Succeeding in a professional career can be challenging for anyone – how much more so for a Sikh woman facing the restrictions and traditions imposed by her family and culture and also the unjust limitations caused by racism at work. In her latest book, Satwant Rait narrates the inspiring life story of Ruby, a Sikh woman born in India who migrated to England. Ruby faced many challenges throughout her life, both cultural and institutional. She overcame these hurdles through her constant hard work, dedication, and perseverance along with maintaining her Sikh faith and family values. As a young girl, Ruby had to struggle to be allowed the opportunity to study at university, yet she achieved her goal and gained many qualifications as well as developing a successful career in libraries. She was rewarded with the post of a lecturer along with working in a full-time job as a school librarian) Under the Sikh tradition, a girl’s parents would choose her husband. Ruby accepted her parents’ decision and married Rajan. The couple then migrated to England, where Ruby had two children, resumed her library career and continued to study. In achieving her academic and career success, Ruby was a pioneering woman in her Sikh community. Ruby broke cultural barriers and proved that women can have satisfying careers as well as a family. Ruby had a change of vocation in her retirement during and after her husband’s illness and death, working in hospital chaplaincy. As in her library career, however, she found that racism existed in her new field which not only shocked her but also hurt her as this work became her passion. This led Ruby to research hospital chaplaincy provision and to publish her findings, advocating for greater access to pastoral care for Sikhs and other minority faiths. Ruby believed that to bring equality and equity, words are not enough and there is a need for firm commitment and meaningful actions.
