At Flipkart’s Mother Hub in Bengaluru, Rani Maity Manna understands her integral role in the supply chain to ensure Flipkart deliveries reach the right customers at the right time. What drives her is her desire to provide for her son, so he has all the opportunities that she could not pursue. Here is her #OneInABillion journey.
My husband used to be my neighbor back home in Medinipur, West Bengal. We fell in love, convinced our families, and then got married. I have known him for the last 15 years, and we’ve been married for 10 of those.
My husband has been living in Bengaluru for the last 15 years, and he works in a biscuit factory. I came here once we were married, and decided to take up a job to support our families. So I took up a job in the same factory.
At one point in time, I thought I had come so far away from home, and wanted to go back to my village. A lot of our friends in the neighborhood are people from West Bengal, and we talk to each other after work. Earlier, when they used to use phrases like ‘receiving’, or ‘putting’, or talk about devices, I just used to nod along in the conversation. I thought – I have been living in Bengaluru for so many years- I should definitely try to be a part of the online retail world.
That’s when I found out about this role in Flipkart. It was just before the Big Billion Days in 2022, and it was a busy time. I just had to grab that opportunity. I used to be so scared in the beginning, but I wanted to do well. I asked questions, and the seniors and the Team Leads always answered them all. There was a didi here who took time out, and explained everything to me, and I began to understand things well.
Every time I have to do something new, I observe what needs to be done, I memorize it, and then I am able to execute it easily. I used to be intimidated by technology but now I use a device everyday for my work.
My son is eight years old, and my dream is to make sure he has every opportunity to prosper. I got married while I was still in college, so I was unable to graduate. But I want to make my son a ‘bada aadmi’. He currently lives with my mother, my sister and my Naani back home. My sister is doing her masters and is a teacher, so she has drawn up a timetable for my son. He follows it to the minute. He has time to play, time to study and little bit of time to watch TV. He never makes a fuss to watch TV or use the mobile phone, but it is very difficult to make him eat!
I want to save now so I can provide for all his needs in the future. After I joined Flipkart, I am earning well, and am very invested in my job.
I started working so I could support my husband and my family. My father and my husband have always had my back. Mere haan mein haan, naa mein naa [agree to everything, no questions asked]. Whatever I do, I have the support of my husband, and whatever he does, I support him too.
Look at my name – I am Rani Maity Manna. Maity is the surname I got from my father, and Manna from my husband. Whatever I do, I will never give up on either of them.
The Big Billion Days are a time for me to prove myself, because the load is going to be high. We will have many new members joining us, so it is up to me as a senior to ensure I am efficient and also guide them.
There are so many people from my village who are here in Bengaluru to fulfill their dreams. Now that it is the Big Billion Days, I want to tell whoever has dreams that it is a good time to fulfill them.
Since I work, I just like to go home from my workplace, so I end up buying whatever I need for myself and the house on Flipkart. I may not have worked too long in the online space, but I have been an online shopper for quite some time.
Now, whenever I meet someone, I tell them I am working in the online space.
Also read: Baker, Tailor, Mother, Warrior: In Assam, a Flipkart Kirana partner’s #OneInABillion story
