Women and business

Videocon MD Venugopal Dhoot brazenly declares that businesses can't be run by women. He said this on being asked about the future of his daughter Surabhi, who has passed her MBA with distinction from University of Wales.

"Our community does not allow that. So, she is back at home," he explains, adding "Anyway, businesses can't be run by women, especially in India. She can do professional managerial work from home if she wants but she will not come to the office," he says emphatically.

"Show me one woman who is running a business successfully," he challenges.

Such sexist attitude! And that too from a person who is about the enter Rajya Sabha, supported by Congress, a party headed by a woman, who, among other things, aims to run the country one day!!

And ohh... by the way... in a completely unrelated piece of news, for the first time ever, women on Forbes’ list of the 400 Richest People in America topped men in average net worth, with $2.8 billion vs $2.4 billion for men.

Featured on that list at number 224 is Meg Whitman who's the President and CEO (and has been since 1998) of eBay which is a $32 billion business today.

Any views on this, Mr. Dhoot?