Shubhalakshmi Panse was pursuing a doctorate in embryology at Pune University, researching cell death, when she stumbled across an advertisement seeking probationary officers for the state-owned Bank of Maharashtra. She took the qualifying exams "just for fun" - and sailed through. That marked the end of her cell research. She joined the Mumbai-based bank and climbed the professional ladder over the next 37 years.
In the process, she became the first woman to lead the 148-year-old institution, India's oldest bank.
She says I believe in being transparent, it helps in the long run," she says. "When I work only for the organisation, people will respect me."