By M.R. Narayan Swamy, IANS
Beijing : A self-made Indian woman company executive who lives in China and is one of only eight foreigners who will carry the Olympic torch is a humanist who views business as a vehicle to serve the larger society.
Meena Barot, 36, also feels that the honour of running with the torch for 200 metres on Chinese soil at the August Olympics has provided her “a great opportunity” to represent India.
But even as she basks in the glory of one who will have the world’s focus on her when she carries the Olympic flame, Barot comes across as an individual who has not forgotten the many struggles she waged to be what she is today: a successful woman.
“For me business is not only about the top line or bottom line sales and profit figures. It’s about creating opportunities, providing jobs and the families it supports,” Barot told IANS in an e-mail interview from Shijiazhuang city, about 250 km from Beijing.
Industrious and of Gujarati stock, Barot is the China representative of Shalina Group, a conglomerate with diversified interests in pharmaceuticals, mining and construction. It is recognised as the number one pharmaceutical company in Africa.
Barot was one of eight picked from a total of 262 expatriates from 47 countries in China who participated in an online contest. Around 1.5 million people representing 156 nations voted to select the eight who will carry the Olympic torch.
The still single Barot, who moved to China in March 2005, came fourth after bagging 9,266 votes. The other winners included two women from the US and Venezuela as well as five men from the Philippines, Germany, Japan, Colombia and Russia.
“I had entered the contest because I feel it is a very noble cause,” Barot told IANS. “Being an ordinary person I saw a great opportunity to represent our country at such a big scale.”
The Olympics, she feels, “connect nations, continents and the hearts of more than five billion people. It is a platform where sportsmanship is reflected and taught, so essential in day-to- day life, and it reminds us of a borderless world”.
When Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Beijing earlier this month, he met the Baroda-born Barot. She says she was overjoyed.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think of getting such an honour,” she said. “Although it was only a two-minute interaction, he appeared to be a very down to earth, kind and polite person. He spoke very nicely, wished me luck and blessed me.”
A bachelor in microbiology, Barot did a Diploma in Medical Lab Technology (DMLT) from the money she earned by working part time in a small clinic during graduation studies. Her first job was in Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai in 1994. She then went for a Masters in Business Administration, eventually becoming a company executive.
Barot is full of praise for China – and the Chinese people.
“China is a very nice country to live in. Once you start understanding and speaking basic Chinese, there is no problem,” she said. “The people here are very kind and helpful by nature and love to talk to foreigners.”
Crime against foreigners, she added, was virtually unknown. “It is a very safe country.”
In Shijiazhuang where she lives, there are just five Indian families. “We do meet each other during festivals.” A book lover and badminton player, she admits she misses badly her mother’s cooking although she has come to like Chinese cuisine.
“The Chinese people are curious to know about India, our culture, religions and festivals,” she said. “On Diwali, all my (Chinese) staff came to my house to see how I celebrate the festival and were very happy to see the ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps).
“My staff also likes our Indian food, which I cook and offer them many times. The Chinese like Indian dances very much. Some Indian movies are very famous, especially Raj Kapoor’s ‘Awara’. Many Chinese can hum the first line of its title song.”
Does she plan to return to India?
“I can stay in China as long as I wish to work in the present company or as long as they wish to keep me here,” she said. “I speak Chinese, and I can travel by myself anywhere in China. I am quite used to this place and the winters here. I do like it here.”