Bullied, suicide attempt at 22. At 33, Radhika Gupta is now among youngest CEOs (2024)

In her interview to the Humans of Bombay, she shared, “I was born with a crooked neck. If that wasn’t enough to single me out–I was always the new kid in the school; dad was a diplomat. I lived in Pakistan, New York, & Delhi, before I arrived in Nigeria. My Indian accent was judged; they named me ‘Apu’, a character from The Simpsons. And they compared me to my mom, who worked at my school. She’s a stunning woman, & people always told me how ugly I looked in comparison; my confidence plummeted."

“I’d bury my insecurities... At 22, when I got my 7th job rejection, I looked out the window & said, ‘I’ll jump.’ My friend called for help! I was wheeled into a psychiatric ward, & diagnosed as depressed. The only reason they let me go was because I said, ‘I have a job interview–it’s my only shot'," Radhika Gupta shared.

And then it finally happened and she bagged the job at McKinsey and life fell on the right track. At 25, she moved to India and started her own asset management firm with my husband and friend. “A few years later, our company was acquired by Edelweiss MF—I climbed the corporate ladder. I became a saree in a room full of suits & I wanted to raise my hand for opportunities. Yet, when talk of hiring a new CEO at Edelweiss MF began, I hesitated, but my husband encouraged me, ‘You’re the best person for the job!’" she shared.

And a few months later, at 33, Radhika Gupta became one of the youngest CEOs in India. “I was invited to speak at an event–I shared my childhood insecurities & my suicide attempt. I let go of my baggage. And my talk traveled; I became known as ‘the girl with the broken neck.’ People shared their stories with me," she said.

Sharing what gave her confidence ultimately was the decision to fully embrace her ‘flaws’, “and over the last 4 years, I’ve shared more about my story, & the stories of people who’d confided in me…I even wrote a book– LIMITLESS!"

Gupta shared that, "but my biggest accomplishment has been accepting myself as imperfect but beautiful. So now, when I receive comments on my appearance, I just say, ‘Yes, I have a squint in the eyes, & a broken neck. What’s unique about you?’"

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Published: 07 Jun 2022, 12:56 PM IST