e version december

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December, 2010 Eve’s TimesDecember, 2010

Rs. 30.00Rs. 30.00

Enhance your lifeEnhance your life

SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneur Council (SCWEC) Exhibition

27 - 28, Nov. 2010

Rs. 30.00 Enhance your lifeEnhance your life

YOU TOO CAN BE YOU TOO CAN BE AN ENTREPRENEURAN ENTREPRENEUR

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Eve’s Times December, 2010

December, 2010 Eve’s Times

|

Empowering Women

Through EntrepreneurshipEve’s Times is happy to bring out a special issue for the SAARC Chamber Women Entre-

preneur Council which is hosting a Global Green Business Summit on 27 and 28 November

in Chennai. We had great pride in interviewing women who have contributed in different

fi elds. And our experience has been enriching. Every woman we spoke to has done her bit

to the society and to herself by increasing the productivity and contributing to the family

and hence the nation’s kitty.

It is heartening to know that women entrepreneurs, in our country especially, surge forward

undeterred in their chosen fi eld, ceaselessly persevere and fi nally emerge successful. No

challenges are insurmountable. No tasks are unfi nished. No responsibilities toward their

families are shirked. And the feather on the cap is that , all this is done with great compas-

sion and understanding toward their employees. Many successful women entrepreneurs

are seen to take social service as a part of their social responsibility .

More and more women are entering the arena of entrepreneurship. There are more train-

ing programmes today to hone entrepreneurial skills among women. While our city sisters

are quietly moving out of the confi nes of their homes, it is imperative for us to generate a

chain reaction and draw our rural sisters out of their entanglements and show them what

fi nancial independence and entrepreneurship can do for them and for their families. To

that extent, women entrepreneurs stand as sterling examples for us to emulate.

We live in a world of communication and networking. Eve’s Times will be a platform for

B 2 B providing women entrepreneurs space to exchange information and advertise their

products and services free of cost. There’s a lot more excitement in store for all of us as we

move forward to give greater thrust to citizen journalism and access to useful information

to enhance their lives.

Ciao,

Swati Amar

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165December, 2010.

month

Cover Page Credit Kanakaraj

Vol. 5 No. 167 Rs.30.00

CEO (Global Operations) : NischintaChief Operating Officer : Kalpana YuvarraajEditor-in-Chief : Swati AmarAssociate Editor : Malini ShankarEditors Graphic & Design : MariappanPhotograph and Design Coordination : Kanakraj Production Executive : Sumathi RMarketing Coordination : SivakumarAdvertising & Marketing : Ravichandran : Prashant : Kirtivasan

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Madhuvanti SK and Komal M Jain talk

to Nirmala Prasad, Principal of MOP Vaishnav College for Women regarding entrepreneurial opportunities at MOP and more......

Despite not being an entre-preneur herself, Nirmala Prasad, Principal of MOP Vaishnav College for Wom-en, Chennai, has played a pivotal role in produc-ing many enterprising and resourceful women entre-preneurs. Today, students of MOP are not merely seekers of employment. Rather, they play an instrumental role in creating employment op-portunities for people across various cities.

Nirmala Prasad is of the opinion that not many women are able to avail the benefi ts of a full time job due to commitments on the home front. Says Nirmala, “Flexi-time jobs are not yet a popular option in India. If women are to put their skills acquired during their forma-tive years in college to full use, Entrepreneurship is the

best option. It gives women freedom to apply their skills to optimum utilisation while simultaneously balancing their personal lives.” Wom-en are famed for their skills in multitasking since time immemorial. Nirmala is in accordance with this state-ment. “I have always been fi rm in my stance that wom-en, by virtue of being adept at multitasking will thrive in the fi eld of business.”

“Does MOP play any role in encouraging entrepre-neurial development among women? “Yes indeed,” says Nirmala Prasad. “The idea of introducing an entre-preneurial development cell struck me twelve years ago. The idea was imple-mented a year later. Various programmes which help stu-dents improve their business skills are a common activ-ity all year around. They are included as a part of our reg-ular curriculum as well.”

The college not only offers regular BA and MA courses but it has as a part of its cur-riculum, various subjects which help develop students’ business acumen. This is carried out by imparting theoretical knowledge to students and giving them

opportunities to put their acquired skills to admirable use in a practical manner. This encompasses activities like the famed MOP Bazaar and other smaller ventures which encourage students to make innovative products, sell them and make profi ts with minimal investments. The MOP Bazaar has been successful in attracting ap-proximately forty thousand people on a yearly basis. “Students at MOP are given opportunities to conduct a one day or one week busi-ness inside the premises of the college. This is conducted by all departments at specif-ic allotted periods during the length of an academic year” adds Nirmala Prasad.

Entrepreneurship, accord-ing to Nirmala Prasad has little to do with academics. “A student may not be ex-cellent in her academics but may possess brilliant insight into the world of business, nonetheless” she adds. She cites the examples of numer-ous students in her college whose academic perfor-mance was average but were outstanding entrepreneurs. “One of my students came up with the idea of a crèche for dogs. This was nine years ago. Imagine having a

Pioneering Entrepreneurship Education

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crèche for animals! The idea was still new, a decade ago. However, it is now a reality. I am aware of one such place which charges around Rs 400 on a daily basis to look after dogs. Many other stu-dents who have passed out of the portals of MOP, despite

not being extraordinary at studies are successful en-trepreneurs. While some of them have gone on to head event management compa-nies, many others are into jewellery designing and have famous companies placing orders for their products.”

Nirmala Prasad is undoubt-edly a woman who has helped weave success sto-ries of innumerable women entrepreneurs across the nation today. Kudos to her. May her tribe increase.

Saundarya Rajesh, the

Founder and President

of AVTAR Career Creators

is a luminous example

of a successful woman

entrepreneur. Madhuvanti

SK talks to her about her

organization, views and

more...

Saundarya Rajesh is a

woman of the twenty fi rst

century who understands

the needs of women

professionals in the con-

THE THE AVTAR AVTAR

OF SUCCESSOF SUCCESStemporary business

scenario. In today’s hec-

tic and fast paced world,

where women balance

both professional and

personal lives, there is a

need for fl exibility on the

work front. While there

is not much awareness

about fl exi time jobs in

many parts of the country,

Saundarya Rajesh through

her company has played a

major role in popularizing

the idea of fl exi -time jobs.

Says Saundarya, “Among

the 6300 women who

have thus far registered

on the AVTAR I-WIN

network, approximately

2500 have found fl exi-

working opportunities.

There is undeniably not

as much awareness about

fl exi-working as we would

like. After the launch of

AVTAR I-WIN in 2005

as India’s fi rst National

registry of fl exi-working

women professionals, we

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have been relentlessly

creating awareness by

addressing the corporate

world on related issues.

Flexi-working acts as a so-

lution to attract and retain

full-time employees.”

