Mat Leave Spotlight: Dhara Khatri

We asked Dhara Khatri, Prodigy’s Android Developer, to talk about what it was like to tell her company about going on maternity leave and what it feels like to come back to work after a full year. Continue reading to see Dhara's full interview.

• Q: How did you feel about sharing your plans with your colleagues about taking maternity leave?
  A: I was excited to tell my colleagues about taking maternity leave, which was longest leave of my career! However, I knew that I was going to miss my work environment and my colleagues.
• Q:  How did you feel about the process of requesting maternity leave? Was it easy, hard, long, etc.?
  A: Requesting maternity leave was very easy! The staff at Prodigy were very helpful whenever I had questions about the process.
• Q: How did you feel being able to take a year of leave to spend it with your new child and spouse?
  A: I felt really blessed to be able to have an entire year to spend quality time with my child and spouse.
• Q: How did you feel about the process of returning from maternity leave? Was it easy, hard, long, etc.?
  A: Returning to work after an entire year of surprises, happiness, and love was difficult as a mother. However, it was exciting to return to work and to continue being part of this great team.
• Q: Did you feel secure in knowing you would be returning to your job after maternity leave?
  A: Throughout my maternity leave, I was relieved to know that I was able to return to work after a year of being on maternity leave. Especially during the pandemic, I was grateful to have the security to return back to work.
• Q: Are you aware of Prodigy's inclusion and diversity initiatives? If so, please share your thoughts.
  A: At Prodigy, I have always felt safe, respected, and equal. After coming to Canada, Prodigy Labs gave me my first opportunity to work in Canada.
• Q: What were some of the highlights while you were on maternity leave?
  A: Two of the biggest highlights during my maternity leave was that I became a mother of a beautiful daughter and the COVID-19 pandemic began. However, to think positively about the pandemic, I got the opportunity to spend more time with my family. I also got a chance to go back to India to visit my family after 4 years of being in Canada!
  

We would like to thank Dhara for explaining the process of going on maternity leave, and what it was like to return after a whole year. We would like to congratulate Dhara on the birth of her daughter and we are happy that she is back! Thank you for giving us a better insight on the maternity leave process at Prodigy.