#POV: Navya Naveli Nanda on why women must believe they can have it all

Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and newly-minted ambassador of L’Oréal Paris’ ‘I Know My Worth’ Campaign, Navya Naveli Nanda speaks to Bazaar India about standing up for what she believes in, embracing failures, and creating an equal world.

Harper’s Bazaar: You have grown up around such strong female forces in your family. Tell us how they have inspired you.                                                                                                                                                               
Navya Naveli Nanda: “My nani (maternal grandmother, Jaya Bachchan) is someone I have looked up to all my life—she has taught me to be unapologetically myself. What I admire about her is that she is very confident in who she is, and never shies away from speaking her mind. And I have implemented this philosophy when it comes to my work...whether it is speaking up about women’s rights or women’s health, I am not afraid to speak my mind.”

HB: What prompted you to launch your own company and an NGO at such a young age?                               
NNN: “I certainly can’t say that I know everything that I want to do in life and there’s probably a lot more that I would like to do in the future. But when I got back to India after graduating from college, I began observing my immediate environment and realised that women face a lot of injustices in their day-to-day lives—some of it was through interactions with other people, and some I experienced personally. I realised that I have been given a lot in life and I should be using that privilege responsibly. And that’s when I decided to set up Project Naveli, an NGO that works towards women’s empowerment, and launch Aara Health, a start-up focusing on women’s health.”

HB: That must have made you feel very emotional...
NNN: “I am in a very grateful position in life where I haven’t had to face most of those injustices. But when you hear about other women, or see them on-ground, first-hand, it can be a bit overwhelming. But we need to realise that these injustices happen every day, and we must understand how to act on them. And we have to be comfortable talking about them, because how else can we spread awareness?”

HB: In the past, women likely had to sacrifice one aspect of their lives in order to accelerate the other. But, as Gen-Z, do you think women can have it all?
NNN: “I think my generation has grown up thinking very differently—I really feel that you can have it all. And it’s about time we start believing that we can, because women have made too many sacrifices in the past! In fact, I think it is great to see so many young women be more ambitious and have lofty goals.”

HB: How can women be more fearless and go after what they want?
NNN: “I am still learning that, because I am so young...so I don’t have the perfect answer. But I think, from personal experience, it’s probably the fear of failure that has kept me from going after what I want. More than failing, we are scared of what people might say. And somewhere, we think like that because women have had to constantly prove themselves to get their seat at the table. But I have altered my approach. Now, I constantly tell myself that I am successful at everything that I do. Also, if I get everything I want in life, then I might not learn anything. Learning is the most important part of the journey, not the successes or the wins. So I encourage failure...I am no longer afraid of it. I feel that the more I fail, the more I’ll learn, because I will come out of that situation far more knowledgeable.”

HB: What gives you courage?
NNN: “In moments of doubt, I turn to my family. They give me a lot of strength and encouragement, and remind me of how far I have come.”

HB: What is your call to action for women today?
NNN: “That we need to support each other a lot more than we do currently. We must not tear each other down, but rise together.”

HB: What do we need to do to create a more equal world?
NNN: “When we talk about equality, and especially feminism and women empowerment, it is not the sole responsibility of womankind. The only way we can truly achieve equality is when men join this movement. Men need to step up in every sphere of life, only then will we achieve true equality.”

HB: Tell us about your association with L’Oréal Paris for their ‘I Know My Worth’ campaign.
NNN: “The campaign focuses on women’s empowerment, which I resonate with. But what I really liked about the ‘I Know My Worth’ campaign is that L’Oréal Paris really focused on us being ‘us’. It’s heartening to see their emphasis on authenticity, and that’s what drew me to be a part of it. If you see the videos, you’ll notice that it has been shot keeping our different personalities in mind—it showcases who we are as people and the work we do.” 

HB: You have established yourself as an entrepreneur and a philanthropist. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
NNN: “I would love to continue working with L’Oréal Paris to raise awareness around women empowerment and, of course, what ‘real’ beauty stands for. I think the brand is doing some fabulous work in that sphere. As for myself, there are many things that I want to achieve. I am happy with where I am today, but I’m certain that there’s a lot more out there for me. I am taking each day as it comes.”