From being the only girl in my engineering classes to being a deck cadet at Essar Shipping, I challenged norms set by the society for women, to become a strong and positive woman seafarer.
I am Prithvi Lakshaya and I hail from Tamil Nadu in India. My family consists of my parents who are academicians and my younger brother, who is doing his graduation in Physics. I have been courageous since childhood and my father is the reason behind my strong persona and positive energy. My mother and brother have always stood by my side and encouraged me to be take my own decisions.
I have always had the drive to be a successful woman and challenge the unfair norms set by the society for women. Unfortunately in India, women face challenging social issues and at times, making a career in a male dominated sector is not encouraged.
I strongly believe that no task is impossible for women if they are determined. I am an example of being a successful professional in the maritime sector, which is traditionally seen as a sector dominated by men.
After completing my higher secondary examination, choosing a right professional degree was confusing. I was well aware that many of engineers are unemployed or underpaid in India. I had to be more careful in this regard. However, for my love of the subjects, I chose Mechanical Engineering as my core area of study at the Parisutham Institute of Technology and Science, Thanjavur. It will sound surprising but I was not only the only girl in my class, but also the first girl to get a mechanical engineering degree at the institute.
As a determined girl, I wanted to prove to myself and my loved ones that I was made of strong mettle. Hence, I applied for the Graduate Marine Engineering course at the country’s premier institute – The Cochin Shipyard Limited. Here again, I was the lone girl in my class. However, this was not a setback, I took it in my stride and came out with flying colours.
The training period was challenging and I struggled during my training period, but I am proud with what I have achieved in life so far. I was delighted to get a wonderful job opportunity at Essar and also meet my colleague and friend, Ms.Subasri Muthusamy.
I am off to completing my first voyage and hope my story encourages more aspirant women to take up this profession.
– Prithvi Lakshaya,
Trainee Marine Engineer (TME), Essar Shipping
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