Meet Bharti Yadav

Bharti Yadav, affectionately called "India"—a nod to the Hindi translation of Bharat, her homeland—reflects on her remarkable journey from Gurugram, India, to Woodbury, Long Island. Following an arranged marriage in her early twenties, Bharti and her husband embarked on the adventure of pursuing the American dream as immigrants, forging their path without any family support.

Personal Background: Can you share a bit about your family's journey or your own journey to US?

I was born in my paternal village, Caterpuri, and grew up in a middle-class family in the city of Gurugram (formerly Gurgaon) in the Haryana state of northern India. Both of my grandfathers served in the army, while my grandmothers managed their farms to support their families and played a significant role in educating our parents during a time when there were barely any opportunities available. My parents are now retired teachers, and they provided a great education to me and my siblings, which helped us expand our horizons.

After having an arranged marriage in my early twenties, my husband and I moved to the USA and began living the “American dream” as immigrants without any family support. There were many challenges and triumphs along the way, but having a good education and strong willpower kept us going. We are blessed with two beautiful boys and are able to provide them with the best education in Syosset, Long Island, so that they are enabled to take the family baton forward.

Today, when I reflect back, I can't be more grateful for all the hardships our families endured, which helped us live the dream they had for their future generations. I want to make a special mention of my maternal grandfather, who had a huge influence on me while I was growing up, and I always live by the values he taught me.

Favorite Part of Culture: What is your favorite aspect of your cultural heritage, and why is it special to you?

Being Indian, I celebrate many colorful festivals like Diwali, Holi, Rakhi, and others, with many cherished childhood memories attached to them. Personally, my favorite part is dressing up for these festivals and enjoying the celebrations and food with my loved ones. Overall, we have a very rich heritage in terms of music, dance, art, languages, food, and clothing, which varies from North to South and East to West.

Role at the Company: What is your role at the company, and how long have you been with us?

I am a Senior HR Technology and Analytics Manager, managing the company's HRIS system, SuccessFactors, for the HR department at SCOA. I will be completing two years at SCOA in June 2024.

Professional Journey: What inspired you to pursue your current career path or join our company?

I completed my bachelor’s in information technology in India, and while pursuing my master's in HR at Adelphi University in New York, I was searching for a career that blended both IT and HR. Fortunately, one of my adjunct professors guided me toward the HRIS field, and that is how I ended up in this field. Regarding Sumitomo, it was a pleasant surprise when a recruiter approached me. I didn't know about the company before, but since joining, I have discovered many good things about the culture and the people I work with. I feel lucky to be part of all the positive changes happening in the company currently.

Experiences and Perspectives: How do you think your cultural background shapes your perspective and contributions in the workplace?

My Indian background brings out the best in me, enabling me to cope in a new place like America for the past 17 years. While keeping my Indian roots intact, I have added layers of modernization and a global perspective to my personality while living in the USA. On one hand, being patient, positive, cheerful, and respectful to others comes naturally from my upbringing in India. On the other, being open-minded, respectful of different ethnicities, working out of my comfort zone, and thinking outside the box are qualities I have garnered from America. All the attributes I mentioned, along with the people I have engaged with in my workplace, have helped shape me into a well-rounded person who always strives to bring out the best in every situation, both at work and outside of it.

Challenges and Triumphs: Have there been any particular challenges or triumphs you've experienced as an AAPI individual in the workplace OR in the US?

Right after my marriage, I came to the USA in my early twenties along with my husband, whom I barely knew. On the personal front, we faced many challenges, such as understanding American culture and people, learning the language, driving, dealing with visa issues, job searching, doing a full-time MBA with a six-month-old, housing, and raising kids without any family support. However, along with these challenges, there were many triumphs, such as gaining US citizenship, making friends with people from different cultures, raising our family in the beautiful town of Long Island, and providing a great education for our boys.

On the professional front, there were many challenges as well, starting from obtaining a work permit to navigating a career break, understanding the work culture in America, proving my worth, and grasping the jokes and sports conversations happening in day-to-day workplace interactions. However, to face these challenges, I worked hard to polish my job and communication skills. I was also fortunate to find a few sponsors along the way, including my husband, colleagues, and a few executives who saw potential in me, which kept my self-belief and confidence alive. Along with completing my full-time MBA from Adelphi, one of the highlights was when I was selected as one of 180 women from the USA for the WICT Rising Leaders one-week program in 2016.

Despite having a 17-year career span, I would say I am still waiting for the perfect opportunity for my full potential to flourish, and in some capacity, I see that happening at SCOA. I cannot wait to write the new chapter of my career and experience my biggest professional triumph working here.

Advice or Reflections: What advice would you give to other AAPI professionals navigating their careers?

My advice would be to "dream high," "never give up," and "have faith in yourself." Stay open-minded, communicate, and you will see many people around you looking at you beyond your cultural and ethnic differences, respecting you for simply "being you." To me, that is a great win, being recognized purely as a great professional whose intentions are focused on excelling in your job and providing excellent service to the company you work for. Additionally, be a "sponsor" when in a position of power, without any cultural biases, and promote people who deserve to shine.

?