Aparna Jain is India’s first certified Integral Master Coach,marketing consultant, feminist and an author. Aparna Jain spent her growing up years studying in Bengaluru before moving to Switzerland where she studied at the Alpina School of Hotel Management and received a Diploma with a double specialization in Sales & Marketing and Food & Beverage. She pursued a post graduate programme in Hospitality at the Oberoi School of Hotel Management and worked with leading business and media houses.Jain founded Zebraa Works, a boutique integral leadership coaching and immersive consulting firm that offers customized leadership coaching using the Integral Coaching methodology. She is passionate about championing women leaders in the workplace and empowering them to overcome women challenges. Literature enthusiast Simi Gupta moderated the enthralling session of An Author’s Afternoon in Kolkata with Aparna Jain.

Her books appeal to the young adults hugely despite being women centric. Her book TheSood Family Cookbook shares diverse and global familyrecipes from 56 members of her family and close friends and has been an instant hit. Aparna’s book Own It: Leadership Lessons From Women Who Do is a book based on interviews of women in top managerial and leadership positions in Indiaand aims to motivate chief executives and HR heads who are serious about fostering a gender-neutral workplace as well as throws light on facing and dealing with adverse circumstances faced by women in their workplace. The book has been like manna for many a working woman facing gender bias, bullying, sexual harassment and impact of motherhood. Aparna’s next book Like a Girl: Real Stories for Tough Kidsis an invigorating collection of real-life stories of 56 amazing women who broke stereotype to pave the way for change and revolution. The pages of the book reveal incredible tales of confidence, humanity, talent, intelligence, courage and perseverance from history as well as the present mileu. It carried the tales of women who did not fear to dream and never stopped chasing them. The impact of the book was such that her publisher insisted that she writes something for the boys as well. Therefore she decided to abandon her desire to write a sequel to Like A Girland went on to pen Boys Will Be Boys: Inspiring Stories for Smart Kidsa book that includes the story of 45 extraordinary men who dared and chose to be different and make a difference to society as well. Soon after Aparna began writing the book, the #ME TOO movement began and she was quite worried about the fact that the men she had chosen to write on, might have some dark side to them too. For fear of adverse reaction, she laughingly disclosed that she had thought of writing about dead men as ‘dead men tell no tales.’ The senior most person to be included in her book is JRD Tata who revolutionized the economic sector of the nation while the youngest is, sportsman PankajAdvani whose feats in Billiards and Snookers put India on the international sports map.

Her books have helped change and inspire lives with her identifiable approach and easy language. They can easily be termed as handbook for a better life. Her books carry bright and very introspective illustrations by various artists commissioned by her and sponsored by Oxfam.She feels that awards and acclaim is temporary and it is her deepest intention to be able to reach out to lives and motivate them to live better in every sense of the word. The youth of today Aparnaconsiders beingvery progressive and focused.

Aparna believes that one should “Focus on what can be fixed” and keep our minds open. It’s not the intention that matters the most, it’s the impact. Her 23 years of experience in the corporate world adds to her wisdom and approach. Her cool demeanor and her wit charmed the audience and had the younger guests totally bowled over. Aparna’s session was truly an eye-opener and inspiration for many. Her forthcoming book is titled ’Happy New Me “ centres around building habits.

Aparna was felicitated by Shaneel Parekh from Ahmedabad,while Esha from Taj Bengal delivered the thank you note.