Already Empowered

Dr. Aisha Banu on Education, Authenticity, and Leadership

Dr. Aisha Banu W. has a refreshing way of turning conventional wisdom on its head. As Professor and Head of the Computer Science Engineering Department at B.S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology, she's spent over 27 years in academia, but her perspective on what it means to be a woman in leadership challenges many of the typical narratives we hear about female empowerment.

"I am what I am because of the men around me," she says with a smile, and before you raise an eyebrow, she explains. "I have 4 brothers. I'm the only daughter in the family. And I have 2 sons. So, I'm in a world of men." Far from feeling diminished by this, she feels strengthened. "I always feel I'm strong because the men around me, they keep giving me strength."

This perspective shapes everything about how Dr. Aisha approaches life and leadership. She doesn't see herself as fighting against male-dominated systems or breaking glass ceilings, she sees herself as being supported to be exactly who she is, and that authenticity has been her greatest strength.

Redefining Independence

Ask Dr. Aisha about independence, and you'll get an answer that might surprise you. "I won't say independent," she clarifies when others use that term to describe her. "What does independence mean? My understanding of what generally people say independence is I earn my own money; I have my own freedom. But see, because we are born in this world doesn't mean we can do whatever we want in this world."

Her philosophy is more nuanced. "We have our own restrictions. We have to be responsible. We have to be good. It's applicable to all, women and men. I won't call myself independent. I am of course dependent on a lot of people." Instead, she prefers to talk about strength within community. "We are social animals, right? So we are dependent on everybody."

This isn't about limiting herself, it's about recognizing that true strength comes from understanding your place in a larger web of relationships and responsibilities. "I feel it's very important that you follow what your mind says and that freedom should be there for you to express what you say. But I don't believe in independence. I believe women should be very strong."

Even in her leadership role, this philosophy guides her decisions. "Just because I head the department doesn't mean I can rule them. It's not like that. I should be a good leader, taking care of everybody."

Building Something from Nothing

When Dr. Banu talks about her professional achievements, the numbers are impressive. She took the CSE department from 30-35 faculty members to 80.

But perhaps more impressive than the numbers are how she's approached leadership. "I requested the management, I changed the package that was given to them. I don't know if everybody will go and do it for someone else, because I don't usually go to others and ask for something." Her willingness to advocate for her team, even when it meant stepping outside her comfort zone, exemplifies her leadership philosophy.

The Transformation Power of Education

Dr. Aisha’s story becomes even more remarkable when you understand where she started. "I was from a very conservative family where my dad and mom were not educated," she explains. "My dad's sister had come home and said you should not educate your daughter." The pressure to prioritize marriage over education was real, "people were very keen that I get married rather than I study", but she persisted, getting married in her final year and continuing with her PG and PhD.

The transformation of her entire family through education reads like something out of an aspirational narrative, except it's completely real. "All 5 of us are engineers," she says of herself and her four brothers. Today, her brothers head companies across the UAE and India, managing projects worth "zillions, trillions" and employing hundreds of people. And now all of us are doing really very good. And it's all only because of education."

Her mother's vision was crucial to this transformation. "The only good thing she did was she said my daughter should also be educated. She didn't limit it to only my sons are educated, my daughter is not. She also ensured I also get equal education."

Challenging the "Empowerment" Narrative

One of Dr. Banu's most provocative views concerns the concept of women's empowerment. "I don't believe in women empowerment. We're already empowered. Why do you try to empower us again and again?" she asks. "I think empowerment is already with us. It's up to the individual to take it or not take it."

This isn't complacency, it's a fundamental reframing of how we think about power and agency. Rather than seeing women as needing to be empowered by external forces, she believes the power already exists and the challenge is in recognizing and claiming it.

 

 

The Art of Communication and Persistence

When things don't go as planned, Dr. Banu relies on two key strategies: communication and perseverance. "I always believe in communication. Go talk to someone like both of us have a misunderstanding or they don't trust you. I just go talk to them."

She's learned that assumptions often create unnecessary barriers. "Sometimes we assume that they think something, but that assumption might be many times wrong. When you tell them, this is what this is, it gets a better understanding."

Her approach to persistence isn't about bulldozing through obstacles but about finding ways to help others understand. "Either you have to prove them you're right or you have to make them understand. Many times I feel making them understand is more important."

The Unique Strengths Women Bring

While Dr. Banu doesn't believe in treating men and women as fundamentally different, she does acknowledge certain tendencies. "Usually they are very loving and caring, females. More nurturing," she observes, but quickly adds a crucial caveat: "That's not to say men do not have it. Many times they do not express that."

Her insight about expression versus feeling is particularly astute: "Women are very expressive. Men are not that expressive. So what children think is, 'Oh, mom is very loving, not the dad,' but it's actually equal love. It's the way of loving that is different."

She sees this as primarily about communication styles rather than fundamental emotional differences. "Even if they love more than the other party, they do not know how to show it. So it might get translated to being like females love more."

Advice for the Next Generation

Dr. Banu's advice to younger women is both practical and philosophical. "Don't worry," she begins, then gets more specific. "You are holding responsibilities. Don't think someone should do it for you. It is yours and you have to carry it."

But she's also concerned about modern pressures around appearance and social media. "These days I think people are very fascinated with how they look, what others think of them. I think there's nothing to worry about that., do what you want and whatever is right.

Her message about authenticity is particularly strong: "You are beautiful. You don't have to look beautiful in others' eyes. You are good. You don't have to look good in others' eyes. Just be yourself. That's more beautiful than all shades that we put on."

This extends to financial independence and personal integrity. "Have your own money, be financially independent, definitely work. Don't worry about anything. Be happy and do your responsibilities. Don't shy away from that."

Staying True to Yourself

Perhaps Dr. Banu's most consistent message is about authenticity. "You have to have a definition of who you are. Just because you like someone, you don't have to change.

But she's also clear that authenticity doesn't mean moral relativism. "Every religion preaches dos and don'ts. I think you have to faithfully follow that. Naturally, you will not do wrong things. You will do the right things the right way."

What Society Can Do Better

When it comes to systemic change, Dr. Banu focuses on practical issues. "Society can make it more safe for women," she emphasizes. "Still, we are not, though boys also these days cannot go out, girls can never go out after 10, except for the metropolitan cities. Many times you're not able to go out because there is no safety for women."

She also highlights the importance of digital safety and, perhaps most importantly, creating space for women's voices. "All of us have to be receptive of what girls are telling us without judging them. That's very important."

A Different Kind of Leadership Story

Dr. Aisha Banu's story challenges many contemporary narratives about women in leadership. She doesn't position herself as someone who broke barriers or fought against systems, instead, she presents herself as someone who was supported to be authentic and strong within her community of relationships.

Her transformation from a young woman in a conservative family who was told she shouldn't be educated to a professor leading one of the largest academic departments in her institution isn't framed as a victory over patriarchal systems. Instead, it's presented as the natural result of education, family support, hard work, and staying true to her values.

In a world full of advice about how women should be stronger, more confident, or more assertive, Dr. Banu offers something different: the suggestion that maybe we're already enough, and the real work is in recognizing that fact and living accordingly. Her success, built on authenticity, education, and genuine care for others, suggests there might be more than one way to lead, and more than one way to be empowered.

Interviewee: Dr. Aisha Banu

Interviewer: Shivani Venugopal

Edited By Ayesha Zafreen