Systems Integration Asia – April-May 2018

(Wang) #1

Ÿ 2016- India 100 SME, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India
(ranking 7th amongst 49,023 companies)


Ÿ 2016- Inaugural Systems Integraon India (best Corporate AV
install under Premium Category)


Ÿ 2016 - The AV Awards in London (out of 430 Global Entries for AV
Projects and the only Systems Integrator in Asia to have ever won
the AVAwards)


Ÿ 2017 - The InAVaon Awards for InfoComm Standards (the first
and only Systems Integrator globally to have done so)


Ÿ 2017 – InfoComm Woman in AV


Even as this piece was being scripted, we are informed that the AVID
family's first lady has been a prideful recipient of Women SME
Entrepreneur Leader of the Year 2018 Award.


So, in essence, it's like geng three honours every year. While it
looks absolutely commendable in terms of success parameters – if
one were to judge success in terms of shelf-adorning trophies and
shields – it also indicates the amount effort that went into shaping
and steering the company to that level, and
the extremely commied and spirited
approach to the business.


“I don't think we really did anything extra or
special,” says Mahua, the person of equal
humility as she seems she is with
determinaon when it comes to goal seng
and achieving. “I just go about the job task the
way it should be,” she asserts. “In the process,
create value that stands the company, and the
brand among the best on market.”
Mahua is a Cerfied Internal Auditor and has a
Quality Cerficaon in ISO. She is also the CSR
Lead for AVID India's Corporate Social
Responsibility. Understandably, all this
experse blends with the diligence with she
goes about task, and no wonder it reflects in
scorning one laurel aer the other.


Apparently, she is one woman in AV industry with so much making up
the person, which is why she has been leading Women in InfoComm
(WIN)* - this has recently been renamed as AVIXA Women's Council
(AWC), following the rebranding of InfoComm as AVIXA – since its
incepon in 2016. As part of the task, she has been a presenter and
guest speaker at various AWC events.


The AWC iniave aims at providing a community with connecons,
resources, educaon; recognizing excellence; promong leadership
and idenfying opportunies for the advancement of Indian female
execuves in AV/ICT industry.


“It's not just about gathering at tradeshows,” says Mahua. “We
conduct many smaller Happy
Hour events regionally and
regularly towards taking the
cause further,” she explains. “It's
about connecng a global
community of AVIXA members
and other professionals (both
men and women) supporng
the empowerment of women


working in AV and
technology industries.”

According to her, the
formaon of AWC was
simply because 'it was
needed.' While the
erstwhile InfoComm, even
as it had been honouring
women with outstanding
contribuon in AV every
year since the instuon of
the Award 10 years ago, it did not have any programme specifically
aimed at women in the industry.

“Aendance at the annual AV congregaons was only about 10
percent women,” Mahua recounts. “There was a desire among the
AVIXA Board of Directors to culvate more women in leadership; but
they did not have a volunteer relaonship with a good number to
support,” she explains. “Frankly, and finally, the industry needed to
grow its workforce. It needed to show students and young
professionals that AV is an excing, viable career for
women, who earn more than 55 percent of college
degrees.” So were they, going about organizing
programmes of diverse nature to get the message
across the community.

So, is it a journey like from 'holding half the
Collegiate degrees to holding up half the sky' of
opportunies? “It can as well be,” feels a resolute
Mahua.

Given the dynamism and acvism displayed by
Mahua, and her supporters, it did not take long for
the WIN-turned-AWC to a truly winning formula.
Even as they began to taste the early fruits of
success, the representave body went on
organizing large-scale events at Integrated Systems
Europe, Tecnomulmedia Brazil, Tecnomulmedia
Mexico, Integrate in Sydney, Australia, and
InfoComm India etc.

Says Mahua, charged up with the cause: “It's a great iniave for
current and future women professionals. What we have learned is
that women will parcipate in industry events with zest and zeal, if
they are made to feel welcome. Women hosng an educaon
session, acng as a webinar panelist or serving as an industry leader,
or sharing ideas and experse in design, and seeing them
implemented on field- all will happen if they are made to feel
included.”

Mahua is happy that the dominant part of society appears to have
realized this to a large extent. She hoped the realizaon spreads
faster and allows more and more young women to seek careers in AV.
“One best way to address the
challenge of shortage of skilled AV
talent, across the geographies, is to
encourage young girls to seek careers
in AV. There are aplenty.”

So, a movement began to hold up
half the sky?

“Women will parcipate in industry events
with zest and zeal, if they are made to feel
welcome. Sharing ideas and experse in
design, and seeing them implemented on
field- all will happen if they are made to
feel included.”

HIGHLIGHT

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