‘Attraversiamo – Let Us Cross Over!’ Ever since I came across this term in ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert, it has held a special place in my mind — one I revisit whenever I navigate a transition. Every career transition, much like any life change, is a crossing over — from one way of living to another, often in an altered form.
As with any journey, transitions require planning and preparation. Decisions must be made about the optimal conditions for the shift, the desired destination, and, most importantly, what to carry forward and what to leave behind. Over the past five years, I have often spoken about my career transition into India’s social sector. However, I have rarely paused to reflect on that journey itself — how I prepared for it, the choices I made, and the milestones I crossed. In this blog, I intend to do just that.
Finding Purpose in the Social Sector
Today, as I reflect on my journey into the social sector, I find myself enjoying a fulfilling role leading the policy and communication team at the Central Square Foundation (CSF). I am surrounded by talented peers, challenged by new opportunities and motivated by the work I do every day.
The key to navigating a career transition lies in identifying what is truly essential to one’s sense of purpose and fulfilment.
To my mind, that serves as the North Star guiding the journey. For me, it was CSF’s vision — ensuring quality education for 26 crore children across India’s schools — combined with the possibility of driving impact at scale that drew me to this organisation.
With any transition comes the crucial decision of what baggage to carry and what to shed. As I pause to reflect on my journey, I look back to 2019, when, after nearly three decades with the Government of India as part of the Indian Post and Telecom Accounts and Finance Service, I chose to take early retirement from the Department of Telecom and explore new opportunities in the social sector.
A Career Shaped by Transitions
My professional journey began almost 35 years ago when I joined my alma mater, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, as a lecturer. Following that, I spent 27 years as a civil servant, navigating diverse roles across multiple locations — from small districts to bustling metros — playing a part in India’s growing telecom landscape from 1993 onward. Frequent relocations, every two to three years, became a way of life for me, each bringing its own set of challenges and opportunities for adaptation.
One transition that stands out vividly took place in the early 2000s. I moved from MTNL Mumbai, where I was managing revenue of approximately ₹300 crores across four exchanges, to the district town of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra, where my responsibility suddenly shrank to a revenue management of a mere ₹32 crores with a significantly smaller scope of operation. The shift was necessitated by my husband’s transfer as District Collector, and I soon realised that my ability to embrace flexibility was indeed a blessing. During this period, I took up golf, welcomed a baby, pursued an online management degree, and dedicated time to supporting my husband in his high-intensity role — all while continuing to fulfil my professional responsibilities.
Lessons in Adaptability
I now understand that this change, and others like it, taught me to seek opportunities in every transition to leverage my professional and people skills in new ways, depending on the context. Most importantly, to assimilate and apply past learnings afresh — while being patient with results, given the scale of operations and the multiple variables that impact success. Today, when a challenge at work requires a strategic response — whether it’s a stakeholder meeting, a well-crafted communication plan, or managing the variables that determine a desired outcome — I tap into those past experiences to ensure both adaptability and depth for the necessary calibration.
Transitioning into the social sector often comes with challenges, such as a reduced paycheck, differring comfort levels,vastly different stakeholder dynamics — from political to highly transactional — constant pressure to demonstrate impact through data, or the sheer scale and unpredictability of outcomes. These can be significant roadblocks to smooth assimilation. However, for me, they were relatively easier to navigate since my transition was not from a corporate setting but from a government role rooted in a welfare mandate, making the shift feel more aligned with my past experiences.
Letting go… and Family Support
It was essential for me to travel light, shedding inhibitions, expectations, and the weight of ‘log kya kahenge’ (what will people say). Given that the UPSC is one of the toughest exams in India, with an acceptance rate of just 0.2%, none of us who cleared it ever imagined leaving government service before completing our tenure. Stepping off this secure track and getting my family, friends, and colleagues to understand and support my decision was integral to the transition process. I was fortunate to have my spouse and children stand by me entirely. From sprucing my LinkedIn profile to supporting me with research, tools and skills needed for my new role, my immediate family was with me every step of the way. That was the greatest lever to get me emotionally ready for the transition.
