Wonder Woman — Dona Sarkar
At Appwrite, we believe in celebrating women every day and not just on a single day. We have come together for a month-long celebration of women in various fields, who inspire us. Being the first woman to be hired in the devrel team — I am aware of the efforts of the Appwrite team to build a safe environment for everyone.
Coming from the north-eastern part of India that specializes in 4T’s — tea, teak, timber, and tourism and technology definitely not being one of them, the struggles of becoming a tech person here is endless. You don’t have the support, the exposure, all your communications, and networking is limited to the online world, it is natural that one would want to leave the tech industry and pursue something else. I was no different, I went through a similar phase of anxiety and impostor syndrome and was just about to give up — but the magic happened and I met Dona Sarkar.
Dona Sarkar is a Director of Technology for Microsoft Accessibility. She hails from Kathmandu, Nepal, and is the first generation of her family to get a CS degree. She has been in the tech industry for 20+ years now, developing and advocating software and inspiring thousands of developers. Not just this, she also runs a fashion business — Prima Dona making in one of the most inclusive fashion lines (from embracing all body shapes and sizes to breaking biases of how women should dress, she has it all covered).
I was in my third year of engineering, struggling to find my niche, and figuring out how the tech industry works, that is when I met Dona through an online event back in April 2020. She has a very charming way of presenting — such that even beginners feel comfortable with technology, I was one among those beginners. It was that day when I found my niche in low code technologies and my journey of upskilling began. I was lucky enough to get a chance to be mentored by Dona — who not only helped me learn but also helped me with career advice and was always there when I needed an ear (to note, we are 13 hours apart and her calendar is mostly very busy).
The person that I have become from April 2020 — more confident and empathetic, I owe to her. I went from speaking in front of my room mirror to speaking in conferences as big as Microsoft Build. I went from being scared of technology to upskilling and helping others learn. If I wish to be anything, I wish to be a person like Dona — so inspiring and so humble.
Ending this with a quote that is very close to my heart and describes the influence of Dona in my life:
“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” — Oprah Winfrey
