Damyanti Gupta
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Damyanti Gupta is an Indian-born American engineer who was the first woman engineer with a postgraduate degree at the Ford Motor Company. She was recognized by Time Magazine in their collection of firsts as the "First degreed engineer at Ford."[1]
Early life
[edit]Damyanti Gupta was born in India on May 10, 1942, during British rule. The partition and division of India happened during her childhood, and the place where she and her family resided became a part of Pakistan. The partition resulted in unrest and riots. Gupta and her family left their town overnight and settled in Bombay.[2]
As refugees, moving out of their hometown came with great challenges. They had to start over in a new place. However, Gupta's mother, Gopibai Hingorani, had great ambitions for her daughter. She had only studied up to 4th grade, but she told Damyanti that she wanted to give her something no one else could snatch away: an education.[1]
Education
[edit]Gupta's interest in engineering sparked at the age of 13, when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the town where Damyanti lived. During his visit, he spoke about the need for industry in India and subsequently, the need for engineers following Britain's 200 year rule in India. He addressed not just the boys but also the girls. This is where Damyanti was first exposed to the word "engineer."[2]
At the age of 19, Gupta came across a book about Henry Ford. From that moment she dreamed of working for the company.[1]
Gupta enrolled in engineering college and became the first female admitted for engineering at that school.[2] As the first female engineering student, Damyanti faced many challenges. The campus did not have a women's restroom; Gupta would have to bike over a mile and half each way to use a restroom. Once the dean realized this, a ladies restroom was built on campus.[1]
After earning her bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1965, Gupta went to Germany for work. In 1966, she moved to the United States to pursue her master's degree in Mechanical Engineering at Oklahoma State University. She became the first female to graduate from Oklahoma State University with an advanced degree in engineering.[2]
Career
[edit]After completing her master's degree, Gupta applied to work at Ford but was initially rejected by a manager who did not want a woman engineer on his team. She tried again later and was successful. At first, Human Resources was unsure if Gupta was going for the engineering role, as the company did not have any female engineers at the time. she was persistent and commented that if the company did not give her a chance, they would never have any female engineers. She landed the job and became the first female engineer to work at Ford.[3]
When the United Automobile Workers went on strike, there were layoffs at Ford Motor Company. Gupta survived the layoffs; however, she experienced subtle racism from those who were impacted. While visiting an assembly plant, Gupta was asked by a blue collar where she was from. When Gupta said she was from India, the worker told her that she should go back to her country. Damyanti responded, "This is my country." When he pressed further that she should go "back to her kitchen," she responded by saying, "This is my kitchen."[4]
When Gupta was pregnant with her first baby, her manager told her not to come to work once she started showing. After giving birth, she returned to work in a different position at Ford and was promoted just three months later.[1]
Gupta retired in 2002.[3]
Personal life
[edit]After landing her dream job at Ford, Damyanti met her husband Subhash.[4] The couple has two children, Sanjay Gupta and Suneel Gupta.[2] Sanjay Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon and CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent, highlights his mother as a strong and powerful woman who has had a great influence on his life.[1][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Damyanti Gupta: The First Degreed Female Engineer at Ford Motor Company". Time. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b c d e "Damyanti (Rani) Gupta - Worldwide Speakers Group". 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b "Heartening Stories of Female Engineers at Ford Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day | Middle East | Ford Media Center". media.ford.com. Retrieved 2024-12-02.
- ^ a b Crisman, Chris (2020). Women's Work: Stories from Pioneering Women Shaping Our Workforce. Simon & Schuster. pp. 134–135. ISBN 9781982110376.
- ^ Gupta, Dr Sanjay (2016-01-13). "The women who changed my life". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-02.