An Insight with Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director, Aakash Healthcare
By: Jayata Sharma
From the originators of Aakash Institute, has come a hospital brand called Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital. As an institute coaching students to become medical practitioners, opening up a hospital was like a natural transition. A recent entrant into the Northern market (it’s located at New Delhi), Aakash Healthcare is a hospital with a humane touch.
With a big chunk of the staff being students of the Institute itself, the brand values are ingrained in the workforce right since the start.
The Managing Director, Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, is a firm believer of motivating his co-workers and hence the hospital has many employee engagement programmes running throughout the year.
Dr. Chaudhry is also the Head of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement at this 230-bed facility.
Here, he speaks to us about what women strength and empowerment means to him and his organisation.
Why do you think women empowerment is the need of the hour?
We have had male dominance in the corporate sector for ages and I believe it is time to change that, not for the sake of it, but to have the other half of the human race, which is more diligent, hardworking, with higher EQ and last but not the least, extremely honest vis a vis males, to come at par.
You believe the fact that women have an upper hand in certain areas of work and life. Kindly elaborate.
Yes, I truly believe in this. Genetically, women behave in a much sober and gentle manner. They are more head strong, tolerant and can be a real multi-tasker. Surprisingly, they can balance demanding corporate commitments and still be able to manage home, in laws, kids & their partners effortlessly.
How does Aakash Healthcare take care of gender parity and empowerment at the work place?
We have many women in leadership roles and they perform better than their male counterparts. In Aakash Healthcare, women are handling top positions in Operations, Medical Services, Information Technology and even Support Services. Just to put on record our architect, civil engineering chief are also women and I have seen them handle every job on the ground easily.
As an industry, what policy changes should we make, to cater to our women workforce?
Mental policy needs to be worked upon more than anything else in this patriarchal society. I urge my colleagues to be more inclusive about women and I am very sure, you shall never be disappointed.
An example where you have seen exceptional display of women strength in your life or at Aakash Healthcare.
Yes, my wife Dr. Meinal Chaudhry, she is a practising radiologist and excellent at her work. I see great management skills and an analytical mind too, much better than me. She manages home extremely well, does administrative and clinical work meticulously. I’m glad she has the potential to fill voids that are poorly managed by me!