Hi, my name is Tanvi Karwat. I’m a manager at a legal and accounting firm called Bathiya & Associates LLP and if I had gone according to the timeline and plans others had set for me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. This is my story.
My parents didn’t anticipate the career I would have. They always thought that I would get married within three years of my graduation. “It’s only matter of time, let her do whatever she wants. She must get married in a few years anyway,” they said.
So, I did whatever I wanted to do. I studied and I studied hard. It was what I liked doing. I visited a career counsellor who told me I would do CA and law which is exactly what I ended up doing. To this day, I don’t know whether that was fate, or it was in my subconscious mind all along. I didn’t choose either of the courses. A couple of my friends got me enrolled in both saying, “You’re good at studies, you’ll easily clear it.” And I did. I never planned anything, but life has its ways of taking care of stuff.
My neighbor knew the senior partner of a mid-sized firm and got me a job as an internal auditor there. As opposed to the person I am, my job was to correct people’s mistakes, sit in a meeting and explain to the boss of the person who made the mistake about the mistake that was committed. Clearly, I didn’t want to be in that position. My colleagues despised me, I got the eye roll every time I walked into a meeting, no one wanted to stay in touch after work. And I am a people’s person. I realized I wasn’t meant for this kind of a thing and left my job after only nine months. Again, I never planned anything, but life has its ways of taking care of stuff.
A friend of mine knew someone from Bathiya & Associates and landed me a job here. Transaction advisory was and is a very sought-after vertical in the chartered accountancy world and I was lucky to be a part of it from the very beginning. My father’s business is also in transactions, it was like I had completed a full circle. I used to sit with him at a very young age and learn some things about the business. I got the job out of serendipity, but I feel it has a greater connection than that, there’s a lot more to it than just chance.
I have a great boss that puts his point across quietly but firmly. In difficult work-related situations, I think to myself - what would he do if he was in this situation, and everything seems to fall into place after. The one thing I admire about him is the importance and the respect he gives out to each employee in the organization. If he is talking to us in his cabin and he gets a call, he won’t pick it up. No matter how urgent it maybe. He’ll finish what he had to say and once we’ve left, only then will he return the call. I’ve probably learnt more from him than I have from any other individual in the organization and if you were to tell him that, he would probably deny it and say, it was all me. That’s leadership, for me.
I have yet a lot to learn in life. It has been more than 3 years and I am happier doing my job than actively looking for the right partner. My parents have seen my growth and I believe their outlook has changed ever since they’ve seen me pour my heart and soul into what I am doing. I look forward to new experiences, new challenges, meeting new individuals while I continue my journey, here at Bathiya & Associates.
I still haven’t planned anything in life, but I know, in one way or another, life has a way of taking care of stuff.