Name: Divya Mahesh | Designation: Domain Manager | Company: Stellantis | Place: Michigan
(June 15, 2023) Growing up, Divya Mahesh was always handy around the house. She loved to build things and at age 12 she assembled the television antenna for her mum. This was also the time when the big IT boom was taking over India and almost every student was scrambling to land a seat for computer science engineering. Yet, the thought of spending all day in front of a computer was anathema to Divya. She enjoyed putting things together and found herself leaning towards mechanical designing.
“Everyone around me advised me to opt for computer science engineering since it was booming. I was in a dilemma,” says this domain manager at Stellantis, one of the largest multinational automotive manufacturers. “But I was never one to follow trends. In the end, I followed my gut and pursued a degree in mechanical engineering from Osmania University.”
Incidentally, in a batch of 60 students, she was one of the six girls. “In fact, after graduation, most of my peers moved to IT. Only six of us stuck to mechanical,” says Divya, who moved to the US in 2005 for her MS in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
Divya Mahesh
Today, Divya remains one of the very few women in her field. In fact, ever since she began her professional journey in 2005 with Caterpillar Inc, to today at Stellantis, she is the only woman in her team. “Of course these companies have women employees, but I’ve largely seen them in departments like sales, finance or admin. Almost all of my counterparts have always been men,” says Divya, who oversees the propulsion system quality for all the cars produced under the Stellantis umbrella. These include brands such as Chrysler, Jeep, Peugeot, Dodge, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo among others.
However, Divya has never faced a problem when it comes to working with her team. “I’ve never faced an incident of discrimination. My work and I have always been taken seriously by my colleagues,” she smiles, adding that while she has a team of nearly 20 people working for her, she prefers not to manage them directly. “I’d really rather not involve myself with tasks like appraisals etc. It is very time consuming and I prefer to focus on my core area of work. It helps me strike a better work-life balance; so it’s a conscious choice I have made over the years as a professional.”
While her work requires her to be present round the clock, given the global teams she works with and oversees, Divya makes it a point to strike that balance between work and personal. “While I’m at work, I’m 100% present. But when I’m done, I’m 100% present for my family. Of course, I’ll always go back to check my mail if there’s something urgent,” says this mum of two, adding, “For the work I do, I require full cooperation from my spouse. And he does. We split everything equally right down to the last chore. And one of us is always present for the kids; be it for their field trip, recital or Christmas party.”
It also helps that she’s very organised as an individual, says Divya, adding that punctuality and accountability feature very high on her list. During her down time, she loves to travel with her family, as well as indulge in various fun activities. “In winters for instance, we get together with friends for board game nights and potlucks. During the summer, we’re barely ever home. Living in Michigan affords us ease of access to some incredible beaches, waterfalls and parks,” she says, adding, “Some of our favourite travel destinations are where there are beaches, waterfalls and mountains in good measure. We recently returned from Turks and Caicos. The water there was incredible. Closer home, Yellowstone and Teton National Park are some of our favourite spots.”
She also believes that living away from India has led them to stay more strongly connected to their roots when compared to peers back home. “For instance, we make it a point to celebrate every Indian festival in a grand way. Most of our kids learn some form of classical art. To be honest, I don’t see this happening as much in India,” she says.
Takeaways:
- Stay organised and punctual. It’s a great way to accomplish tasks; big or small.
- Don’t blindly follow trends. Trust your gut and pursue a career in a field that truly interests you.
- Despite the rat race, make time for family and personal activities and hobbies.
- Don’t lose touch with your roots, whether you live in India or abroad.