India, Nov. 30 -- It's a balmy Saturday morning in Hyderabad, and we are sitting on the verandah of a lovely bungalow in the plush Jubilee Hills. I am in the city to conduct interviews for a book, and when I reach out at short notice, Vanitha Datla graciously invites me to her home on a Saturday morning. I first met Vanitha some years ago at the launch 'Bold and Brilliant - stories that inspire', which our company published for the CII-IWN, and was struck by her dignified and direct manner.

At our second meeting, she juggles grandma duty and the professional interview, multitasking with aplomb and ease. I had always viewed her as coming from a place of privilege and was surprised to learn that the privilege came with its own pain. When V...