AVTAR has also addressed

many forums such as Di-

versity & Inclusion Asia

conference- 2008 at Hong

Kong, the Human Re-

source Conference by the

University of Beijing 2007,

VITAL VOICES of Asia –

a Hillary Clinton initiative

for Women Leadership,

etc. They have conducted

many surveys on fl exible

working which includes

a Nation-wide survey on

Work-life Balance in as-

sociation with Outlook

Business Magazine. “I use

every forum, every plat-

form to tell people that we

need to be open minded

about working hours being

made fl exible for women,”

says Saundarya. “This is

because, very soon, not

just men, but women –

young and old alike would

begin to demand fl ex-

ibility in their careers. We

have had reasonably good

success in this area.”

In a society like India, a

man’s necessity for fl exible

working is less compared

to women. Saundarya is

in concurrence with this

idea. However, this has

changed over the years.

“If you look at members of

the Free-Gen (1945-1960)

or Gen X (1960-1970), the

primary identity is that of

work which explains why

many men suffer from

depression after retire-

ment. However, there is

a gradual change in this

trend. The E-Gens (1970-

1980) and Gen Y’s (born

1980-1990) are keener

on participating equally

in parenting. With an

increase in nuclear fami-

lies and women entering

the workforce, it is nec-

essary for men to share

responsibility at home.

Therefore, as time lapses,

we might see more men

seeking fl exi-time jobs.

With increasing fi nancial

security, we are also wit-

nessing a possible trend

where men are interest-

ed in experimenting with

new ways of working and

taking sabbaticals to pur-

sue their dreams,” opines

Saundarya.

Over the years, there

has been a major renais-

sance in the attitude of

corporates in adopting

fl exi-jobs, a concept which

would be benefi cial in the

long run. “Yes, there are

defi nite benefi ts for the

individual and the organi-

zation,” she says, “today,

we see a positive response

to Flexi-working in many

large Indian and Multi-

national corporations.

Many MNCs have offered

this to their employees.

They would not have taken

such a decision had they

not deemed it benefi cial in

the long run.”

With highly committed

people like Saundarya

Rajesh working hard to

popularize fl exi time jobs,

it will cease to remain a

distant dream.

| 10


SAVITRI’S SAVITRI’S SUCCESS SUCCESS STORYSTORY

Savitri talks to SWARNA C about her business,

the challenges she faces and more…

Savitri is one among those eminent entrepreneurs to whom this generation can look up to. She is modern in her outlook and is against stereo-typing of women. According to her, women should be inde-pendent, be it in the economic, political or social arena. “Edu-cation is essential for a person to transform into a responsible and committed individual. I believe that women must have exposure,” she emphasizes.

In 1989, Savitri and her husband started their own company called Ganapathy Agencies. They have around thirty fi ve sub agents stretch-ing from Tambaram to Avadi. This, she states was a big turn-ing point in her life. As an entrepreneur, she feels that her two-decade experience

11 |


has helped her learn a lot about business. “Success begins with small things,” says Savitri. “Employing a small number of people and providing effec-tive training is the ideal choice to expand employment oppor-tunities. She possesses four signifi cant characteristics that are necessary for successful entrepreneur– innovativeness, the hunger to grow, business ethics and the ability to del-egate responsibilities.

In her opinion, three main factors help in enhancing entre-preneurial activities. They are mega corporates, micro-fi nance institutions and technology. “The contribution of mega cor-porations in the development of women is immense” says Savit-ri. “Women empowerment is considered a major tool for run-ning a corporate successfully,” she adds. According to Savitri, women entrepreneurs are gain-ing signifi cance and this is very conducive to a nation’s progress. Micro-fi nance institutions also contribute to a certain extent. They help in providing loans at

very low interest, thus catering to women whose incomes are relatively low. Self-help groups also contribute to women’s de-velopment. “Technology plays a very important role” she states. Computers and mobiles have become very useful for women, especially for those who fi nd mobility as a major constraint while working. Technology is an effective option through which a woman can pursue her career, while simultaneously fulfi lling her family commitments.

Savitri aspires to expand her company. However she faces a lot of challenges. She feels that there is increased competitive-ness, hike in salaries and rise in cost of transportation. “The minimum wage she pays for a job requiring minimal skill is Rs 3500 which is quite high,” she adds. Savitri also wants to start a textile shop dealing exclusive-ly with sarees from Madurai. In short, Savitri has been and will be a source of inspiration because of her positive attitude and her ability to acquaint her-self with the current trends.

Latha Kandaswamy talks to Swarna C about

her business, views on opportunities for women and more….

“Customer satisfaction is my only motto” says Latha Kandaswamy, the head of Canon Camera Service who is a graduate of Literature with a fl air for music. A per-fect blend of tradition and modernity, she practices Bharatnatyam. Neverthe-less, having grown up in a family of photographers, she nurtured a passion for elec-tronics since her childhood.

In 1998, Latha Kandaswamy went to Singapore where she approached a Japanese company and acquired nec-essary training and started her own company which is now popular as Canon Cam-era Services in 2005. “I was under a lot of stress dur-ing my initial days” reveals Latha. “However, my family was very supportive and this favored me greatly. I fi rmly believe that familial support is crucial to move up the suc-cess ladder,” she says. Latha opines that self confi dence is very important and is a necessary requisite to fi ght against all odds and emerge successful. She believes that women must not be passive but should have the power to voice out their opinion.

“When I started with canon camera ser-vices our customer base comprised of approximately 180 customers. Now however, I have around 13,000 cus-tomers,” says Latha with exhilaration. She feels that a bonding with cus-tomers is essential for the growth of a business. She fi rmly believes in the Gan-dhian philosophy that ‘Consumer is the king.’ “I believe that team work brings out the best results,” adds Latha, “My team is my strength.”.

Latha Kandaswamy not only possesses excellent business acumen but is also a true humanitarian who contrib-utes her bit for the welfare of the society. Latha, along with her team visits sub-urban areas and conducts eye-camps on a monthly ba-sis. She aspires to cover all districts and provide camera service free of cost to people. Currently, the company con-ducts similar service camps in Coimbatore, Thirunelveli, Erode, Cuddalore and Chen-nai. ‘Authorized services are very expensive’ is a false per-ception that people have,” opines Latha. Her goal is

to do away with such mis-conceptions with regard to authorized services. When asked about her view on fl exi-jobs, she says that the monetary component is sec-ondary. “The experience is important,” she adds. She feels that there have been a lot of changes in the attitude of society in the context of fl exi-time jobs. Women are encouraged to work. None-theless, she adds there is gender bias in some rural areas and strongly feels that necessary steps be taken to remove clichéd taboos against women.

In a nutshell it can be said that Ms. Latha Kandas-wamy is a personifi cation of simplicity and a source of in-spiration to many women.

A Shot at Fame

| 12


Success comes to the doorsteps of those who

persevere relentlessly. Durga C of Durga Driving School stands testimony to this. “I fi rmly believe that success is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration,” says Durga. She is a woman entrepreneur who has made a mark in her fi eld by gaining recognition as the head of one of the largest driving schools for Indian women by Limca book of world records in the year 2003. However, today the driving school offers its services to men as well. “We have people enrolling themselves in driving classes from the age of sixteen upwards. In fact, it might sound unbelievable that the oldest student in our driving school is an octogenarian,” says Durga.

