I was born and brought up in a Marwari middle class family in Kolkata, the City of Joy. My father was the only bread earner in the family and we had a joint family with 3 of my uncles. I was the second child, and my elder sister and younger brother all three of us were bright students. My father was very particular about our studies as he did not get the opportunity to study beyond graduation. He sent us to one of the best schools and would personally attend all our PTM and sign our reports. My mother was a perfect homemaker.
Mine was a family, specially my maternal grandfather side, who believed and still believes a lot on horoscopes and “janampatri”. From the day I started understanding things I was told that I will become a Doctor. My whole mind was focused into becoming the same and as I was always good in Maths and Science so after my 10 th boards I took up science as a subject. I literally toiled and was fully dedicated for 2 years to become a doctor. But what is destined will happen and I did not get through my PMT(Pre medical test, as they were called that time) in my first attempt. I was quite disheartened as I had put in my 100 percent and even did not attend my elder sister’s wedding properly, which happened on the same day as my PMT exams. I still remember those 2 long years, I did not watch TV, Cinema or attended any social functions. And then when the results did not come out in my favour I was shaken.
Then somehow I changed my mind and took the decision of becoming a commerce graduate. This was a turning point as everyone at home was shocked and my father was totally taken aback. The subjects were new and again there was a lot of hard work to be done as I took up Cost accountancy and Chartered accountancy as my further studies. There was no financial support from my parents as they were still very angry. This made me started taking tuitions of school children and as I was good in maths and science so I had no dearth of students. I did my college in the morning and then self-study and tuitions and in the evening took the role of a teacher. After graduation article ship also started but my Principal was very lenient and called me for audit and income tax work as and when required, it was kind of 3 to 4 days in a week. I was blessed with the “Grey Matter “ and was always good at numbers so understanding Accounts was not all that tough but Law and Economics went above my head. I studied with full zeal and got through the entrance and all other exams in first attempts both the groups. My Parents were overwhelmed to see me become a Chartered Accountant all by myself.
I started working as an internal auditor in B.K.Birla Group of Companies and after 6 months took the decision of becoming a practicing Chartered Accountant and Joined a Firm Maheshwari Mantry & Co. I worked for almost a year and then got married to Akhilesh Biyani an MBA Finance. He was working with a company in Mumbai and I was excited to go there. My In laws stayed in Renukoot as my father in law was an AVP in Hindalco Industries. But again a twist came in the story and during my engagement period I came to know that we have to settle in Ranchi as my father in law wanted to shift there after taking voluntary retirement to spend rest of his life with his brothers and the Joint family. My husband being the only son had no choice.
We came to Ranchi after marriage in 2001, and it was a small town literally. We had no friends and no relatives of my side in Ranchi. There were no places to go and hang out. Me and my husband both were unable to adjust and we thought of getting a job and settle in any of the metro cities. But we were unable to find any suitable job for both of us in the same city. As time went by I started my own practice and my husband joined the Joint Family Business of Factory of Fire Bricks. We had a joint Marwari family with 25-30 people staying in the same home. The family was like a silver lining in my dark cloud situation. Everyone was so loving. However practice was not that easy as people would say that you are newly married and should concentrate on your personal life, nobody wanted to give work to a young female chartered accountant, that was people’s mentality here. But you must have heard that “God sends angels”, and that angel that time was Mahavir Uncle whose reference I got from my ex employer, Mr. Mantry of Kolkata. Mahavir Uncle introduced me to a lot of people and from that I got my first client of internal audit, a C&;F of Century Cement. Years passed and my husband also opened his own investment consultancy work and we got settled in Ranchi. I had a son in 2003 and then twins in 2006, a boy and a girl. I am a proud mother of 3 children Nikhil, Nandini and Naman. After my twins life was tough again for few years but I must say that my children were god gifts to me as they never hindered my career and also my in laws and my husband always supported me in my career. I opened a branch office of the CA firm with whom I was working in Kolkata, MKV & Associates was a partnership firm with 4 partners, 3 of them in Kolkata and myself in Ranchi.
Today by Grace of God I have fulfilling career and a cheerful family. I am right now Chairperson of Ranchi Branch of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. This was also not an easy task, but I was determined to fight for it. I am the first female in Ranchi who was elected in the Branch committee in the year 2016. I had full support from my fraternity but again after coming in the committee with 2 nd highest votes I was not given any post, just a member of the committee. “It’s a man’s world” and seeing a Female as a chairperson was difficult for some of the committee members. I was always very active in the CA community and the programmes organized by the Branch from the beginning. I again fought elections in the year 2019 and got through, and finally came to this position. I am Secretary to Rajasthani Professional Association since 2 years and also a member of Green Guardian NGO involved in Tree plantation since 10 yrs. My passion is music and I still pursue learning the same from my Guru, Amit Sarkar.
A small piece of advice for all children that, do whatever you are passionate about, choose a career which is meant for you and not the one which your parents or friends want you to become. If I would have been a doctor I don’t know how satisfying it would have been but being a Chartered Accountant makes me Complete, as I was always meant for Numbers.
Also for all the females out there few lines that goes
Everyone works based on their “Time Zone” Hold on, be strong, and stay tune to yourself. All things
shall work together for your good. You are not late ….you are not early, you’re very much on time.