“Financial independence for a young girl is the key to living in the city”

A conversation with Ritika*, an employee at an IT firm in Gurgaon

I started working when I was 19. I took tuitions while I was doing my graduation, and earned enough not to be dependent on my parents. Now, I work in the digital marketing department of a well known IT firm. When I turned 19, my parents bought me a car. So I thought, now that I have a car and I can go anywhere, I should do something productive. I could see some of my friends were working and didn’t have to ask their parents for money to go out, or do anything. That was that was a big motivation for me to seek work. Of course, once I started, I enjoyed as well…

I would teach four to five kids from different classes and schools in a day. They were all within Gurgaon and 20-25 minutes away from home. And I had college in the morning. So that meant, I would start from home around 7 AM and end the day by 10 PM. I would be out the whole day. I drove myself everywhere – to college, to the kids’ homes. I can’t sit at home. Even now, when we are working from home, I like to go out for drives almost every day. I did that even during the pandemic and would make excuses to the cops [laughs].

I have always travelled in my own vehicle, rarely in the public transport, so the biggest challenge I face is traffic. Gurgaon in general is a very safe, even at nights. At least in the areas that I frequent, there are always security guards and barriers. I don’t know about the interior regions…. In New Gurgaon, where I lived earlier, people were mostly service class. They didn’t have time to gossip. In Old Gurgaon things are a little different. People are friendlier, but they are also more interfering. I have seen people stare at me sometimes when I am in shorts. It is a little awkward…

But my parents are very supportive. My mother was hesitant earlier, but I had to make her understand. Her thinking has changed now. She has no issues with the clothes I wear. Her only concern was (and still is to an extent) security. But she has realized that children will go out as it is a city. We cannot simply sit at home and think the city is unsafe. When I was in college, I had a curfew for 10 in the night. Now she has changed a lot. If I go out alone, I have to be back by 12. And I usually go out with my brothers or my friends, so as long as they drop me home, she is okay if I am a little late.

Things have changed a lot from her generation to mine. In her times, there were no phones, she couldn’t go out, or wear dresses and skirts. Now-a-days, girls speak very loudly; they had to be quiet. Never went out with friends, couldn’t drive on their own. They were not outgoing or outspoken. I am the complete opposite. My life is very different. I am very outspoken, and I make sure that people listen – in the office, among friends and family. Since I am independent, I don’t accept anything wrong said to me. I speak up for myself. My mother couldn’t do that.

*name changed to preserve anonymity.

“Financial independence for a young girl is the key to living in the city”

I started working when I was 19. I took tuitions while I was doing my graduation, and earned enough not to be dependent on my parents. Now, I work in the digital marketing department of a well known IT firm. When I turned 19, my parents bought me a car. So I thought, now that I have a car and I can go anywhere, I should do something productive. I could see some of my friends were working and didn’t have to ask their parents for money to go out, or do anything. That was that was a big motivation for me to seek work. Of course, once I started, I enjoyed as well…

I would teach four to five kids from different classes and schools in a day. They were all within Gurgaon and 20-25 minutes away from home. And I had college in the morning. So that meant, I would start from home around 7 AM and end the day by 10 PM. I would be out the whole day. I drove myself everywhere – to college, to the kids’ homes. I can’t sit at home. Even now, when we are working from home, I like to go out for drives almost every day. I did that even during the pandemic and would make excuses to the cops [laughs].

I have always travelled in my own vehicle, rarely in the public transport, so the biggest challenge I face is traffic. Gurgaon in general is a very safe, even at nights. At least in the areas that I frequent, there are always security guards and barriers. I don’t know about the interior regions…. In New Gurgaon, where I lived earlier, people were mostly service class. They didn’t have time to gossip. In Old Gurgaon things are a little different. People are friendlier, but they are also more interfering. I have seen people stare at me sometimes when I am in shorts. It is a little awkward…

But my parents are very supportive. My mother was hesitant earlier, but I had to make her understand. Her thinking has changed now. She has no issues with the clothes I wear. Her only concern was (and still is to an extent) security. But she has realized that children will go out as it is a city. We cannot simply sit at home and think the city is unsafe. When I was in college, I had a curfew for 10 in the night. Now she has changed a lot. If I go out alone, I have to be back by 12. And I usually go out with my brothers or my friends, so as long as they drop me home, she is okay if I am a little late.

Things have changed a lot from her generation to mine. In her times, there were no phones, she couldn’t go out, or wear dresses and skirts. Now-a-days, girls speak very loudly; they had to be quiet. Never went out with friends, couldn’t drive on their own. They were not outgoing or outspoken. I am the complete opposite. My life is very different. I am very outspoken, and I make sure that people listen – in the office, among friends and family. Since I am independent, I don’t accept anything wrong said to me. I speak up for myself. My mother couldn’t do that.

*name changed to preserve anonymity.

