Mother's Day is a special occasion to honour mothers and other mother figures and those who play a significant role in shaping their young ones. Many moms balance the demands of a career and running a household in this fast-paced world. They are able to raise and take care of their families, in addition to bringing their best selves to work. Among these inspiring mothers is Debarpita Das, a mother of a one-year-old girl, and Program Manager at Amazon India.
Hailing from Tripura, where Debarpita spent her formative years, she moved to Chennai in 2011 to embark on her professional journey. Thereafter, she pursued a Master’s in Business Administration, laying the foundation for her career growth. Debarpita joined Amazon in 2017 assuming the role of Manager – Customer Service and currently works in the Program Management role in the Finance (Operations) division, where she has led projects across AWS, Digital, and Devices businesses of Amazon spanning over ten geographies. Debarpita's notable projects include launching Amazon India’s first all-women Virtual Customer Service (VCS) – an initiative towards empowering women.
In 2023, Debarpita embraced a new chapter in her life as a mother and welcomed her daughter. She took an extended maternity break to care for her daughter, and it was during this phase that she learned about the ParentEx program at Amazon, and how she could benefit from it. ParentEx program aims to enhance the experience of employees in their parental journey, enable affinity and peer group support, provide expert consultations on parental topics, and extend organization support during moments that matter. Reflecting on the program, she says, “I take pride in being part of an organization that prioritizes the well-being of new parents. The ParentEx program was of immense help to me, especially when I resumed work following my extended maternity leave. Initially grappling with feelings of guilt over not being able to devote as much time to my infant daughter, I found solace and guidance through the program. One of the expert sessions conducted under ParentEx was on the topic ‘spending quality time with your child’ which reshaped my perspective that it’s not the amount of time you spend with your children that counts, but it’s the quality of the connection you have with them when you are together that matters, and other mindful parenting techniques empowering me to better attune to my child's needs and foster a stronger bond.’’
Balancing work and motherhood is a continuous effort, but Debarpita has managed to successfully implement a balanced plan. This includes sharing workload responsibilities with her husband, efficiently managing her time by allocating specific hours for work and baby care, and seeking help from her family to care for her one-year-old child while she is at work. She also attributes part of her success to Amazon’s support in setting up some unique practices, ‘’Thanks to the flexible work options, I am able to effectively manage my responsibilities at work and at home. Furthermore, open communication with my manager has been instrumental in prioritizing work commitments according to my needs.”
Debarpita also shares that her own mother has always been a source of inspiration for her. She recollects her memory of admiring her as a strong, determined, independent woman who skillfully balanced her professional and personal lives. Resulting in making her an independent and resilient woman, which Debarpita aims to pass on to her daughter.