Chandrayee C, an HR Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Consultant at Godrej Properties Ltd. (GPL), felt a profound sense of belonging from the moment she joined the company. Her role focuses on hiring individuals from LGBTQIA+ and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) communities, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported.

"Inclusion in daily life doesn’t require doing something new," Chandrayee remarked. "People are already inclusive of their own kind; they just need to extend that behavior to people of all backgrounds."

Under the empathetic leadership of Megha Goel, the Chief Human Resources Officer, she found herself embraced not just as a colleague but as family. "Megha treats me like her own daughter," she said with a smile.

Chandrayee's work extends beyond recruitment. She engages with employees, addressing any challenges they faced in integrating into the workforce and ensuring they had the accommodation they needed. The 'Silent Site' project in Mundhwa, Pune, where GPL hired employees with speech and hearing Impairments, was particularly close to her heart.

"Every day, I'm eager to contribute to the work I love," she said, her passion evident in her voice. GPL gave her necessary tools like screen reading software, enabling her to excel in her role. But beyond the workplace, she advocated for everyday interactions that fostered inclusivity.

"Instead of asking, 'Do you need any help?' or 'How can I assist you?' I encourage a simple, 'Hey buddy, how are you?'" she explained. "It's about treating everyone with the same warmth and respect, regardless of their differences."

"Inclusion isn't about doing something new," she emphasized again. "It's about extending the inclusivity we naturally have within our own circles to people from all backgrounds."

At GPL, Chandrayee found a place where this belief was not just preached but practiced every single day.

Text by Prithvi Vatsalya. Image by Vishnu Harinath G.