2. GENDER BIAS - Sudha Murthy

Annotations

1. Life was full of fun and joy. I did not know what helplessness or injustice meant.

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Lesson and Author:  These lines are taken from the essay, GENDER BIAS written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. The essay ‘Gender Bias’ is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka. She is the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation.

Context and meaning: Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M. Tech in 1974, at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.  One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. Candidates are required to be hard working, besides having an excellent academic record. But it was clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Sudha Murthy was shocked at this open display of gender discrimination. As a student Sudha Murthy’s life was full of happiness and bliss. She was not aware of any injustice or discrimination against any one. But all this was shaken up when she saw the advertisement for the post of an engineer in Telco.

Critical comment: In this essay Sudha Murthy narrates how she initially faced gender discrimination but later succeeded in getting a job in Telco. Sudha Murthy’s style of writing is simple and direct and communicates her ideas clearly. The essay is both enjoyable and inspiring. It fills the reader with hope.

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2. Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge.

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Lesson and Author:  These lines are taken from the essay, GENDER BIAS written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. The essay ‘Gender Bias’ is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka. She is the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation.

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Context and meaning: Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M. Tech in 1974, at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.  One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. Candidates are required to be hard working, besides having an excellent academic record. But it was clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Sudha Murthy was shocked at this open display of gender discrimination. She was not particularly interested in taking up the job. But she strongly decided to protest against the unjust policy of the company. So she applied for the job. She also wrote a post card to JRD Tata, expressing her dismay.

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Critical comment: In this essay Sudha Murthy narrates how she initially faced gender discrimination but later succeeded in getting a job in Telco. Sudha Murthy’s style of writing is simple and direct and communicates her ideas clearly. The essay is both enjoyable and inspiring. It fills the reader with hope.

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3.  “But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender”

Lesson and Author:  These lines are taken from the essay, GENDER BIAS written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. The essay ‘Gender Bias’ is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her

noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka. She is the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation.

Context and meaning: Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M. Tech in 1974, at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.  One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. Candidates are required to be hard working, besides having an excellent academic record. But it was clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Sudha Murthy was shocked at this open display of gender discrimination. As a mark of protest she wrote to JRD Tata, the head of the Tata group of companies. She wrote that the Tatas were the pioneers of Indian industry. They had also established reputed institutions for higher education, such as the IISC, Bangalore. It was surprising that such a renowned and respected company was displaying gender bias by not hiring women.

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Critical comment: In this essay Sudha Murthy narrates how she initially faced gender discrimination but later succeeded in getting a job in Telco. Sudha Murthy’s style of writing is simple and direct and communicates her ideas clearly. The essay is both enjoyable and inspiring. It fills the reader with hope.

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4.  “ but you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories”

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Lesson and Author:  These lines are taken from the essay, GENDER BIAS written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. The essay ‘Gender Bias’ is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka. She is the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation.

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Context and meaning: Sudha Murhy applied for a job in Telco though the advertisement clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. She was surprised to be called for an interview at Pune.  The gentlemen in the interview panel told her politely that it would be difficult for women to work  on the shop floor. Therefore as a policy, the company did not hire women. Sudha Murthy then told them that times were changing. Women must be given a chance to prove their worth as they were as capable as men.

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Critical comment: In this essay Sudha Murthy narrates how she initially faced gender discrimination but later succeeded in getting a job in Telco. Sudha Murthy’s style of writing is simple and direct and communicates her ideas clearly. The essay is both enjoyable and inspiring. It fills the reader with hope.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS :

1.      Sudha Murthy was planning to complete a doctorate abroad but changed her mind. Why?

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The essay, GENDER BIAS is written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. It is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka.

`                       Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M.Tech in 1974, and was the only girl in her department in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. Candidates are required to be hard working, besides having an excellent academic record. But it was clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Sudha Murthy was shocked at this open display of gender discrimination. She was not particularly interested in taking up the job. But she strongly decided to protest against the unjust policy of the

  company. So she applied for the job. She also wrote a post card to JRD Tata, expressing her dismay.

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2. Sudha Murthy was extremely determined and resolute. Justify this statement.

The essay, GENDER BIAS is written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. It is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka.

Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M.Tech in 1974, and was the only girl in her department in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. But it was clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Sudha Murthy was shocked at this open display of gender discrimination. She was not particularly interested in taking up the job. But she strongly decided to protest against the unjust policy of the company. So she applied for the job. She also wrote a post card to JRD Tata, expressing her dismay. To her surprise she was called for the interview. There she boldly expressed her views. She stressed that somewhere a start should be made to hire women. She was able to convince the panel and was hired. Sudha Murthy’s boldness and initiative paved the way for the acceptance of women in various fields.

3. Why was Sudha Murthy not nervous at the interview? Explain.

The essay, GENDER BIAS is written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. It is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka.

            Sudha Murhy applied for a job in Telco though the advertisement clearly stated that ladies were not eligible to apply. Though she was not particularly interested in taking up the job, she strongly decided to protest against the unjust policy of the company. So she applied for the job. She also wrote a post card to JRD Tata, expressing her dismay.  She was surprised when she was called for the interview at Pune. She decided to attend the interview mainly because the company was bearing the expenses. She was sure that she would not be selected. So she was not nervous. She spoke frankly and fearlessly. She pointed out the unfairness of the company policy. She talked about the need to give women a chance to prove their worth. Later she was surprised to know that she had been selected for the job.

4. Do you think JRD Tata was happy to be introduced to Sudha Murthy? Justify.

The essay, GENDER BIAS is written by SUDHA MURTHY, a well-known social worker and author. It is taken from the collection titled ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’. Sudha Murthy is renowned for her noble mission of providing computer and library facilities in all government schools of Karnataka.

Sudha Murthy was in the final year of her M.Tech in 1974, and was the only girl in her department in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. One day she came across an advertisement for a job in Telco. Sudha Murthy was shocked to note that ladies were not eligible to apply.  She decided to protest against the open display of gender bias. She wrote a letter to JRD Tata. She was called for an interview and hired.

Much later Sudha Murthy was introduced to JRD. JRD was informed that Sudha Murthy was a brilliant post graduate and the first lady to work on the Telco shop floor. JRD expressed happiness that women were choosing engineering courses. She probably remembered her letter. He must have been happy that the company policy of not hiring women had been changed.

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