Durga’s journey began fi fteen years ago when she decided to assert her independence and set up Durga Driving school from home. She did

not hesitate to mortgage her jewelry to overcome the fi -nancial obstacles that came her way. Thereafter, there has been no looking back for Durga. “I started my driving school with limited fi nances in the premises of my home. As we made progress, we shifted to Adyar complex. Today I am very happy to admit that we have carved a niche for ourselves in this fi eld,” she says happily.

Her motive behind business is not one of profi t making. On the other hand, it is to enable women to emerge as independent and confi dent individuals without any in-hibitions. “I have always believed that women have to be independent in order to face the various challenges they may face in a male dom-inated world,” she opines.

Success did not come easy to her. Durga had to face a lot of hardships to achieve all that she has accomplished today. “Being a woman,

the diffi culties you face are ever increasing as you have to strike a balance between both your professional and personal lives and that’s where the real challenge lies,” she adds.

What’s more interesting about this successful entre-preneur is that the woman has managed to achieve suc-cess with minimal formal education. “I got married at an early age of 17 and whatever knowledge I have gained till date has been through my experience and research.” Durga found in-spiration in her mother. “My mother went through a lot of struggle in her life and she was my main source of in-spiration as a woman.”

Her achievement truly is an outcome of sheer hard work and determination. Durga’s journey to success is indeed praiseworthy. Hats off to Durga.

Komal M Jain

A W

OM

AN

WIT

H

A DR

IVE

13 |


Indira Dutt, an inspiration to many women speaks

to Madhuvanti SK and Komal M Jain on the events and agendas of SAARC...

Women may have reached dizzying levels of success in various fi elds. However, it cannot be denied that there continue to exist in-numerable women from the underprivileged back-grounds who have fallen prey to unemployment. In-dira Dutt’s undying passion to help and motivate these women cannot but help in-spire people. She has been the chairperson of SAARC Chamber Women Entre-preneurs Council (SCWEC) since 2007. “It is extremely satisfying when you see peo-ple who have been trained under you, emerge inde-pendent and successful as individuals,” says Indira Dutt.

SCWEC comprises mem-bership of key women entrepreneur organizations from the SAARC mem-ber countries. The SAARC body felt the necessity for creating a platform for women entrepreneurs of the region and SCWEC was to be a council body un-der the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry. SAARC Women’s Council is a decade old. Over the

A WOMAN ON A MISSIONyears, various programmes have been conducted under the chairmanship of Indira Dutt which have been in-strumental in ensuring that women, downtrodden or otherwise start their lives afresh with a surge of con-fi dence and independence. These programmes include seminars on International Business and Challenges, Workshops on Leadership, Interpersonal Skills and Change Management etc. “Women who are committed to their ambitions and jobs are very often unaware of how to approach banks for fi nance,” says Indira Dutt, “ We conduct workshops and train such people in areas of marketing, retailing and other necessary areas. The duration of these workshops are more necessity bound as opposed to being time bound.

SCWEC, in association with Vallabaneni Aruna Memo-rial Trust conducted a ninety day training programme in “Italian Lace Making” for rural women. The theme of Women Empowerment revolved around action to provide skill based training and access to resources. It is the fi rm belief of SCWEC that gender equality and women’s empowerment are human rights that lie at the heart of development. A ho-

listic approach to the subject should ideally include basic training in skills suited to in-dividual abilities which will inculcate in them the value of economic independence and in turn empower them.

Interpersonal and leader-ship skills, the ability to face challenges are key requisites for a person to be empow-ered. Indira Dutt has given signifi cant attention to these areas. A seminar on Interna-tional Business & Challenges was conducted and focused on orienting women towards various entrepreneurial and networking opportunities. Over 350 women entrepre-neurs including women from Sri Lanka and Maldives ben-efi ted from this Seminar. A similar workshop on Lead-ership, interpersonal skills & change management was held in August, last year. The programme was organized by Bhutan Chamber of Com-merce and Industry. Key topics such as the Challenge of Change, Personality devel-opment, Managing change, importance of Effective In-terpersonal Skills were the chief focus of the seminar.

Indira Dutt is of the opinion that branding is an area of great importance. “We had conducted a programme on branding. I fi rmly believe that branding of products

| 14


and quality consciousness is essential for any business to survive and sustain itself” she adds. Has she faced challenges in her success-ful career as the chairperson of SCWEC? “Yes, indeed I have. We have had few in-stances of women who had closed down business as they did not taste success instantaneously. However, the number of people who have benefi ted from our programmes outnumber the former,” says Indira Dutt.

SAARC has played a crucial role in empowering women

CREATIVITY AT ITS BEST

from different walks of life. “We have been successful in reforming women who have been coerced into prostitution and for various other reasons. Today how-ever, they live independent and dignifi ed lives. People who were initially meek and often apprehensive about themselves and their future had a personality makeover at the end of their training. They are now independent and satisfi ed individuals and to me, this is one of my greatest achievements,” says Indira Dutt. Her sense

of accomplishment in this regard is unmistakable as she speaks.

Indira Dutt’s forthcom-ing programme as part of SAARC’s women wing is the Global Green Summit which will focus on eco-friendly business. “A function will be held to facilitate and award one woman delegate from each of the SAARC nations and a few from In-dia, in recognition for their achievements,” concludes Indira Dutt.

KOMAL M JAIN looks into Usha Natarajan’s world of

paper jewelry and more. Read on.

In today’s world where there are endless talks and campaigns on saving the en-vironment, we have among us someone who contributes to the cause in a very spe-cial way. Usha Natarajan is a women entrepreneur who brings to us the unique con-cept of paper jewelry. Before you begin to imagine some frail pieces of art she leaves you awestruck by displaying her products which look un-believably attractive. In fact some of her art pieces could be easily mistaken for gold. “It started within the family

but then it went on to be-come a commercial business venture. Today we make a conscious effort to make eco- friendly products as it is the need of the hour. We have also introduced jewelry made out of organic cloth, bamboo and wood,” states Usha Natarajan.

What one expects from the word paper jewelry is en-tirely different from what she delivers. “Our jewelry, apart from being light in weight and non allergic, is also sweat proof and water proof too. We treat paper in a way that it imbibes such qualities; the treatment paper undergoes before being turned into jew-elry doesn’t involve the use

of any chemical. The paper we use is coloured with the help of vegetable and plant extracts,” says Usha. “The process was tough and it took a lot of research and time but we emerged successful even-tually,” she adds .

“The concept of paper jewelry is almost a decade old. How-ever it was introduced in the city only fi ve years ago. We have been doing business in other cities as well. In fact we also designed one for actress Aishwarya Rai Bacchan for the movie Devdas,” she says.

Introducing a product like paper jewelry into the world that has been ruled by gold and precious stones for ages

15 |


Mythili C of Nungam bakkam Times talks

to Madhuvanti SK on her experience with the neighbourhood paper and plans for the future.....

