‘Why did you send a girl to Africa?’: Vasundhara Oswal on surviving Uganda kidnapping, boardroom sexism
Vasundhara Oswal, Executive Director of PRO Industries, has detailed her survival following an illegal detention in Uganda and the challenges of leading in male-dominated heavy industries. She addressed the gender-based skepticism she faced from peers who questioned her leadership capabilities durin
In an exclusive interview, Vasundhara Oswal recounted the harrowing experience of her illegal detention in Uganda, which she described as a kidnapping. She highlighted the systemic biases present in global boardrooms, noting that critics often questioned her father's decision to send a young woman to oversee large-scale operations in Africa.
Oswal leads PRO Industries, a major ethanol producer, where she frequently navigates high-stakes negotiations in sectors traditionally dominated by men. She explained that establishing authority requires a combination of technical expertise and emotional resilience, especially when facing overt sexism from industry counterparts.
The executive emphasized that her traumatic experience in Uganda served as a catalyst for her advocacy regarding corporate safety and legal transparency. She continues to reform internal structures to ensure that female leadership is respected and protected in volatile business environments. Source: LiveMint
