I Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each.

1 – According to Nooyi in the 50s and 60s what did parents habitually talk about?

Children’s grades at school.

2 – What ambition did Nooyi’s mother have for her daughter?

Nooyi’s mother wanted her to get married at 18 and to aspire to be the prime minister of India.

3 – What did Nooyi’s mother threaten Nooyi with?

To get her married by the time she was 18.

4 – What was the good news that Nooyi wanted to share with her mother?

She had become the president of PepsiCo,

5 – What did the mother say when she was told the good news?

Forget that important news and just go and buy some milk.

6 – What lesson did Nooyi learn from her mother?

She learned to leave her crown in the car garage; she learned the primary role in life is to be a wife and mother.

7 – How does Nooyi’s mother tell full credit for Nooyi’s success? Do you think it is justified?

Nooyi’s mother told Nooyi that whatever she acquired it was just because she had prayed for four to five hours a day. Yes it is justified.

8 – How does Nooyi rate herself as a mother?

Nooyi says that she is not like an Indian mother running after the kids, preparing snacks for the evening, but she is different and rates herself as okay mother.

9 – What is the secret of Indra Nooyi’s success?

The secret of Indra Nooyi’s success is the support of her family and she has chosen a right Husband. She balances everything being a mother, wife and executive.

10 – How does Nooyi manage time?

Nooyi slept only four hours but she felt as refreshed as she would have slept for six hours and in the other time she was involved in work.

II Answer the following questions in a paragraph of not more than 100 words each.

1 – Write a paragraph putting together all the information you have gathered about Indra Nooyi from the interview.

Indra Nooyi was born on 28th October 1995 in Chennai. Her mother threatened her to get her married at the age of 18 and wanted her to become the PM of India. Her father was an executive in the state bank. She got married to Raj, a very supportive and sounding board/ friend. She learns from her mother that the primary work is to be a wife and mother. She becomes the president of PepsiCo and her name appears in the fortune’s most powerful women’s list.

2 – How did Nooyi’s mother try to teach, Nooyi the role of a woman in the family? Do you agree with the mother’s view?

Nooyi’s mother always gave importance to family. When Nooyi becomes the PM of PepsiCo, she goes home happily to convey some glad tidings, but her mother asks her to fetch some milk. But Nooyi says that her husband was free at home. Her mother says that she did not her son-in-law to be disturbed. Her mother advises Nooyi to leave her crown (status) in the car garage and asks her to play a woman’s role by being a wife first and mother next. Yes, I agree with Nooyi’s mother.

3- Do you think Nooyi’s mother has contributed to her success? Why?

Yes Nooyi’s mother has contributed to her success. She was a typical Indian mother and had influenced her daughter to get good marks and had an ambition for her daughter to become the PM. She prayed 4-5 hours a day for the family. She encouraged Nooyi in every step and wanted her to be a wife and then a mother.

4 – How did Nooyi’s husband contribute to her success?

Nooyi says that first of all her family has supported a lot and she has chosen a right husband Raj who had been a great support to her. He has been more than a husband, a sounding board / friend. Without his help / support she could not have achieved the position.

5 – What does Nooyi mean when she says, ‘I have to decide every moment in time whether I am going to be a mother or a wife or an executive?

Nooyi says that her mother was a stereotypical Indian mother running after the kids, giving snacks. But Nooyi had to balance her time and role as wife, mother and executive. She slept only for 4 hrs and felt as though she slept for 6 hrs and that’s how she managed her time. Her mother wore saree always, but Nooyi as an executive doesn’t like to wear a saree. So, she herself decides every moment in the time if she is going to be a mother, wife or an executive.

6 – This interview presents a struggle between traditional and modern views about the role of women in society. Discuss.

Indra Nooyi is a modern lady where as her mother was a traditional woman. So according to the Indian tradition women had an important role to play in the family. She has to be a wife firsts and a mother next she had to look after the children and husband. But Nooyi says she manages time well and tries playing 3 roles at 3 different places, a wife, a mother and an executive. Hence, she doesn’t like wearing a saree while plays the role of an executive. She sleeps only for 4 hours when she is at home, hence she plays all the 3 roles and manages her own time.

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