The queen in a man’s world

Dr Vasusmita Joshi is a force to reckon with. And it’s not just because of her amazing work. She has travelled a terrific journey throughout her career. It all began with her deep interest in Civil Engineering right from the time she was in school.

Vasusmita’s academic journey was daunting; she completed her education till B Tech from night college as she worked a day job to support her studies as well as her family. Her talent and skills helped her receive a scholarship for an M Tech in Structural Engineering. She started working in Hyderabad with Navyuga Engineering where she worked in Design Engineering for six years. Vasusmita later shifted to Mumbai after getting married and joined Eigen Consultancy Services.

Finally, in 2010, Vasusmita joined Afcons and was appointed for one of the biggest Marine & Industrial projects – Dahej Standby Jetty. She started working as Engineering Manager and it turned out to be a turning point in her professional life. The project not only threw multiple challenges, it also was under the direct aegis of a Central Government consultant, making it critical. Step by step using her skills and experience, she untangled every aspect. The long working hours, the endless meetings, all started paying off as the work shaped up steadily. However, this was just the start.

The project got stuck at a point when the Spanish design consultants and partners refused to work on the Structural Analysis and Design (STAAD) software. Although it was agreed in the initial contract, as the work started, the Spanish team found it difficult to cope up with the new technology. Step up Dr Vasusmita Joshi. She took the challenge head-on, and made trips to Spain to educate the team about the software and making them understand the importance of working with STAAD, it being the preferred software in India.

Although this was the biggest and most critical project of her life, she handled it with immense efficiency. Overcoming the language barriers, the gender biases, she kept learning and progressing, and helped executing this huge project which we all take pride in. Not to mention, she completed her PhD alongside her job. It’s her ‘never give up’ attitude that helped. And while the journey was difficult, with little family time and juggling multiple responsibilities, her passion and interest made it equally enjoyable for her.

That is probably the reason when, even in one of the most difficult times of her life, Vasusmita was able to contribute to work. Her little boy was pre-term, and while he was still in the hospital, she managed to handle her personal and professional life perfectly. With her being at the helm of many important projects, her commitment to work was unparalleled.

Its times like these that have defined Vasusmita’s career and her growth within the organisation and the industry. Over the years in Afcons, she has handled many precarious and significant projects such as GCPTCL Jetty, Inland Waterways terminal project in Varanasi – where her team’s contribution helped save substantial amount for Afcons, Vizhinjam Port project, etc. She is also working on Jaffrabad project where the designing for LNG Jetty has been done entirely in-house for the first time. She has led her team towards successful forays while imparting her knowledge and experience, creating a resourceful pool of professionals.

In an industry where handful of women prefer to work, let alone conquer unique feats, Vasusmita has been a guiding light, and inspiration to women and men alike.