“Financial independence for a young girl is the key to living in the city”

A conversation with Ritika*, an employee at an IT firm in Gurgaon

I started working when I was 19. I took tuitions while I was doing my graduation, and earned enough not to be dependent on my parents. Now, I work in the digital marketing department of a well known IT firm. When I turned 19, my parents bought me a car. So I thought, now that I have a car and I can go anywhere, I should do something productive. I could see some of my friends were working and didn’t have to ask their parents for money to go out, or do anything. That was that was a big motivation for me to seek work. Of course, once I started, I enjoyed as well…

I would teach four to five kids from different classes and schools in a day. They were all within Gurgaon and 20-25 minutes away from home. And I had college in the morning. So that meant, I would start from home around 7 AM and end the day by 10 PM. I would be out the whole day. I drove myself everywhere – to college, to the kids’ homes. I can’t sit at home. Even now, when we are working from home, I like to go out for drives almost every day. I did that even during the pandemic and would make excuses to the cops [laughs].

I have always travelled in my own vehicle, rarely in the public transport, so the biggest challenge I face is traffic. Gurgaon in general is a very safe, even at nights. At least in the areas that I frequent, there are always security guards and barriers. I don’t know about the interior regions…. In New Gurgaon, where I lived earlier, people were mostly service class. They didn’t have time to gossip. In Old Gurgaon things are a little different. People are friendlier, but they are also more interfering. I have seen people stare at me sometimes when I am in shorts. It is a little awkward…

But my parents are very supportive. My mother was hesitant earlier, but I had to make her understand. Her thinking has changed now. She has no issues with the clothes I wear. Her only concern was (and still is to an extent) security. But she has realized that children will go out as it is a city. We cannot simply sit at home and think the city is unsafe. When I was in college, I had a curfew for 10 in the night. Now she has changed a lot. If I go out alone, I have to be back by 12. And I usually go out with my brothers or my friends, so as long as they drop me home, she is okay if I am a little late.

Things have changed a lot from her generation to mine. In her times, there were no phones, she couldn’t go out, or wear dresses and skirts. Now-a-days, girls speak very loudly; they had to be quiet. Never went out with friends, couldn’t drive on their own. They were not outgoing or outspoken. I am the complete opposite. My life is very different. I am very outspoken, and I make sure that people listen – in the office, among friends and family. Since I am independent, I don’t accept anything wrong said to me. I speak up for myself. My mother couldn’t do that.

*name changed to preserve anonymity.

“Financial independence for a young girl is the key to living in the city”

A conversation with Ritika*, an employee at an IT firm in Gurgaon

I started working when I was 19. I took tuitions while I was doing my graduation, and earned enough not to be dependent on my parents. Now, I work in the digital marketing department of a well known IT firm. When I turned 19, my parents bought me a car. So I thought, now that I have a car and I can go anywhere, I should do something productive. I could see some of my friends were working and didn’t have to ask their parents for money to go out, or do anything. That was that was a big motivation for me to seek work. Of course, once I started, I enjoyed as well…

I would teach four to five kids from different classes and schools in a day. They were all within Gurgaon and 20-25 minutes away from home. And I had college in the morning. So that meant, I would start from home around 7 AM and end the day by 10 PM. I would be out the whole day. I drove myself everywhere – to college, to the kids’ homes. I can’t sit at home. Even now, when we are working from home, I like to go out for drives almost every day. I did that even during the pandemic and would make excuses to the cops [laughs].

I have always travelled in my own vehicle, rarely in the public transport, so the biggest challenge I face is traffic. Gurgaon in general is a very safe, even at nights. At least in the areas that I frequent, there are always security guards and barriers. I don’t know about the interior regions…. In New Gurgaon, where I lived earlier, people were mostly service class. They didn’t have time to gossip. In Old Gurgaon things are a little different. People are friendlier, but they are also more interfering. I have seen people stare at me sometimes when I am in shorts. It is a little awkward…

But my parents are very supportive. My mother was hesitant earlier, but I had to make her understand. Her thinking has changed now. She has no issues with the clothes I wear. Her only concern was (and still is to an extent) security. But she has realized that children will go out as it is a city. We cannot simply sit at home and think the city is unsafe. When I was in college, I had a curfew for 10 in the night. Now she has changed a lot. If I go out alone, I have to be back by 12. And I usually go out with my brothers or my friends, so as long as they drop me home, she is okay if I am a little late.

Things have changed a lot from her generation to mine. In her times, there were no phones, she couldn’t go out, or wear dresses and skirts. Now-a-days, girls speak very loudly; they had to be quiet. Never went out with friends, couldn’t drive on their own. They were not outgoing or outspoken. I am the complete opposite. My life is very different. I am very outspoken, and I make sure that people listen – in the office, among friends and family. Since I am independent, I don’t accept anything wrong said to me. I speak up for myself. My mother couldn’t do that.

*name changed to preserve anonymity.