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Alumni Spotlight: Jaya Sajani
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All her life, Jaya Sajani has been pushing herself to achieve more. It’s a journey that took her from India to the UK, from MBA student to director of her own company, a board trustee and a campaigner for female advancement. Read on to find out more about her journey.
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After doing her Bachelors in business administration at a university in India, Jaya came to the UK in 2003 hoping to do an MBA.
I wanted to explore myself and see what I could do as a woman. I come from a very conservative background where it was expected that once you finish secondary school you were meant to get married, but I wanted to study further.”
However, when she arrived, it turned out that the college she had applied for didn’t yet exist. The building was still being built, and the college was relying on the fees Jaya and her contemporaries would pay to get it constructed.
As she was on a student visa, Jaya needed to find somewhere to study, but was quickly finding that most schools required a minimum of three years’ business experience to enrol on an MBA.
I had no idea what I wanted to be. As a girl I was not allowed to go anywhere by myself. So, all I wanted to do was figure out who I was and explore my limits. That’s why I wanted to do an MBA. I knew it would open up a vast number of options for me. Whichever field you go into, management is required.”
So, Jaya dedicated herself to studying a series of postgraduate diploma courses and working in an accounting firm. Just as she was losing hope that she would ever study for her MBA, she saw an advert for UWL (then called Thames Valley University) on a passing bus.
This whole journey really helped me. If I’d gotten onto my MBA straight away, I would never have understood the environment they were teaching about. Getting that experience, going beyond the theory, that helped a lot.”
At the time, she had a new baby daughter, and was very grateful to her lecturers for their support with balancing her studies and motherhood.
I was nervous to email my lecturers because English is not my first language, and I had a new family at the time. It was difficult, but they didn’t mind me bringing my daughter onto campus. I would leave her with friends while I studied in the library.”
When she graduated, Jaya went to work at City Hall, managing match funding from the European Union for international students coming to the UK for apprenticeships. She got this job because her MBA dissertation was on apprenticeships in the retail sector. While her degree had given her self-confidence and helped her to recognise opportunities when the arose, there was an issue.
There’s an unspoken rule that as a woman I should be in charge of childcare. So, when my daughter started nursery, someone had to drop her off and pick her up. Other women were telling me that I should give up my career. It wasn’t a deal I wanted to take.”
Jaya soon realised that there were several women in a similar position. When she approached the school to discuss transport, they informed her that there was no budget, and they’d need to organise something private. Sensing an opportunity, Jaya invested in a second-hand fourteen-seater minibus. Taking all the requisite qualifications, and applying for a bank account, she quickly built up her business.
I cannot tell you how many thank you cards I got. We did a door-to-door service, and it was a blessing for so many people.
This is what I tell every woman I meet. We have that strength within us, we just need the resources. I just wanted to empower other women.”
Nowadays, she has seven minibuses, three big coaches and a series of small cars. But Jaya still finds herself ignored by colleagues in the industry.
My biggest challenge has always been my gender. Eighty percent of public transport businesses are run by men. On all my courses, and in lots of networking meetings, I’m the only woman there. I even struggled to get investment because banks hadn’t ever seen a woman trying to run a company like this.”
Her experiences have inspired Jaya to do all she can to support women. Not only is she a judge on the Amazon Everywoman Awards, which she won in 2021, but she is also chair of Ladies of All Nations International, a charity focused on creating opportunities for global development.
Jaya is also the founder of Global Talent Solution Hub, travelling to India three times a year to present at High Schools and encourage young girls to pursue their academic dreams at university.
I have always tried to push myself and explore more of what I can do. Now that my business is operationally running, I needed something else to focus on.
My womanhood told me that I needed to do more to help other women. I want to be a servant. I want to serve communities and give back. It’s all for my daughter. She’s sixteen and she’ll be living in this world. I want her to live in a world where people are not afraid to ask for what they deserve.”
Since attending the University of West London, Jaya has been recognised with an honorary doctorate from the Global International Association and is hoping to continue empowering women in any way she can. Reflecting on her journey, she had this advice to share:
My biggest piece of advice is to just enjoy it. Be in the moment and don’t worry too much about the future.”
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