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Rekha Menon is different and she likes it that way. Here's why. The Associate partner at Accenture preferred to begin her career on the shopfloor at Eicher GoodEarth after XLRI, unlike her fellow female batchmates who chose to join blue chip companies. Recalls Menon, "I was the only woman among 500 men on the shopfloor." It was intimidating and even hostile at times, but that did not stop her. Post Eicher, it was Ashok Leyland and again Menon was the only woman among 3,000 men.

After five years at her job, Menon left to study Organizational Behavior from Temple University in Philadelphia, but returned without completing her PhD (her husband did not get a visa) and rejoined Ashok Leyland. After her first child was born, she quit her job and started her own consulting firm in 1989, RMM (for Rekha M Menon) Consultants. Says Menon, "I a needed to strike a balance between my work and family life at that point in time."

Six years later Menon joined Pradeep Singh-promoted Aditi Technologies and took the software product company from a 100-member organization to a 1,000-odd people. In 2000, Menon with Pradeep Singh co-founded Talisma, the first CRM product company out of India. "Unlike a services company, a product company can't offer much. It was a great challenge to bring talented people with the right skill-sets on board," says Menon. In 1999, the Talisma promoters fell out with the VCs and while Singh returned to Aditi, Menon decided to take a year off to concentrate on something that she wanted to do for a long time-work for underpri–viledged kids, and she joined the board of Akshara Foundation as a trustee.

In January 2004, Menon returned to work and this time in a larger role as the head of India Geographic Services. But Menon loves action. In one-and-half years, she already has some aces up her sleeve. Accenture India is up from a 300-member team in January 2004, when she took charge, to a 10,000-member organization. And the procurement and recruitment models used in India are being rolled out globally.

After 18 years in the industry, Menon feels that work life has just begun and she has lots to do. The energy in her voice is unmistakable. The only regret, she has very little time for her social work, something she is determined to get back to post retirement. Says Menon, "Varghese Kurien and Ela Bhat are a great source of inspiration for me. I want to use my organizational skills in the social sector and make a difference."

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