Monika Rawal/Times News Nework

Mumbai, Apr 30: As the winds of change continue to blow strongly, the so-called chauvinist and dominant male may soon be a distant memory.

 In our recent special coverage of Women’s day we focused on the contemporary Indian women. We spoke about how the Indian woman is no longer content to stay behind the shadows and is fighting for her space and her identity - a global identity.

And indeed, it is true that the Indian woman is fast becoming a force to reckon with at the workplace, at home, and in society. Be it in the corporate corridors of power or the local panchayat – she is carving her own place and living life on her own terms.

So, where does that leave the contemporary Indian man? Where does he fit in this new scheme of things? Is he supportive and encouraging to seeing his female counterpart don a new avatar or is he feeling cheated and threatened? We spoke to a cross section of Indian men and the reactions were, well, a surprising mix of matter-of-fact acceptance, pride and brace yourselves – a wee bit of denial!

While some men took pride in the fact that women are walking with their head held up high, there were some – a miniscule number though - who are still not ready to accept women taking over the reins of control. Or, to cut them some slack, are questioning the extent to which the fairer sex has actually surged ahead.

Ashish Kumra, a professional working with an MNC says, “As a man and moreover as an individual, I welcome this transformation. It feels good to see that more and more women are coming out of their homes and making it big in the world but still their numbers are very few as compared to men and there’s lot more for them to achieve.”

Jamal Shaikh, editor of a men’s health magazine, also agrees with the fact that the pace at which the Indian woman is moving ahead is not constant. “The change hasn’t been extra significant in more recent times. India has had a lady Prime Minister but it was way back in the 70’s, after all. But it is very heartening to see Indian women continuing to grow in personal and professional fields.”

While it may take men like Kumra and Shaikh and others like them, some time to shake off the cobwebs of traditional male dominance, even they agree, albeit grudgingly, that the Indian woman has come a long way.

With continuous efforts and a fairly accommodating environment both at the workplace and at home, women have not only earned an equal status to that of men but have also surpassed them in many instances. “With the same educational opportunities and family setup, there is no question of disparity or gender bias. I would not say just equal status, somewhere women have left men far behind,” says Pavan Kaushik, an author and counselor by profession.

DJ and model Ignatius states that there is nothing wrong to see women progressing and the change is undeniably for the good of the society. He goes on add, “It’s time for us to stop this generalization of men and women. Both are unique in their own ways and apt to fit in any field.”

Especially when it comes to the professional front, the changeover seems to be much bigger, faster and a complete turn around of what it was a decade ago.

“As a modern Indian man, I feel proud of the way the Indian woman has evolved in the business field. It has made possible double income homes, which takes the burden of supporting the family off the sole shoulders of the man. And the educated and informed female spouse also serves as a support system to her man in today’s times of cut throat corporate competition,” feels Shaikh.

In fact, the changing face of the Indian woman has tilted the scales of power in their favour, and this has never been more apparent than in the changing dynamics of relationships today. Be it father and daughter, a husband and wife, or live-in partners, these dynamics are causing relationships to change, and economic independence among women is one primary cause, according to experts.

“At the workplace, it’s important to treat your female colleagues with the same respect and professional etiquette that you treat your male colleagues with. It shouldn’t be a shame to work for a woman boss. At home, one must remember that the woman could be your wife, your sister or even your daughter – she is not the competition with whom you compare salary slips. If anything, the man should be proud if she is professionally more successful than he is,” feels Shaikh.
And as the winds of change continue to blow strongly, the so-called chauvinist and dominant male may soon be a distant memory. In a surprising revelation, more and more men are pretty gung-ho about these changes and are more than happy to have women on top, without putting their masculinity at odds. Most men actually feel that being labeled as the stronger sex is outdated, overused and a reminder of how unfair the balance has been in the past.

Men also feel that there is no need for them to cope with the changing face of the Indian woman. If anything, these changes help them better understand the mind of the contemporary Indian women.

So, there you have it. The great Indian man is not sulking, nor is he feeling cheated or threatened by the rise of the fairer sex. If anything, he is proud to walk by her side in her new journey of self-discovery.