Gone are the days when men ruled the roost in the en-trepreneurial world. Time has lapsed since women were restricted to the con-fi nes of their homes and kitchens. Over the years, women entrepreneurs have been slowly but steadily on the rise. Mythili, owner of Nungambakkam Times, is no different.

REACHING OUT TO HUMANITY

was no easy task for this en-trepreneur.

“We received a lot of appre-ciation and acceptance as the concept was unique. How-ever it took time to establish the brand commercially as people were apprehensive to pay for something made from paper. Not many realise that a lot of labour and time goes

into the creation of one piece of paper jewelry,” she adds. “ Today, we are glad that pa-per jewellery has been able to attract many customers .Some of them have begun to wear it for occasions like wedding where gold and diamonds have always been the top priority for any bride –to- be,” she says.

The store which was lo-cated in Nungambakkam is now being shifted to a big-ger place. “We have named our new showroom Srikriti which implies creativity in abundance,” she adds. Her energy is infectious. Kudos to Usha Natarajan.

When asked on how she got started off with Nungam-bakkam Times, Mythili says, “I have always been civic minded and have been re-lentlessly trying out various plans to contribute my bit to the neighbourhood. How-ever, a godsend opportunity to put my plan into action came up in 2003 when I got acquainted with the ex-pro-prietor of Nungambakkam Times. What started off as a tie- up is now my company. I have been running Nungam-bakkam Times for the past 7 years after having a year’s tie up with the ex-proprietor.”

Ask Mythili about what the main focus of her paper is and pat comes the reply without any hesitation whatsoever, “Civic issues. While papers like The Hindu and Times of India focus on varied issues in the city, the main focus of

Nungambakkam Times is on civic issues. We bring to the fore problems caused by bad roads, traffi c snarls, prob-lems caused by garbage and other issues in the neigh-bourhood in great detail”. The paper reaches the Cor-poration of Chennai as well. The problems mentioned in the paper are immediately looked into and promptly rectifi ed.

Are there any major challeng-es she faces? “Yes, without doubt, I do face challenges. As Nungambakkam Times is a neighbourhood news-paper among other popular names like Times of India, The Hindu, Indian Express, etc, it demands quality. While people pay to read the newspapers mentioned previously, Nungambak-kam Times is a free paper” says Mythili. When asked

| 16


KOMAL M JAIN delves into Vidya’s world of fashion...

A graduate in science and fi ne arts by qualifi cation Vidya entered the fi eld of fashion de-signing without pursuing any formal training. One cannot help but be overawed at how she has managed to bring out beautiful designs without any formal training. “It is through research and experience that I have been able to gain knowledge in this fi eld. I truly believe that all you require is the will to do and once you have the will to pursue some-thing it’s not diffi cult to follow what you desire,” says Vidya. She primarily deals with tra-ditional and ethnic wear. “I enjoy designing bridal wear. Embroidery is one of our spe-cialties” she adds.

“Earlier, we were running a franchise of the boutique,

A TAKE ON FASHION

about changes to be made in the paper, Mythili says that there will be an increase in the number of pages from eight to sixteen. They are al-so contemplating hiring well known columnists to write for the paper. “We are in the process of requesting well known columnists to write

for us. Very soon, articles by famous and familiar colum-nists will hold a prominent place in this paper,” adds Mythili. Despite the vari-ous challenges she has faced over the years, the joy on her face and the pride in her voice over her achievement is unmistakable. “We have

more than eighty thousand readers in a span of eight years. Given the fact that our newspaper is circulated on a non payment basis, I am extremely happy with the progress Nungambakkam Times has made in a span of just eight years,” concludes Mythili.

Kutir, after which the idea of opening my own boutique struck me. It was actually a sudden change of mind,” says Vidya. Her dedication to work can be seen when she says “I get upset when customers don’t call me to give feedback after trying out dresses. I feel satisfi ed when customers try out outfi ts and show it to me. It gives me a sense of fulfi llment and also helps me grow as a designer.” Her fanatical commitment is undoubtedly the reason behind her success. It is indeed diffi cult to carve a niche for yourself in a highly competent fi eld like fashion designing. “People today are aware and there are many options open in the market for today’s customers,” she says. However Vidya is an optimistic entrepreneur who believes that there is always

a customer for every dress that is designed.

Vidya draws her inspira-tion from Mamta who was a designer at Kutir’s. “Her de-signs have always inspired me and even an hour spent in her company gives me a lot of knowledge and expo-sure.” She adds.

What according to Vidya is fashionable, one may won-der. “I think anything that fi ts and suits an individual well is fashionable,” says Vidya in conclusion.

17 |


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nation for TV and events

Events

Promedia has a team of expert anchorpersons, emcees and organizers to organize events anywhere in the world. We can also organize and conduct en-tertainment based games and shows and fund-raising events.

Conferences, seminars, debates and award ceremonies for

State governments and govern-ment departments

NGOs, corporates, retail chains,

Educational institutions,

Banks and fi nancial institutions, insurance companies

The IT industry

Schools & Colleges.

Education is a major focus of Promedia. We have drawn up an exciting proposal for schools that believe in the holistic devel-opment of their children, which will be an effective instrument for promoting goodwill and enhancing the status of educa-tional institutions.

Conduct competitions in arts, spoken events, literature and sports.

College students will be provided training in event management, print and electronic media and marketing.

Eve’s Times & Chimil

Close to our heart are the two print versions for women and children as well as our electronic version, www.evestimesonline.com. Our print endeavours arise out of our passion to pro-mote meaningful writing and reading, encourage citizen jour-nalism in a big way and offer an interactive platform for our readers. The underlying ethos of our print ventures is our so-cial vision and the urge to bring about a positive change for cre-ating an inclusive society where harmonious and peaceful living is a reality.

Art Exhibitions

Promedia will organize art ex-hibitions to promote artistes and their creations globally.

Going Global

Promedia will take up national and international assignments in all the above mentioned ar-eas in our effort to forge global ties with various clients across the world.

For anything or everything there is a solution and we have it! Contact promedia by send-ing mail to [email protected].

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Hi Friends!

Beauty Pageants! This often gives me the image of an anorexic woman strutting about on a ramp , scantily clad in a custom-made outfi t tailored to give the illusion of curves and to obscure the prominent bones jutting from the body, on impossibly high stilet-tos, hair perfectly coiffed and that simpering lip-sticked smile revealing artifi cially whitened teeth.

The extent women go to, to achieve certain standards of beauty is as disgusting as the concept of a woman strutting on a ramp, without an air of modesty, declaring that she will be instrumental in bringing about world peace. I mean, who are we kid-ding? In this male-dominated world, where women are still viewed as sex-symbols, and where the concept of a woman holding authority is still a tad too bitter to digest ( for the MCPs, especially), the last thing we need at the moment is a beauty pageant, to just prove to the world that women are what they are construed to be. Airheads. Who go about proclaiming themselves to be pioneers of world peace and proponents of charity. While all they have been doing is sitting in salons and shaping their lips, or trying to lose the non-existent fl ab from their bodies, to achieve the latest fad of the size-zero, alias, ‘the skeleton physique.’ More bones on display. The bonier, the sexier. It’s amazing that these women don’t shrivel up into nothingness.

