Our April 2006 cover

Our booming economy, with its 9.2 per cent annual growth, has shown that the service sector has grown the most among all the sectors with an annual growth rate of 11.2 per cent. In any case, the service sector constitutes the largest and fastest growing sector of the economy with a 55 per cent share of GDP. One of the greatest beneficiaries of this development are these young urban women with a whole new host of vocations opening up for them, from the beauty business to becoming airhostesses, from call centres to media, from hospitality to many more. Fortunately, because of the increase of all-round interest in women, there have been several surveys conducted on their lifestyle and attitudes. The interesting fact is that their findings are similar. As our cover line sums it up, they are: Smart and Sassy. Careers take top priority. Marriage is important but should not hinder careers. In one survey, over two-thirds said they liked excitement and variety in their lives and even more felt it was imperative to be financially independent.

Our Special Issue looks at these young women striking out on their own all over India. Many are women from small towns who make it in the big cities on their own. Their stories reflect the changing India. Like every year, we profile 30 achievers from different walks of life, like a helicopter pilot, the leader of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Liberia and the country head of a leading Swiss bank. Reported by the magazine’s correspondents across the country—particularly Principal Correspondent Puja Mehra in Delhi and Senior Correspondent Aditi Pai in Mumbai, who proved to be superwomen in terms of their contribution—and put together by Executive Editor Kaveree Bamzai, this is our tribute to the contemporary Indian woman and her spirit. May her power grow.

Index