In a month’s time, Purvi Gupta, originally from Delhi, will be embarking on a journey of the lifetime. Currently living in London, she will be the only Indian, and 1 in 80 women in science, who will embark on an expedition to Antarctica as part of Homeward Bound. Homeward Bound is a 12-month leadership program which culminates in a three-week intensive voyage to Antarctica. The initiative, turned global movement, aims to heighten the influence and impact of women in science (STEMM), in order to impact policy and decision making as it shapes our planet – within 10 years.
Purvi is part of the second cohort of Homeward Bound – the 2018 program participants include 80 women from 13 countries such as India, Australia, Kenya, China, Italy, Venezuela, Nigeria, Peru, Mexico, the UK and the US. Amongst the participants will be a Maori researcher, a science TV presenter, CSIRO scientists, shark researchers, marine biologists, neuro scientists and an economist. All participants from the inaugural 2016 program will act as mentors to at least one of the new cohort.
Purvi who is from India, living in the London for years, said that she is a strong believer of human potential and the innate desire to make the world a better place for ourselves, our families, communities and the future generations. She believes in over-investing in young minds training to be future doctors, engineers and scientists – especially the women. Over the last year, Purvi has been invited to deliver leadership talks at engineering and MBA schools in India and Europe. She also hosts a blog where she writes about leadership, inclusiveness and gender parity. With one month to go, Purvi continues her fundraising efforts to raise the cost of the Antarctica expedition for this cause.
She studied engineering at IIT Madras, India where less than 10% were women. She recounts how as a girl on campus, she never ‘felt invited to the party’. Today, she strives to expose students to the upside of diverse teams. Having grown up in India, she has strong affiliation to emerging markets and deep commitment to public health. Purvi worked for 6 years with GlaxoSmithKline across London, Mumbai and Singapore, and currently works at McKinsey’s London office as a consultant.
Purvi comes from a middle class family, her grandfather worked in government enterprise and her father worked in Indian Railways. Due to the transferable nature of her father’s job, she grew up as adaptable and flexible. She continues to seek out new adventures and is comfortable in meeting and adjusting to new people and cultures. She has previously worked and lived in Singapore for 2 years. Later, she studied her MBA at INSEAD, France further building on her experiences.