Building on Strengths
Along with the conscious effort to travel light came the need to build on my existing skill set rather than pursuing an entirely new one. Agility and adaptability became essential. Fortunately, having grown alongside India’s telecom revolution over the past three decades, I was accustomed to navigating constantly evolving technologies and terminology — where even ‘bandwidth’ evolved from being a technical term to an HR term! As I reflect and connect the dots, this experience has sharpened my ability to recalibrate in advocacy work, engage with colleagues across generations — from their 20s to their 50s — and meet stakeholders at the right ‘frequency’— yet another telecom term!
The ILSS Experience
Much like that one essential pair of blue denim or a favourite universal outfit that always finds its way into a suitcase, I believe the most crucial attitude for a successful transition is trust. From the very first day of The ILSS Leadership Program, there were moments when it became essential for me to ‘talk the talk’ even before I could ‘walk the talk’. Trusting myself, respecting the process of assimilation, and valuing those who have dedicated decades to the sector required a conscious and continuous effort. In retrospect, this approach fostered a mutually enriching growth story.
Relationships Through Transition
As with any major life transition, some relationships fade away, some remain purely transactional, and some evolve into deep, lasting friendships that transcend time and place. Coming from the government, I have been fortunate to belong to a fraternity where shared experiences forge bonds that often outlast professional interactions. Tapping into this network from time to time has been a source of reassurance.
However, the social sector’s fast-paced nature and frequent professional shifts have been a stark contrast to the long-term associations I was accustomed to — both as an alum and as an officer. Adapting to short-term, transactional relationships across generations at work has been a challenging reality of my transition. Yet, moments like when an intern who now is a professional in a multilateral organisation still touches my feet when we meet, messages me every Teacher’s Day, and continues to call me ‘Boss’ serve as cherished reminders that some connections remain deep and meaningful, no matter how much the landscape changes.
Embracing Learning and Finding My Tribe
‘To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield’ — a favourite line from Alfred Tennyson’s Ulysses that I often draw motivation from, aptly summarises a trait that has led my children to call me ‘Dora, the explorer’! This spirit of curiosity and continuous learning has shaped both my personal and professional journey. Whether it was exploring museums and planning holidays when we were a young family or volunteering when I lived outside the country, or meeting at least 15-20 professionals from the social sector before I chose my path, I have always been open to new ways of learning, thinking and doing. This, I feel has held me in good stead as I have negotiated new ways of working and explored new technical concepts in education that are necessary for me to assimilate in order to deliver impactful outcomes.
Through all these transitions, much like Ulysses, I found islands of rest — spaces of comfort and renewal. For me, ILSS has been that sanctuary. A close friend recommended The ILSS Leadership Program, and from the moment I took the leap of faith, there was no looking back. I continue to be associated with ILSS both as an alum as well as a mentor for The ILSS Emerging Women’s Leadership Program. Anu and her committed team of changemakers designed an immersive 11-week program that not only equipped us with insights but also opened countless doors and windows to the social sector. The sense of belonging within and across cohorts has remained intact over the last five years and has been a constant sustenance for most of us. This is another arrow in my arsenal- finding resonance, creating a tribe and sustaining connections across both the old and the new ecosystems making life less of a lonely planet!
A Destination Well Worth It?
No good TripAdvisor review is complete without a glimpse of the destination — and whether it’s truly worth the journey. The same holds true for a transition into the social sector. At its core, what makes this space remarkable is the people — their steadfast commitment to positive change in India. From grassroots changemakers to seasoned NGOs that have shaped the sector for decades, from new-age philanthropies attracting world-class talent to multilaterals offering a global perspective, the ecosystem is rich with purpose-driven individuals.
Beyond this, the readiness to roll up one’s sleeves and get to work, whatever the task ahead, and focus on long-term goals while being mindful of short-term objectives, this sector offers unparalleled scope for all kinds of talent. For me personally, a refreshing sense of purpose and a shared bond that goes beyond OKRs, annual reviews, and increments have been key to sustaining my commitment to CSF, ILSS, and other related organisations.
In summary, as many of us negotiate transitions, it would work well to set sail with the right amount of baggage, with a generous reserve of courage and optimism as well as the travel insurance of a well-worth-it-plan, even if not so much to change the world at large, but to cross over into a better version of ourselves.
About the Author
Romonika currently assumes the role of Project Director, Policy & Communications at CSF. Prior to CSF, she worked for the Government of India for over two decades at senior policy-making levels. Earlier in her career, she was associated closely with the education sector, teaching at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, where she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in English Literature. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, creating mosaics, and learning new languages.
