Scorpio News
A Heartfelt Farewell: Puja Rawat Retires
After two decades of service in the maritime industry, Puja Rawat has embarked on a new adventure, retiring from her role as Learning and Development Manager of Scorpio Marine Management. Here, we look back on her career with Scorpio, and the journey she took to get here.
The saying goes, you don’t choose your career; the career chooses you. This is what happened to Puja on her unexpected journey from school teacher to becoming a respected figure in the maritime world.
After completing her Master’s in Applied Biology, Puja started out in the career she thought she chose, moving to Gujarat to begin working as a teacher of Biology and Chemistry. Soon she moved to Mumbai where caught the attention of one of her student’s fathers, a Captain in the Merchant Navy. Recognising her talent to reach the kids and mentor their growth, he insisted she put it to a more practical use, recommending her to a maritime school. This is where her journey into the maritime industry began.
She spent the next three to four years teaching Chemistry and maritime-related subjects, eventually becoming the course coordinator. Her passion and dedication led her to explore roles at various maritime companies. During one industry event, her commitment to her work caught the eye of another Captain from Ishima, who encouraged her to channel her talents into a larger organization. The bigger the company, the greater the challenges and responsibilities.
Learning her own depth and finding her true calling
Shortly after joining Ishima as part of the crisis management team, she faced a significant challenge when one of their vessels was hijacked. Puja was entrusted with the difficult task of informing the seafarers’ families. “It was very challenging for me, as I was very emotional. I remember breaking the news to the seafarers’ family and crying with them. I could not take in all these emotions, and was on the verge of giving up.” Thanks to the guidance of her mentor, she learned how to maintain emotional neutrality in highly sensitive situations. She rose above the difficulty and handled the communication with composure and empathy.
This unfortunate event got Puja closer to the seafarers’ family, and to this day she remains in touch with them. She accompanied the families to the airport to welcome the seafarers she had worked so hard to protect. They felt like family to her, but the seafarers did not know who Puja really was “the seafarers were unaware of me”. It was their families who told them that she was the one who stood by them during that tough and uncertain time.
After successfully managing this high pressure assignment, she was promoted to Fleet Personnel Officer.
It was when she joined V Ships as an Assistant Training Manager that everything started to align. She led cadet recruitment and training programs — a career-defining role that she feels she was made for.
“This was intense training,” she says. But it was in this role that she discovered her true calling: to be deeply involved in training, cadet recruitment, and crew development; a calling that would define her journey at Scorpio.
Joining Scorpio
In 2013, she joined Scorpio as a Training Manager. This new position marked the beginning of an exciting chapter, where she was tasked with establishing the company’s new training department. “I was eager to create a program that would help develop a highly skilled and competent crew,” she explains.
Setting up training programs was no easy task. Even coordinating crew seminars proved difficult due to the irregular schedules of seafarers. She had to rely on persistent communication, numerous calls, emails, and follow-ups to bring people together. It was a feat to organize, but these seminars became an important space for building trust and meaningful relationships with the seafarers. “I spend time getting to know the seafarers, understanding their unique challenges, and listening to their needs.”
Her attentive approach helped her tailor the training to be more practical and aligned with the realities of life at sea. These early efforts laid the foundation for her future initiatives, driving her to innovate and enhance training programs. Puja also played a pivotal role in cadet recruitment, collaborating with India-based maritime academies to find the most talented individuals. “We need not only skilled individuals but passionate and committed ones,” she points out.
Throughout her career at Scorpio, she focused on training design, course creation, and championing diversity. She recognized that early guidance is critical to a cadet’s development, which led to the creation of the Induction Program. Among all her responsibilities, cadet recruitment and induction remain closest to her heart.
Pioneering Female Cadet Training
One of the most meaningful aspects of her role has been as a point of contact for women seafarers, especially at a time when their numbers were near to none and the girls often faced industry & cultural barriers. In a predominantly male dominated field, she worked to ensure female cadets received necessary support and resources. She not only addressed their concerns but also became a trusted figure to their families. “Many of these young women came from rural backgrounds, had never seen the sea, but carried big dreams. I would often find myself talking to their parents, and they would just ask one question – ‘Will my daughter be safe?’ and from there on, she was my responsibility.” It was a pioneering move, one the industry wasn’t yet used to.
Her efforts extended beyond recruiting women; she also helped crews adapt to the new norms. She would often get calls from masters and captains asking her how they should treat female cadets to which she always replied: “treat her like another cadet.”
Though the road wasn’t always smooth, the impact of her efforts could be seen in the growth and progress of the crew. In 2024, her dedication and revolutionary contribution were recognised with the ‘Walk of Success’ award, presented by ATPI Marex at the annual Women in Maritime conference in Mumbai for her exemplary achievements in the maritime industry. “It was clear to me that creating an environment of continuous learning, inclusivity & empowerment was essential to shaping a better future for everyone in the shipping industry.”
The Scorpio Family
Over the years, Puja faced many professional challenges, but none more personal than her battle with cancer. It was a phase marked by fear and uncertainty, but the unwavering support from her own family and her work family gave her strength.
“Scorpio became a family to me and that is very dear to me. During those tough times, my colleagues were more than just coworkers, they became a lifeline […] What made this journey even more meaningful was the support of my family and my Scorpio family that stood beside us. Together, they helped shoulder the emotional load, creating a safety net that allowed me to focus on my health and recovery.”
This experience taught her a life lesson that she holds dear: the value of community. “True strength does not come from fighting a battle alone, but by being surrounded with people who care and are willing to stand by you; and those people are Scorpio to me.”
Life After Retirement
Now, as she steps into the next chapter of her life, Puja looks forward to new adventures. The maritime industry has been her home for over two decades, and while she is retiring from her post, she has no plans of stopping or even slowing down. With a clean bill of health from her doctors, she is excited about creating new experiences and learning more. This next chapter is a continuation of her journey; an opportunity to explore her interests and passions, while continuing to mentor cadets and giving back to the industry.
“I have always believed in the power of continuous learning, and now I find myself in a position to take that principle into my own life. Whether it is travelling, engaging in new business opportunities or simply spending time with loved ones, I am ready to embrace the future with the same energy and enthusiasm that I brought to my career.”
Puja remains committed to mentoring cadets, officers, and women seafarers, ready to guide and share tailored training insights, especially on emerging topics such as cultural diversity, which she believes must be a core component of maritime education.
As Scorpio bids farewell to Puja, her contributions will be remembered for the steady impact they’ve had on the organization, and for the strong connections she built with both the company and its seafarers.
“My sincere gratitude goes to the entire Scorpio Family, the memories we have created together will forever be treasured and etched in my heart.”
– Ananya Punia
This article is featured in the Beacon 28 magazine. While onboard, you can download the full issue from DocMap: O:\ApplicationData\FileSync\fromoffice\all\Beacon\
