New Delhi: Gul Panag dons many hats, from being an actor to an avid rider, a certified pilot, a mother and a wife. She has had a stint in politics, too, and is a serial half-marathon runner. Although she is famous, she underplays the tag of being a role model.

“It is important to take your role as a role model seriously. When I say role model it is not just me because I am a public figure. I would say each one of us is a role model because, given the inequity in India with regards to access to opportunity for women, just the ability to choose what you do in your day is something women don’t have access to,” Gul said.

She labels each woman a role model. “Each woman who is part of our ecosystem, they are all role models for women who don’t even have the opportunity to decide what they would want to do in the next minute. So, we all carry on our shoulders the incredible responsibility,” added Gul, who has voiced National Geographic’s specials titled “Tiger Queen Of Taru” and “On The Brink”.

She continued: “Sometimes, walking a difficult path is an option we must exercise because in walking that path we make it easier for somebody else to go through it. I think the responsibility of being a role model and walking the path less trodden stay on one’s shoulders, to make it easier for someone else to follow.”

It’s not easy to be a pioneer at something, she stressed. “Being a pioneer is a big responsibility and one must take the plunge if they have the opportunity,” Gul concluded.