And a pageant is just the last thing we need at the moment, when the world is in crisis, when the economy is reeling under recession ( the amount of money spent on reshaping the lips of one model could defi nitely feed a handful of malnourished children for one whole year!), when terrorism is on a high, when poverty continues to prevail…. When a lot has to change….

In the middle of this, we have a beauty pageant. And a hundred crores are spent to decide who is going to be the new “Self-proclaimed plastic-faced, scantily-clad, body-displaying anorexic pioneer of world peace for the year. Hail., Beauty pageants, hail!

Until next month,

NamrataEditor, Teen Mag

SHIELDING REALITY

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HOW TO RECRUIT THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB?

Put about 100 bricks in someParticular order in a closedRoom with anOpen window.

Then send 2 or 3 candidates inThe room and close the door.

Leave them alone and come back

After 6 hours and then analyzeThe situation.

If they are counting theBricks.Put them in the accountsDepartment.

If they are recounting them..Put them in auditing.

If they have messed up theWhole place with the bricks.Put them in engineering. .

If they are arranging theBricks in some strange order.Put them in planning.

If they are throwing theBricks at each other.Put them in operations ..

If they are sleeping.Put them in security.

If they have broken the bricksInto pieces.Put them in InformationTechnology.

GRAFFITTI

If they are sitting idle.Put them in Human Resources.

If they say they have triedDifferent combinations, yetNot a brick hasBeen moved. Put them in sales.

If they have already left forThe day.Put them in marketing.

If they are staring out of theWindow.Put them on strategicPlanning.

And then last but not least.If they are talking to eachOther and not a single brickHas been Moved

Congratulate them and put themIn top management.

23 |


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Jest 4 Laughs

A Priest dies and is awaiting his turn in line at the Heav-en’s Gates.

Ahead of him is a guy, fash-ionably dressed, in dark sun glasses, a loudhirt, leather jacket & jeans

God asks him: Please tell me who are you, so that I may know whether toadmit you into the king-dom of Heaven or not?

The guy replies: I am Pandi, Auto driver from Chennai!

God consults his ledger, smiles and says to Pandi:

Please take this silken robe and gold scarf and enter the Kingdom of Heaven ....

Now it is the priest’s turn. He stands erect and speaks out in a boomingvoice: I am Pope’s Assistant so and so, Head Priest of the so and so Church forthe last 40 years.

God consults his ledger and says to the Priest:

Please take this cotton robe and enter the Kingdom of Heaven ...

‘Just a minute,’ says the agonized Priest. ‘How is it that a foul mouthed,rash driving Auto Driver is given a Silken robe and a Golden scarf and me, aPriest, who’s spent his whole life preaching your Name and goodness has to

make do with a Cotton robe?’

‘Results my friend, results,’ shrugs God.

‘While you preached, people SLEPT; but when he drove his Auto, people PRAYED’

It’s PERFORMANCE and not POSITION that ulti-mately counts.

25 |


*Cyber Gita – Adhyay 19*

*Arjun: Hey Vasudev, how can I do the most heinous and unpardonable act offorwarding junk mail that I receive, to my friends, rela-tives and reveredelders?

Krishna: Paarth, at this mo-ment, none of them is your friend or foe,relative or in-law, young or old and good or evil. You have no escape fromfollowing your Net-Dharma. Make haste to log on and send off the junk mailto one and all. That is the only Karma expected of you and Dharma you mustfollow.*

*Arjun: Hey Murari! Do not implore me to do something that pricks my conscience and stirs my soul.

Krishna: O Kunti-Putra, you are caught in the vicious circle of the Maya. Inthis material world, you are committed to no one except to yourself, yourDharma and your mouse. Junk mails have existed for over the last 25 years and will remain long after you are gone. Rise above the Maya and per-form your bounden duty.

Arjun: Lord Krishna, pray

and enlighten me on how junk mail is related tothe Maya.

Krishna: Vatsa, junk mail is the 6th element in the universe – Aap, Vaayu,Jal, Agni, Aakaash and Junk Mail. It is at the same time animate andinanimate, living and dead beat. It overloads the sys-tem and fi lls up thehard disk. But it serves one great purpose. It leads people to believe thatthey are fi lling their time in an intellectual pursuit by reading andreforwarding junk mail. It gives them a sense of achievement withoutinvesting their intellect and efforts. Like the Atman that leaves one’sphysical body and moves on to another, the junk mail moves from system tosystem and never gets de-leted or dies.

Arjun: Great Giridhaari, kindly tell me what the true attributes of junkmail are.

Krishna: Neither fi re can burn it, nor air can evapo-rate it. Neither can itbe conquered nor can it be defeated. Junk mail is om-nipresent and immortallike your noble and eternal soul. Unlike an arrow shot

from your bow, many atime the junk mail forward-ed by you, will even return to you safely aftersome months or even years, allowing you to re-re-for-ward it to the samepeople.

Arjun: Great Saarathi, my salutations to you. You have opened my eyes to thecult of junk mail. I was lost in the Maya and have been reading all the junkmail that I keep receiving and doing no other Karma. Now on, I will justpress the “Forward” button without reading any of it and send it to all andsundry, friends and foes, relatives and in-laws, young and old. That willsurely bring them to their knees in this epochal battle of Good againstEvil, in the Kurukshetra.

* Krishna: Arjuna, victory or defeat is not in your hands. Do not ponder overthe fruits of your labour. Just keep forwarding junk mail and make one andall go bananas reading it and you will have done your supreme duty.Tathastu.*

Thus Spoke *Lord Krishna*

Contributed by J. Ramkumar

Yeah Write

SAARC Chamber Wom-en Entrepreneur Council (SCWEC) follows our mis-sion of encouraging women entrepreneurship among the SAARC nations to achieve excellence in their endeavours, attain fi nan-cial independence and contribute to their nation’s economy, with a social con-science and upholding the spirit of friendship, trust and understanding.

With this mission, we have selected women entrepre-neurs from the SAARC nations for SCWEC Women Entrepreneur Excellence Award . These women are not only endowed with ex-emplary entrepreneurship skills and have taken their ventures to great heights, but they have also exhibited deep concern for the society and environment, contrib-uted to entrepreneurship development among, helped innumerable women to at-tain fi nancial independence through development of skills. These women have

taken their social responsi-bility seriously and extended help and support to many needy women and children in their countries. The award winners are inspiring role models for every woman to emulate. SCWEC is proud to have been associated with such women of character. Congratulations Winners!

Ms Sunanda Weerasinghe, Managing Director of M/S Sujan International (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka, has won the SCWEC Woman Entrepre-neur Excellence Award for her contribution to the so-ciety through her social and health related endeavours.

As the Managing Di-rector of her exclusive vegetarian company, Ms. Sunanda Weerasinghe, has propelled phenomenal economic progress and ex-pansion. She is applauded for the social benefi ts ex-tended to the employees of the company. She is com-mended for her innovation and valuable contribution to

the food industry.

