “Law is a vast subject that is constantly evolving and changing. It impacts every aspect of our lives. The legislations are huge, and every day brings new amendments—the learning never stops,” Jasvir says.
Her classes would begin at 7:30 am. She would wake up at 5:30 am, pack her son’s lunch, get him ready for school, and drop him at the bus stop by 7 am before heading to class. She would reach her office by 11.30 am. After returning home in the evening, she would sit with her son and go over his school work.
Sharing her experience, she says, “I was fortunate to have an extremely supportive family and team around me. My mother, who used to live with me, would usually take care of the cooking. At work, my colleagues helped me whenever I got stuck. Despite their workload, they would take the time out to sit with me and walk me through the legal function and its nitty-gritty. Shankar Sir always lent a patient ear to my concerns and advised me on how to tackle them.”
But even with all the support, managing multiple tasks often proved to be difficult. “But the hard work that I put in then is bearing fruit now, so I have no complaints,” she admits.
Born and raised in Mumbai, it was a difficult decision for Jasvir to uproot her life and relocate to a completely new city. “I was worried about getting a support system there, but many of my colleagues reassured me that they would always be there to help. I still worry sometimes, but I realised that until I dive into the water, I will never learn how to swim.”
As a commerce graduate with an MBA in human resources, Jasvir initially had limited knowledge about plant operations. Her visit to the Hirakud and Aditya plants in May 2022 allowed her to familiarise herself with the entire upstream-to-downstream aluminium business. “To witness and learn the process of mining bauxite to reduction to downstream foils was as new as my first day of school, with learnings unlimited and processes unseen!”
While she initially had doubts about her ability to cope with her new role, Jasvir surprised herself by managing the entire legal function of the unit single-handedly while her manager was away, boosting her self-confidence. She gained first-hand experience dealing with on-ground compliance audits and labour strikes, and liaising with the district administration. “I was able to deepen my understanding of the business and the challenges faced from various stakeholders’ perspectives. I was forced to think outside the box and provide customised solutions within the legal framework,” she says as she reminisces about her initial days.
Jasvir wholeheartedly embraces the motto: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. She adds, “Life is not a straight line–it’s full of ups and downs. It keeps you alive, gives you more challenges. All we can do is take a step at a time and give our best in everything we do.” Now, after nearly a year at Utkal, Jasvir reflects on her journey and is grateful to have made the decision to switch to a new career path. She is especially thankful to her mentor, Mr. Shankar, and her family and well-wishers for supporting her throughout her journey.
