INNOVATION, C S E OF LEAIJE ft'.,;

BY USHA R ARVIND :-;.,

Dr Marlene Kanga finds great inspiration in the lace l11e lme of the land <lown l]J]de r proved too hard to resist for cbe feisty Indian lnstirute of Technology graduate. It was Australia in the 1970s. The White Australia policy had finally been dismantled and the AntiDiscrimination Act had passed rluongh Parliament Armed with an engineering degree, hope and a never- say-never spirit. P une-born Kanga migrated to Australia with her husband Rusrom.

Steve Jobs' prophetic words, ''The only way to do great wor.k is to love what you do".

Embracing this philosophy, d1e chemical engineer, who specialises in risk management and safety engineering, has scaled greac heights.

Despite a stellJlt academic career anti dedication to her profession, breaking into the workforce was not eas y. What proved even harder for Kanga was shattering wellentrenched stereotypes, particularly gender based ones.

Nor one to give up, the outspoken Kanga eventually secured her first breakthrough, rising quickly up the corporate ladder, making many meaningful contributions along the way.

Inspired by her father's achievements as one of India's first engineers in Goa and :iYiaharashtra, a young Marlene was determined ro follow in his footsteps

She enrolled at me Indian Institute of Technology in .Mumbai, one of the p ioneering women co do so in a male dominated industry.

''l'vfy father bad a great deal of integrity. He also had a great sense of purpose in senring d1e commmucy," she said

It is this legacy that she has passionately carried forward \X7b.i.le