Ms. Runa Khan, Executive Director of M/s Friendship, Bangladesh has won the SCWEC Woman Entrepre-neur Excellence award for her immense contribution to social entrepreneurship.

As the Executive Director of her social welfare orga-nization, Ms. Runa Khan has initiated several pro-grammes and schemes for primary healthcare, Inte-grated Development Model for economic upliftment, emergency fl ood relief, livelihood support for char dwellers and cultural pres-ervation. She is commended for bringing in professional-ism and high standards of a corporate outfi t to her orga-nization, retaining humanity and sensitivity.

Dr. M. Ratna Sudha, Manag-ing Director of M/s. Unique Biotech Limited has been given the SCWEC Woman Entrepreneur of Excellence Award for her contribution

SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneur Council (SCWEC)

SCWEC WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR EXCELLENCE AWARD

| 26


to successful entrepreneur-ship.

Dr. M. Ratna Sudha’s pas-sion to bring simple and natural biotech products within the reach of common man at affordable costs led to her establishment of a small scale industry which has evolved into an ISO 9001:2000 & GMP certifi ed company. The contribu-tion of Dr. Ratna Sudha and Unique Biotech in the fi eld of Probiotics and biophar-maceuticals is invaluable. She is highly commended for incorporating world class technology in these fi elds, contributing to both human and animal health care.

Ms Sailaja Kiron Cheru-kuri, Managing Director of M/s. Margadarsi Chit Fund Private Ltd and Executive Di-rector of M/s. Kalanjali Arts & Crafts has won SCWEC Woman Entrepreneur of Excellence Award for her contribution to successful entrepreneurship.

As the Managing Director of her company, she has played a major role in its exponen-tial growth and expansion, raising it to the position as the top Chit Fund Company in her state. She is also com-mended for her contribution to the fashion industry and wedding wear and for infus-ing innovation and creativity in her fashion enterprise.

Dr. Shehla Javed Akram , Director, Akram Industry, Pakistan received SCWEC Woman Entrepreneur of

Excellence Award for her contribution to success in en-trepreneurship and promotion of women entrepreneurship.

As the Founder President of Women Chamber of Com-merce and Industries in Pakistan, her contribution toward economic empower-ment of women is invaluable. She is commended for her contributions to the medical profession, research stud-ies on Diabetes Mellitus, public health, pharmaceuti-cal industry and social and educational endeavours for underprivileged families in her country.

Dr. Geetha Premkumar, Di-rector, Vector Indojanix (P) Ltd, Chennai, India and Pro-prietrix, Indojanix Systems, Chennai, was chosen as SCWEC Woman Entrepre-neur of Excellence for her contribution to successful entrepreneurship and com-munity development.

As a First Generation En-trepreneur for two decades, her contribution to the de-velopment of her company involved in the manufac-turing and marketing of niche electronic products is noteworthy. Ms. Geetha Premkumar’s social role in the development of women entrepreneurship, busi-ness training, provision of education and job oppor-tunities to rural people, employee welfare schemes and efforts for energy con-servation deserves great appreciation.

Ms. Aminath Arif, Founder, Management Executive and Business Development, Sa-laam School, Maldives, was given the SCWEC Woman Entrepreneur of Excellence Award for her contribution to social entrepreneurship.

As a social entrepreneur who has established an enter-prising business providing training and consultation services in the social sec-tor, she has combined social responsibility with entrepreneurship. She has also extended sup-port to SME development program of Ministry of Economic Development, Government of Maldives. Ms. Aminath has excelled as a successful, responsible and leading woman entrepreneur.

Dr. Massouda Jalal of Af-ghanistan, has been given SCWEC Woman Entrepre-neur of Excellence Award for her contribution to suc-cessful entrepreneurship and social endeavours.

Her immense contribution to the medical fi eld in her ca-pacity as a professional who worked in cooperation with national and international non-profi t organizations is phenomenal. She is highly commended for her work to enhance the status of the women of her country, her involvement in United Nations World Food Pro-gramme, distributing food and other life necessities to millions of vulnerable wom-en and children, efforts to

27 |


educate women and promote home-based entrepreneurial activities among widows and isolated women. Her pub-lic campaigns and capacity building programs for wom-en as well as researches and publication for women and human rights issues deserve special recognition.

Ms. Thinley Lham, Chairper-son of The Wangchuk Group of Companies, Bhutan, re-ceived SCWEC Woman Entrepreneur of Excellence Award for her contribution to successful entrepreneur-ship.

Ms. Thinley Lham’s im-mense contribution to varied fi elds such as the hospitality industry, handicrafts, con-struction, tourism, fi nance, commerce and industry is remarkable. As an entrepre-neur of exemplary business acumen combined with social responsibility, she stands as a role model for many women to emulate. She is highly commended for her social work and ef-forts to promote culture and tourism of her country. She is an example of how women who start home-based busi-ness ventures can grow into profi table contributors of the society. Her involvement in promoting women entrepre-neurship, thus enhancing their productivity and con-tribution to the country’s economy is worthy of great appreciation.

Ms. Sajili Rajesh Shirodkar, Director, Vikas Publishing

House Pvt Ltd and Mad-hubun Educational Books, India, was honoured as SCWEC Woman Entrepre-neur of Excellence for her contribution to successful educational entrepreneur-ship.

As a publisher of education-al books, Ms. Sajili Rajesh Shirodkar has contributed to the fi eld of education and child development, publish-ing quality books for children and introducing teacher training programmes and workshops to improve the quality of education. She is commended for introducing Edu Games for children and increasing web support for closer links with schools and promoting teacher creativity by organizing competitions for them. As the Director of Kryon Source Education Pvt Ltd, her involvement in transformational live channeling workshops for personality enhancement is worthy of appreciation.

Ms. Shanthi Chadha, Direc-tor, Nepal Woman Crafts, Nepal, has been chosen as SCWEC Woman Entre-preneur of Excellence for her contribution to women entrepreneurship and pro-motion of culture.

Ms. Shanti Chadha’s endea-vours in business counseling and skill development of women entrepreneurs as well as her initiatives to pro-mote global exposure and networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs by organizing international

bazaars, trade and handi-crafts fairs, exhibitions and conferences have led to the transformation of many women entrepreneurs of her country. Her contribution to the handicrafts industry with special focus on eco-friendly products is very valuable. As a cultural ambassador of Nepal, Ms. Shanti Chadha stands tall as a woman of in-fl uence and global icon.

Ms. Chinmayi Sripada Founder CEO of Blue El-ephant Translation Services, Chennai, India, has been given SCWEC Woman En-trepreneur of Excellence Award for her contribution to successful entrepreneur-ship in a niche industry.

As a young woman entre-preneur in a niche industry, Chinmayi has taken her fi rm to global levels pro-viding translation and interpretation services to multi national companies in India and abroad with a pool of over three thousand professional translators and interpreters across the world. Her efforts to expand the scope of her enterprise to encompass localization services, subtitling, tran-scription and transliteration services and corporate train-ing refl ects her zeal for innovation, expansion and progress of her enterprise.

