Business Today: Cognizant’s Senior Vice President Named Among Most Powerful Women in Business for 2013

Sumithra Gomatam, Senior Vice President, Cognizant

Business Today, a leading Indian business magazine, has named Cognizant’s Sumithra Gomatam one of the Most Powerful Women in Business for 2013. This is the 10th year of the magazine’s annual listing that celebrates the triumphs of women who have succeeded in living their dreams.

“Gomatam’s trained musical ear has helped hone her business skills,” writes the magazine, referring to the fact that she grew up learning the veena (a string instrument used in Indian classical music). “Over the years, listening to the distinctive resonance of the string instrument helped her in unintended ways. It sharpened her listening skills and shaped her thinking—qualities she uses in her line of business today.”

That, the magazine adds, is just one of the skills that make her a great leader. “She also has enormous conviction and the ability to execute,” it writes.

“Her energy and ability to just keep challenging and the firmness she exhibits in dealing with situations make her stand out,” says Lakshmi Narayanan, Vice-Chairman of Cognizant. “She is a bold decision-maker.”

When asked if being a woman has ever been a drawback, Gomatam says that the glass ceiling is a myth. “You have to give a lot of yourself to meet clients overseas. How much of yourself you want to give determines how far you can go,” she says.

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