India’s air cargo sector would have lost Vandana Singh if the rules from way back in the Nineties permitted young ladies to join the fighter squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Singh’s father, Brigadier S. L. Kapur was aware of the ambition of his daughter: to become a fighter pilot. In fact, he tried his utmost to fulfill her dreams, but the rules could not be bent or broken. So, Vandana settled for a career that would take her close to flying fighter jets.
     Today, after more than 18 years in the air cargo sector, Singh as regional commercial director, Asia Pacific Region, ECS Group, wakes up every morning ready to fly. And for those who think cargo is boring and monotonous, she has just three words: Explorative, challenging, fun. So what makes this lady go?
     She was with Lufthansa Cargo earlier —in fact, for 15-odd years—and found it “a disciplined run and a journey, where, at every turn, I learnt something new. Now with European Cargo Services, which happens to be the largest Cargo GSA in the world with 140 airlines, it is an opportunity to actively network and build on Relationship Management, which is close to my heart,” she said.
     Affable, friendly, and charming, Vandana Singh has a healthy respect for the cargo industry. She told FlyingTypers, “This industry has always managed to bring out the best in me and I have had the good fortune of working with incredibly smart people who have continued to motivate and support me through it all.”
     When she joined the industry, there were just a handful of women. But she did not mind working in a male-dominated industry. She said, quoting Donovan Bailey, “Follow your passion, be prepared to work hard and sacrifice and, above all, don’t let anyone limit your dreams.” Simply put, aviation and cargo have always been her passion, and “once a person decides to reach out for her passion, it is never really difficult to find the way in.”
     As for cargo being essentially a male dominated industry . . . well, these days the changing status of women in society is a subject of increasing importance and attention. “Reality has shown that women these days are able to achieve superior financial growth in various industries,” said Singh. As a woman, “maybe somewhere along the road I did face troubles but as I said . . . when you work for what you love, you overcome all obstacles and besides, my male colleagues have been very understanding and support my growth in this industry.”
          Her working life, she pointed out, has revolved around the “transfer of knowledge and working together. My colleagues and those who are reporting to me—since the day I joined European Cargo Services—and on my path in this industry, have been very supportive and receptive.” She said she had the good fortune of receiving “an exceedingly good response from everyone.”
     Today, she specializes in global key accounts management and relationship management. In her previous role, Singh became a pioneer of sorts when she brought about “line optimization and balance in export-import ratio on [our] flights with Consignee Sales Management and International Sales.” That, she said, was something that will live with her forever.
     An avid traveler, every aircraft is “my second home.” And whenever anyone asks her if she can drive a car, she replies: “No . . . But, I can fly!” It’s the cargo in the bellyhold, however, that remains her everlasting passion. “This passion has allowed me to travel to 90 percent of the world. For me, learning never stops, the challenges never stop. In fact, they keep on growing. Sometimes I feel as if I am working in a stock exchange. It is so unpredictable and just enough to keep the excitement and adrenalin pumping.”
     As we rise to leave, Vandana mentions one of her idols, Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube.
     “At the end of the day,” she quotes Wojcicki, “both men and women who have become CEOs have showed tenacity and hard work to succeed in their careers. It takes not only skill but extreme dedication and commitment, and regardless of gender, CEOs are measured by the same criteria—the growth and success of business.”
Tirthankar Ghosh