Rita Kakati-Shah in conversation with Mahabahu – “I want to give back to my heritage by empowering the youth in Assam”

Rita Kakati-Shah in conversation with Mahabahu – I want to give back to my heritage by empowering the youth in Assam 

KAKALI DAS

Rita Kakati-Shah – the founder and CEO of UMA, international speaker, and award-winning leadership and career strategist – is a name associated with empowerment, resilience, and a deep connection to her Assamese roots.

Honored with the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award by former US President Joe Biden, Rita was recently appointed as the Executive President of the King’s Business School International Alumni Council.

In a recent and warm conversation hosted by Kakali Das, Assistant Editor, Mahabahu, and Padmaza Talukdar, Research Scholar at TERI-SAS, Rita opened up about her life’s journey, her professional path, and her vision for change in gender equality, education, and leadership.

“I Love to Identify Myself as an Assamese Girl.”

Rita began the conversation by opening her heart about her deep connection with Assam. Though born and raised in London, she takes pride in her Assamese roots. Her family hails from Sualkuchi, Assam’s famous silk village. Her parents, Dr. Dinesh Chandra Kakati and Bhabani Kakati, migrated to the UK many decades ago, where Rita and her brother, Rishi Kakati, were born.

“I love doing these social, entrepreneurial work to really give back to my heritage which is ultimately Oxomiya (Assamese),” she said with pride.

From Medicine to Management

Growing up in London in the 1980s and 90s, Rita initially pursued medicine, influenced by her parents. However, she realised that medicine didn’t reflect her true interests.

“I’ve always been a creative person. I love mathematics and science, but I was more drawn towards the creative side of life.”

She lacked the confidence at the time to communicate her discomfort with the chosen path.

“The irony is, today I teach others how to be confident. Back then, I didn’t have it myself.”

Rita later pursued Mathematics and Business Management at King’s College, London, and began her professional journey in banking and finance, working for a decade in the high-stakes trading floor of a global investment bank. She later moved into business development in the pharmaceutical sector.

The Life-Changing Role of Motherhood

Rita moved to New York, got married, and became a mother of two. She took a career break to raise her children – only to be met with judgement.

“Because I chose to leave the workforce to look after my children, people said I wasn’t ambitious anymore. I was even called a quitter.”

She referred to a study from the Harvard Business Review, which highlighted a startling bias: women with career gaps due to maternity leave were 50% less likely to be called for interviews compared to men who had been fired.

“That’s the reality, and it exists in the data, but it’s often ignored.”

UMA

These experiences inspired Rita to found UMA in 2016, an organization aimed at empowering women and minorities to regain confidence and re-enter the workforce.

“I wanted to change the mindset of the management in the companies, and help women rebuild their confidence, their communication skills, and prepare them for leadership roles.”

Today, UMA works globally with corporations, academic institutions, and policy forums, offering training in leadership, self-confidence, negotiation, and empowerment.

Giving Back to Assam

During the Covid19 pandemic, Rita, along with Dr. Jogen Chandra Kalita initiated a philanthropic project to nurture leadership skills among the youth in Assam. Today, they are developing undergraduate curricula for the colleges affiliated to Gauhati University, Cotton University, and Dibrugarh University, aiming to make leadership education accessible across Assam and the Northeast.

“We want to create a platform that will eventually be accessible to all students across Assam and the Northeast.”

“I love doing these social, entrepreneurial work to really give back to my heritage which is ultimately an Oxomiya (Assamese)”

“Education is Not About Rote Learning. It’s About Understanding.”

Reflecting on her education in Britain and the teaching system in Assam, Rita observed:

“When I teach students in Assam, I see the same spoon-fed system that I was taught with decades ago in Britain.”

“Learning isn’t about just memorizing or repeating what you’re taught. It’s about truly understanding the subject. What is it really about? How does it connect to you? Can it spark your interest or passion?”

She now promotes experiential learning, a method that focuses on asking questions,building passion, and understanding concepts, rather than just memorizing them.

“Even the most boring subject can become interesting if you take time to understand it, ask questions, and really get involved in it.”

Role of Teachers

Rita emphasized the crucial role of teachers in shaping young minds.

“A teacher can make or break how a child feels about a subject.”

She explained that every child learns in their own way and at their own speed. Some children are naturally better at certain subjects than others. That’s why it’s important for teachers to make sure each student understands the lessons in a way that works best for them.

“There are many ways to explain the same idea using different words. I always try to teach as if I’m talking to a child, even when I’m explaining something complex. I even teach postgraduate students, but I never assume they already understand a new topic. I use storytelling as a method. Why? Because when people hear stories, watch movies, or read books, they connect with the message in a deeper way. It becomes easier to understand. And once people are interested, their curiosity grows naturally.”

Through her work with Teacher Training Institutes, she trains educators to go beyond textbook methods and adopt creative teaching strategies.

Addressing Gender Bias from Childhood

Rita Kakati-Shah also spoke about how people develop interest in subjects like maths, science, and technology.

“When children play computer games from a young age, they naturally become interested in them. But many of these games are designed more for boys – like the video games. So later, when boys and girls are in a classroom learning things like coding or technology, boys often show more interest because they’ve grown up with these kinds of activities. If both boys and girls were given the same chances and toys from an early age, their interests might be more balanced. But this issue still hasn’t been properly addressed.”

Rita Kakati-Shah says that one of the reasons they focus on education is because lack of education is the root problem that needs to be fixed first.

“When people talk about gender equality, they often think only about the workplace. But that’s a big misconception – gender equality is about much more than just jobs. Gender equality doesn’t start in the office. It begins at home. Who cooks? Who cleans? Who earns? These stereotypes must change.”

She also advocated for “parental leave” instead of “maternity leave” to remove assumptions that childcare is only a mother’s responsibility.

The Power of Communication and Small Changes

On how to bring change, Rita shared a vital message:

“Change must start small and gradually. If you try to enforce change, people will resist. But if you communicate with respect and curiosity, change happens naturally.”

She encouraged respectful questioning as a way to break societal norms and bridge generational gaps.

What Makes a True Entrepreneur?

Rita shared that 80% of entrepreneurs fail, mostly due to financial issues. But failure is not the end. The key, she said, is resilience.

“You must know what problem you are solving. Be flexible. Stay passionate. Learn from trial and error.”

For Rita, passion and resilience go hand in hand.

“Some skills can be taught. But passion – that comes from within.”

Leadership Qualities – The UMA Way

She underlined that the skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur are the same as those needed to be a great leader – resilience, adaptability, empathy, and strong communication.

“At UMA, we help people build these leadership skills, especially those who’ve been told they’re not capable.”

A Children’s Book on Assam

As the conversation neared its end, Rita revealed a heartfelt project she is currently working on, a children’s book based on Assam, aimed at connecting the new generation with its rich culture and heritage.

Final Words

Rita Kakati-Shah is a true global citizen with her heart in Assam. Her life story is a glowing example of how confidence, compassion, and courage can break barriers and create real, lasting change.

“It’s the educator that makes the difference. Are they just reading off a piece of paper, or are they learning with you?”

Through UMA, her educational work, and deep-rooted values, Rita continues to uplift lives across borders – one story, one lesson, and one step at a time.

Mahabahu.com is an Online Magazine with collection of premium Assamese and English articles and posts with cultural base and modern thinking.  You can send your articles to editor@mahabahu.com / editor@mahabahoo.com (For Assamese article, Unicode font is necessary) Images from different sources.