“In the Current industry, I believe “Running is the new Golf” – Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues

Backed by industry experience of 12 years, Ms. Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues served as the Chief Of Operations and a Director at Inbiopro from (2007-2012) and Theramyt Novobiologics/Zumutor Inc (from 2013 to current).  Her expertise in her field along with her strong business skills, has also helped in save a spot in the Forbes List.

She has worked with prestigious companies in the past such as Biocon and Millipore. Her field of expertise includes Research & Development , product  and process development. Along with Sohang , Ms.Kavitha had also co-founded the biotech start-up, Inbiopro.

Feministaa was honoured to have interviewed Ms Kavita Iyer and discuss with her some grave issues concerning women at the workplace.

In India, gender discrimination at the workplace is a common practice, but times have changed for the better. Many women have only quoted their pleasant experiences including Ms. Rodrigues. She says, “ As a woman in Biotech, I am very fortunate to have worked in Biocon and mentored by Kiran Majumder Shaw in my early days of my career.The challenges in Biopharma have been very gender neutral which involved a lot of bureaucratic hurdles that I had to cross while setting up both the start-ups. I have never felt discriminated because of my gender”.

Fortune India enlisted recently enlisted Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues amongst the top 7 women in their “40 under 40” list. She truly deserves to be on this list, considering the dedication and hard work she has put in. Kavitha, being a true team member attributes her success to her core team(at work) and family(at home) that has always been her pillar of strength. “The hardships have been many with months of stress regarding monies, contracts, travel etc. All of this has finally come together”, says Kavitha.

Any working woman should have a good balance between her personal and professional life. Being fit , mentally and physically is of utmost importance for any woman. Hours of mental stress can be detrimental to one’s health and being engaged in any form of workout is a must for any working professional. Specially in India, women tend to ignore the importance of being physically fit and get carried away with their ambition.  For Kavitha, Sports has always been a constant companion and she finds solace in being competitive and motivated at the same time.

 “I have included running, swimming and cycling into my daily routine week while commuting and this has been a fun way to see places and connect with different people”.

Ms. Kavitha Iyer has truly being an inspirational icon in the Bio-Pharma Industry. Feministaa asked her to give some advice to the woman wanting to make a mark in this field. She believes that women need to be  armed with the right credentials including attaining the right qualifications. Also, networking is key even in this field of work. It will just help you grow and get to know the right people who can help you out.

Feministaa Congratulates Ms Kavitha Iyer Rodrigues for her great Achievements  in the field of Bio- Pharma and wishes her all the best for the future !!