CA G Karunya - Ten Years of Balance !

This blog is in reference to wonderful initiative started by my colleague CA Sripriya. I really appreciate her efforts of sharing experiences among women CAs. I will consider myself very privileged, if my experiences could inspire some of my colleagues to come into CA practice. My name is Gandavarapu Karunya  and I am based at Bangalore.

It was my father’s dream to have a CA in our family which made me take up commerce in +2 (intermediate in Andhra Pradesh) inspite of scoring excellent marks in Science in SSC. Once I completed Intermediate with a state 4^th rank, all the disapprovals and suggestions of switching to Science, even in second year faded away to appreciations.

Lack of coaching facilities, unavailability of book stores selling CA related materials, being the first batch of CA Foundation with no seniors suggesting how to prepare, restrictions of family not to go out of town for guidance, pressure of completing degree alongwith CA course -nothing seemed as a hurdle, when my eye was set on the bigger target of being called “Chartered Accountant”.

I was the only student, who could clear from Guntur both Intermediate and Final exams in the first attempt those days. Achieving University first in B.com in Nagarjuna University and All India 1^st among ladies In ICWAI (overall 17^th) were icing on the cake !!! Becoming CA at 21 years of age was a  dream come true for me and my family!!

I worked with ONGC Rajahmundry before moving to Bangalore after marriage. Later, I joined Infosys in software development domain taking up this new challenge of learning software development. After being five years in industry, when I was on an excellent career growth path, I was blessed with a baby girl. It was at this time, I decided to give up my comfortable Infosys job to excel in the job of motherhood.

After about three years of break, when my daughter started going to school, I decided to start my own practice as a Chartered Accountant. This was a big challenge- on both the fronts. On family front, my parents and in-laws were also not staying in the same city, so practically I had no back-up for bringing up my daughter. Therefore from the very inception, I made sure that on most of the days, I would finish my work by 3PM, by the time my daughter returned from her school. This aspect of mine, impressed one of my clients, Mr.TGC Prasad, so much that he covered this in his book “Unusual People do things differently”. 

On professional front, it was not easy either. I was earlier never in practice and  had also spent a few years in software development away from traditional CA domain before taking the break .Adding to all this, there was no Chartered Accountant in the family, no Godfathers in the profession..

I started with just one employee in my own house and took on accounting on outsourcing basis .Ever since, there was no looking back….. We gradually expanded our services to audits, consultancy and company secretarial services as well. Now, our firm has made successful networking with different lateral professionals thereby providing one stop solution for entrepreneurs.

In this August , when I celebrated ten years of my practice with my 30+ office team , wellwishers and immensely satisfied clients ,I realized only this CA qualification can give me the opportunity of being successful even after taking a break. It does take great determination and hard work to be successful  but believe me –the recognition, flexi-timings, networking help, perfect work - life balance, dedicating time for social work as well- are all possible only with “our CA” profession.

If I can do this (especially my daughter never missing my time), I think any woman CA should not be in doubt taking practice as impossible or dreaded path!

Please feel free to get in touch with me for any help you may need.