Toils And Triumph Of Becoming Her
Outlook Money|May 2019

Taking charge of finances is extremely important for women in today’s time

Anagh Pal
Toils And Triumph Of Becoming Her

Pooja Dutta, 39 Founder and Managing Partner, Astute Law

Place: Mumbai

For Mumbai-based Pooja Dutta, 39, Founder and Managing Partner, Astute Law, life has been about facing a series of challenges and taking them head on.

When she went to Pune to study law 15 years ago from a small town in Assam or decided to go to Washington DC for further studies, people criticised her for not being wise enough. Her seven-year stint in the US helped her to learn a lot, but it was difficult to cut a deal as law firms there are usually not open to hiring foreign lawyers.

Back in India, she realised whom she knew and where she came from made all the difference. Since she did not have top people in the industry referring her, she realised that her degree from a good university and work experience was of no value. Being a woman made things worse.

During an interview at a Delhi-based law firm, they asked her about everything other than work. Then when she started her own law firm, her partners started to question her authority and that is mostly because she was a woman. Later, she was forced to break all ties with them.

“When you decide to be an independent working woman, people around you will always find ways to pull you down. Every time they tried to de-motivate me, I emerged even stronger. I knew that the best revenge is success and the only way to achieve it is through hard work. I knew I had to prove that it is possible to live your dream without a godfather,” she said.

Dutta believes that she could survive such hardship only because she started investing from a very young age and could support herself in the difficult times.

This story is from the May 2019 edition of Outlook Money.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2019 edition of Outlook Money.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOK MONEYView All
Gold ETFs And FoFs
Outlook Money

Gold ETFs And FoFs

While Indians love to invest in physical gold, even mutual funds offer the option, but in paper format.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
PLANNING TO BUY CHILD INSURANCE? THINK TWICE
Outlook Money

PLANNING TO BUY CHILD INSURANCE? THINK TWICE

Child insurance plans combine insurance and investment but often offer low returns due to high costs, making a combination of a term insurance cover and mutual fund a better option for securing your child’s higher education needs

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
How Do You Define Happiness?
Outlook Money

How Do You Define Happiness?

Money does buy happiness, but after a while, the appeal fades. We talk about our relationship with money, but, maybe, it’s time to revisit our relationship with happiness

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
Avoid Crypto As It Is Highly Volatile
Outlook Money

Avoid Crypto As It Is Highly Volatile

I am 22 years old and have recently started working. I want to invest a small portion of money in cryptocurrency. How should I go about it? Does it require a huge capital investment?

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Invest Right, Don't Speculate
Outlook Money

Invest Right, Don't Speculate

The lure of high returns and quick gains from equity tips, cryptocurencies, and equity F&O can be enticing. But remember, return of capital is more important than return on capital

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
The Wedding & Budget: Is Minimalist Trend The Right Knot For You?
Outlook Money

The Wedding & Budget: Is Minimalist Trend The Right Knot For You?

Indian weddings are known for their pomp and grandeur, but minimalist weddings are also in vogue now. Dia Mirza was one such celebrity who went for a minimalist wedding. If you also want to keep things minimal on your big day, here’s how to do it

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024
Here's How To Buy An ETF?
Outlook Money

Here's How To Buy An ETF?

Mutual funds are the preferred choice for retail investors. However, they come at a cost and fund management risk, apart from other risks. A smarter alternative is to invest through ETFs.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
How Passive Funds Help Diversify
Outlook Money

How Passive Funds Help Diversify

Passive funds provide a simple way to invest in broad markets as well as in specific themes and sectors, making them ideal for an investor's satellite portfolio

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
The Rise Of Passive Funds
Outlook Money

The Rise Of Passive Funds

The popularity of passive funds among retail investors has risen post Covid, and fund houses are out with many variations of ETFs and index funds. Does this category present a new opportunity for investors?

time-read
10 mins  |
November 2024
Tax Reforms: What's In Store?
Outlook Money

Tax Reforms: What's In Store?

The government is working on reforming the existing Income-tax Act, 1961. The impending reforms have raised many questions in the minds of taxpayers. Will the old regime and deductions be done away with? Will it really simplify your life? What's the need for these reforms? We try to answer these and other questions regarding tax reforms

time-read
10+ mins  |
October 2024