As a dancer, singer, entertain-ment and voice professional, her contribution to Indian art and culture globally is highly commendable.

| 28


29 |


Araish Col-

lection makes

garments and

shoes of dif-

ferent variety.

mainly dealing

with the loose

fabrics of dif-

ferent variety.

the clothes are

formal, party

wear and em-

broided fabrics

Araish Collection

| 30


ANNEWRIERTM CATALOGUE

“JEWELRY DESIGN (1993 ONWARDS):

Avantika is a third genera-tion jewelry designer and entrepreneur.

Her grandmother used to design jewelry mainly as a hobby, while her mother and aunt turned what was clearly a family passion into a mod-est business.

Even as a child, Avantika would help her mother and aunt in their exhibitions and doodle out her designs on little scraps of paper as her elders watched indulgently.

“AVANTIKA” started with modest private showings then expanded to full fl edged exhibitions at galleries across Mumbai, like The Centre for Arts and Craft (Juhu), Cym-roza, Aakar, Cache, etc.

It was through these exhi-bitions that ‘AVANTIKA” generated more serious in-terest as a few boutiques and stores expressed a desire to stock the jewelry.

Soon “AVANTIKA” jewelry was on the shelves at an ex-clusive fashion store called “Barefoot” as well as at the well reputed “Centre for Arts and Craft (Juhu)”.

As demand grew “AVAN-TIKA” started exhibiting across the country, with ex-hibitions in Delhi, Chennai and Cochin.

In India, “AVANTIKA” is on the shelves of Taj Khazana, The Centre of Arts and Craft (Juhu), Amethyst Chennai, Rui Boutique, Collage (Ban-galore and Chennai) and The Box in Mumbai.

Internationally, “AVANTI-KA” designs are in boutiques in Spain, Melbourne, Africa, Saudi Arabia, LA and San Fransisco.

Presently “AVANTIKA” works with factories in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Agra and Udaipur and also has a small workshop of its own in Mumbai.

This diversity allows “AVAN-TIKA” to manufacture a wide variety of designs in differ-ent styles of jewelry, thereby offering a range that is both unique and diverse.

“AVANTIKA” – PROFILE

31 |


I, K. Latha Kamalesh pride myself for having been rec-ognised to open an exclusive service centres by the Japa-nese photo giant ‘CANON’ in the city. I have had my personalised training in re-pairing the conventional and digital cameras of all make.

The success of the company was because of the custom-ers having full faith with us. The clients with us have never gone back with any doubts in their mind. They always believe in us and our technical skills. With just four technicians were with us when we started , and the family grew to the strength of 36 today. We also have a few Newspaper companies who

have entrusted us in main-taining their Photographers’ camera quite frequently. Our repair and renovation lab has many testing facili-ties for the repaired cameras prior to the delivery for our customers. These electroni-cally controlled gadgets test the cameras in various as-pects and in all permutation combinations. These testing equipment were authorised, supplied and maintained by the international companies who have specialised in pro-ducing such gadgets.

The BCCI, who has got the exclusive rights covers the cricket and other sport ac-tivities have entrusted us to maintain their imported

Camera Service Centrecamera equipment. The quality control of our service centre is the prime motto and we always have achieved Total Quality Management (TQM) in all our endeav-ours.

Our future plan is to ensure that all types of repair and renovation is available with us. We also insist the cus-tomers to handle the camera equipment carefully and give them tips very periodically. We plan to conduct camera health camps in remote ru-ral areas and serve the needy at their doorstep.

Regards,K. Latha Kamalesh.

Cupidstruckk Design studio is an initiative by Ruchira Chandra.

Through this initiative , we at Cupidstruckk intend to design/drive an outcome which will impact emerg-ing (materialistic) society at large- constructively .

We design Outcomes. As a medium to express these outcomes – we have chosen Paper as a material as our fi rst step.

Cupidstruckk Design studioAs of now - we have created paper based outcomes ,pri-marily keeping in mind the context of recycling and re-usability.

These expressions as tan-gible products camoufl aged with colours and unique applications adds new per-spective to the whole affair.

Initial Range of Prod-uct created in our design studio-

1. Illuminate : This en-compasses a range of lampshades, made out of papier mache / hand-made . It has a high theatrical quotient and is appreciated by one and all.

2. Contained : A range made out of handmade / recycled paper. Primar-ily it constitutes Forms as Containers of various proportions. The Usage gets defi ned by User it-

| 32


self. We have taken a deliberate and conscious call of not limiting Us-ers’ fl ight of imagination by typifying these in any functional brackets. Though it intend to cater to niche gifting occa-sions, exclusivity being its high point.

3. Timeless : Translating and beholding the very essence – it transcends

when you gaze through the myriad collection of handmade/handcrafted time pieces -both for wall and Floor .

4. Stationary : A range of handmade Stationery articles – pen hold-ers, paper trays, memo holder, fi le & folders and more.

5. Custom applications : Exploration helps in

discovering more ways of expressing. With us you will always fi nd a lot of Application Ex-ploration to facilitate conversations to initiate new customized out-comes. They can be used as standalone decorative elements.

www.cupidstruckk.in

RegardsRuchira Chandra

(Cupidstruckk Design Studio)

GEM FASHION

Gem Fashion is a leading Garments shop situated at Ambattur. We focus on Comfort fi rst and then Fashion. We have family collection of products which includes T-shirts, Jeans, casual shirts, Women casual wears (Anne Wrier Brand) & Variety of Kids wear.

Find below some products…

33 |


JULLAAHA- by JAYADEVI CHOLAYIL.

Seasons change, but not Jayadevi Cholayil’s, tradi-tion meets - modern design sensibility. Spring sum-mer or fall winter, her store JULLAAHA speaks the same vocabulary of dress-ing. That’s what makes her special, in the quick sands of fashion world. Married into the CHOLAYIL group, she is the director for Research & Development sector of their group.

Being part of an Ayurvedic family, has inculcated in her, eco-friendly & holistic approach to life. Apart from taking care of the Family business, her artistic streak , fi nds fulfi lment in creating garments, drapes & sarees etc., in natural dyes, for her store Jullaaha.

What is even more special is that, all her products are “Hand crafted & executed by Special Women”. They are given training in the art forms of Batik, Block Print-ing & Kalamkari. These destitute women are chosen & trained by Jaya person-ally. Her design studio, also trains the inmates of “THE BANYAN”. The women from Banyan , who are rehabili-tated, but not taken back to their homes, are given train-ing at Jullaaha. . Here they are trained in a craft, accord-ing to their skill levels. Once they are trained, they are

empowered by giving em-ployment to them, thereby bringing them to the main stream of life.

Jayadevi says, “The joy & fulfi lment I get out of train-ing & giving employment to these helpless women, gives me immense satisfaction & a new purpose in Life”.

Jaya, though a science graduate, did a one year pro-gramme at NIFT, to hone her design skills. Culture has been a continuing thread in her works for over fi ve years. Whether its Saree, The salwar suit, the short kurta , Men’s Kalamkari shirts, or kids Ethnic wear, Jaya has stuck to her hand crafted natural fabrics, natural dyes & hand made techniques of printing like Batik, Block printing, Kalamkari, Silk painting & super fi ne needle work.

