WCW: Shamla Pather talks decorum, respect, family, and humble beginnings
“Receiving these awards is surreal. The fact that you are nominated by your peers and that you succeed is a huge compliment and so humbling. It spurs me to do better and to make these organisations proud of their recognition.” - Shamla Pather.
Today, Carol Ofori celebrates Shamla Pather from Shamla Pather Attorneys Inc.
Pather has come from humble beginnings and recently won the Bharat Gaurav Award. She also won the Businesswomen of the Year in 2011 (Nedbank and Telkom), was nominated in 2019 as Top 100 Women in Business (Standard Bank) in KwaZulu-Natal, and as a Top Women in Business in 2024 (KZN Top Business).
She got real when she shared that she wouldn't be where she is without her beloved parents, Boya and Vasigie Pather. Despite their passing, they have firmly remained her biggest motivators.
"In the space of four years, I became an orphan. I was the youngest but became the head of the household. Even today, I work at that frenetic pace, juggling home, work, and family. I know that great achievements and success require hard work and determination, and it is something that does not deter me," said Shamla in an interview with The Post.
Read more: The face behind 'Something Nutritious'
Pather received the Bharat Gaurav Award last month at the French Senate in Paris.
"The Bharat Gaurav Award is made possible by the Bharat Gaurav Committee, Sanskriti Yuva Sanstha, and GIO (Global Indian Organisation) - it seeks to identify and honour individuals who have excelled in their fields and made inroads into the upliftment of society. It identifies these individuals who are of Indian origin worldwide." (IOL)
Watch her share her vote of thanks for the award below - courtesy of Instagram.
I have no doubt that my parents are smiling down on me with love and admiration. I am certain that if they were alive, it would have been a non-stop celebration when I received my award.
Pather was humbled by her awards, saying it was surreal being nominated by her peers and complimented with high praise. She also said that this kind of recognition pushed her to want to do better.
She is also a member of the South African Women’s Forte (SAWF) and received the 2024 Honorary President’s Award, presented by the SAWF and run by its founder, Rita Abraham.
Pather has been inspired by many other women in law like Judge Navi Pillay, senior attorney Zubeida Seedat, and advocate Jacky Julyan.
Pillay was humble and generous with her knowledge. Seedat always had a kind word of encouragement, while Julyan took me under her wing and taught me about life and law. She gave me the courage to practise beyond my comfort zone, introduced me to the international arena, and told me that if I looked the part, half my battle was won.
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Image Courtesy of Instagram