Andrew Petrozzi

Influential women in business are also often influential in their community.

Shushma Datt, founder, president and CEO of i.t. Productions Ltd. and its subsidiaries Radio Rim Jhim and the new AM radio station RJ1200, has pioneered South Asian television and radio programming in B.C. and across Canada, while influencing generations of young South Asian women to embrace culturally non-traditional roles in arenas such as broadcasting and business.

Datt’s i.t. Productions produces nine multilingual TV programs for broadcast on Shaw Cable Television and OMNI TV that are geared towards multiple audiences and age groups within South Asian Canadian communities. Her journalistic integrity, instilled as a young reporter with the Times of India, followed by a seven-year stint with the British Broadcasting Corp. during the 1960s and 1970s, would later see her unflinchingly tackle tough issues afflicting her community such as violence against women, child and elder abuse and religious persecution.

“These are issues that were pervasive in this community, and I found myself over the years unable to keep myself apart from them,” she said in an interview. “I ended up being perceived as something of an activist because I became an advocate for women and children, and because I aired religious perspectives of multiple South Asian groups.”

Television programming such as Women in Focus profiled women from the South Asian community, providing recognition of their achievements and serving as an inspiration for others in an oft male dominated culture and industry.

With programming in English, Punjabi, Gujrati, Urdu and Hindi, Datt has helped bridge cultural divides by providing her audiences with links to the Indian entertainment industry, as well as relevant news geared towards the South Asian community through multilingual television and radio programming.

The CRTC awarded Datt an AM radio license in 2006 for RJ1200, Canada’s first South Asian AM station that targets an 18- to 44-year-old demographic enjoying dual-cultural lifestyles.

It is a big change from when she first took to Vancouver’s airwaves in the late ’70s as a radio and television host and producer, when ethnic radio in the province was nothing more than hourly slots for various language groups.

But Datt’s influence has also been felt outside the South Asian community through her participation in charities and community initiatives, including extensive involvement with ICBC community campaigns along with fundraising for BC Children’s Hospital, the Canadian Cancer Society and the United Way.

She was presented with the Order of British Columbia in 1992 in recognition of her community service.

Diplomacy, details and instincts are important when it comes to business, Datt offers.

But at the end of the day, her philosophy simply comes down to live and let live, she said.

  apetrozzi@biv.com

Compiled with files from Daniela Tuchel

What professional achievement are you most proud of?

Winning the CRTC licence for RJ 1200 because it took 20 years to get.

What’s the greatest barrier that you’ve overcome in your career?

While there have been many obstacles, the only one that I would consider to have been a barrier in my career is being a Hindu in British Columbia’s Sikh-dominated society.

Who’s had the biggest influence on your career?Almost everyone I’ve ever met has had some influence on me because they’ve shaped my perspectives. The person who has had the greatest impact on my life, and therefore my career, is my son Sudhir.

What network or organization has helped you most in your career?

That would be the BBC, who set me on my path as a journalist and broadcaster. They saw some talent in me and encouraged me to write and produce programs, and then provided me with the opportunity to showcase them. My colleagues there were world-class broadcasters who shared their creativity and genius with me.

What was your toughest decision?

I always aspired to be a top-notch journalist, adhering to the principles that I admired in mentors and colleagues, and mostly I have managed to accomplish this. But I fail in this task when it comes to issues like violence against women, abuse of children and elders, and persecution of individuals because of religious affiliation.

What book are you reading?

The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani.

What is your favourite movie?