The designs of Jay-adevi standout for their unconventional mix of me-dium, texture,textiles,prints & embroidery. One of her contribution lies in reviving Indian crafts like, Kalam-kari, Batik, Block Printing & placing them on interna-tional map.

Her work is rooted to tra-dition on one hand. At the same time, her design sense appeals to modern women. She tweaks tradition in a way, that it appeals to con-

temporary tastes.

She designs on the feather light mulmul, khadhi, wo-wen fabrics, tussars, soft chiffons,georgettes, Crepes, & exotic Kancheevaram Silks etc., She blends contempo-rary patterns into the Saree & other garments in such a way that it retains its tradi-tional essence also offering a new age feel. Her clients can also design their own Sarees & garments with ex-pert inputs from their design team. Her client list includes Celebrities, movie stars, Business women, Home makers & Professionals. She has also customised clothing for a wide spectrum of cli-ents in the US, Europe, Asia, & the Middle East.

Recently she has designed the costumes for a movie – Mundhinam paarthene, in Tamil.

The USP of Jayadevi’s JUL-LAAHA line is that each piece is unique. Every design is either a one off or from a limited edition, never to be repeated. So every customer is guaranteed exclusivity.

She says, her clothes may not appeal to all. But she prefers it that way. It is for those with a fi ne tuned sense of aesthetics & for those who appreciate, things created by hand.

| 34


Lakshmi Jagmohan

Brought up in Mumbai, with an MBA in Finance,

the wonderful Garden City of Bangalore welcomed her with open arms. She had a fl air for art and design from a very young age, and what began as designing clothes for herself, eventually turned out to become a brand name at many fashion weeks. Without any formal training, but with strong encouragement and support from her family – husband Jagmohan, sister Priya and mother, she opened her fi rst boutique “AAKRUTI”, at Koramangala, which is named after her daughter

Adding to the pride of the country, she was the only Indian selected to represent the country for “Brother Cup – International Young Fash-ion Designers’ contest”, held at Beijing, China in April 2000, Where she won the prestigious country award.

Within 4 years of Launching her Label,, “Lakshmi Jagmo-han”, she was offered to be a part of few of India’s most prestigious fashion shows and events. Ever since, there has been no looking back.

She has received many ac-colades for the successful shows that she has put up aproa and in India, including that of , Brother Cup, Banga-

lore Fashion Week, Chennai International Fashion Week and many more.

A never say die attitude with a burning passion for style and design is what adds to her personality and makes her stand out. Most of her collections are inspired by the glorious Mother Na-ture and fi nds beauty in every creation of God. With the backing of a rich heri-tage and artful skills, she incorporates elegant cuts, traditional, contemporary styles and designs. The use of Indian embroideries like Zardozi, Crystals, semi-pre-cious stones, Sequin work, Aari work, to just name a few, has always been a hall-mark in her colourful Indian, Western and Indo western ensembles. She is present-ing an exquisite collection, “Collection : Enchanted” at the CHENNAI INTERNA-TIONAL FASHION WEEK,

July, 2010, inspired by The National Bird of India, “The Peacock”.

The Flared wings of the pea-cock, add the colours of blue, green, turquoise, gold and yellow in the sky, signifying immense joy and emotions. Just like The Peacock, her collection, expresses the language of joy, happi-ness, romance, excitement, colour and celebration of all things beautiful. This col-lection consists of Sarees, Lehengas, Chudidars and Evening Gowns in Silks, Crepes, Brocades, Chiffons, Denim and also, launching her Men’s Wear here, with Bridal Sherwanis. This col-lection emphasises a lot on design, embroideries and detailing, some very minute, which add to the charm of the ensemble, Collection : Enchanted. So, be prepared to be enchanted by the aura of the of the hypnotising peacock.

35 |


42-B, 4th Flr, Himalaya House, 23 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi 110001 INDIA

Email [email protected] Cellular 00 91 9873807087, Telephone 00 91 11 65339249

We take this opportunity to introduce ourselves to your esteemed company. We are LIGNE INTERNATIONAL, a company that is dealing in bath & beauty essentials.

We have on offer the following:

1. Gift Packs, encased in clear acrylic boxes, em-bellished with a ribbon accessory.

The gift pack holds:

Travel sized moisturizing lo-tion, shampoo, face cream, Vitamin E body butter, fi ne sugar scrub, bath salts, glyc-erin bathing bar, essential oil blend and an aromather-apy locket. There are 4 aromatherapy based ranges available in the above men-tioned product.

2. Gift Boxes, large size, covered with shiny metallic paper, with printing of our branding, and ribbon embellish-ments. The box holds:

Luxury size acrylic glass jars that hold-Vitamin E Body

Butter & Face Cream. Liq-uid to Foam Body Lather, glycerin bathing bar, a tub of bath salts, 15 ml oil blend and a healed crystal/silver aromatherapy locket. These will lie in a bed of colored strands and silver thread. There are 4 aromatherapy based ranges available in the above mentioned product.

3. Travel Kits.

Travel sized moisturizing lo-tion, shampoo, face cream, Vitamin E body butter, fi ne sugar scrub, bath salts, glycerin bathing bar, essen-tial oil blend There are 4 aromatherapy based ranges available in the above men-tioned product. The bags are made in canvas with a lami-nated fi nish.

The USP for our range is that you can create a home spa anywhere, when you travel, or at home.

The proprietoress of Ligne International, Ms. Nandishi Shriram, is a certifi ed

Aromatherapist, with a Higher International Diploma from the Interna-tional College of Holistic Medicine(ICHM), UK. And a basic beginner’s course from Laura Sophia, Ha-waii, 2006. Nandishi has certifi ed in Reiki, foot refl ex-ology, the Silva method. Ms. Shriram has a background of ten years in top advertis-ing agencies such as Chaitra Leo Burnett, JWT and a de-sign studio called Studio 4 where Nandishi did anima-tion. Nandishi has studied graphic design for 3 years from New Delhi and 1 year from St. Martins College of Art & Design.

We are a start-up venture. We are looking to custom-ize blends for target markets such as:

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• AIRLINES • HOTELS • SPAS/ SALONS

• CORPORATE COS. INTER-ESTED IN DEVELOPING HOLISTIC GIFT PACKS

• HOLISTIC HEALERS • RE-TAIL TRADING

We at Belleza Aromática pro-vide aromatherapy blends for ailment related causes.We are constantly devel-oping and fi ne tuning our product ranges, thereby sat-isfying a niche target market

that believes in complemen-tary medicine.

ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS AND WHAT WE DO:

WE PROVIDE E-SERVIC-ES, SUCH AS AILMENT RELATED QUERIES, SPE-CIFIC BLENDS MADE TO ORDER(MINIMUM QUAN-TITIES ARE FIFTY PIECES EACH) AND WE DO OFFER HOLISTIC CARE ADVICE..

OUR PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED WITH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.

OUR PRODUCTS ARE NON-TOXIC, NON-INVASIVE

WE WILL SOON BE PROVIDING E-CARE SO-

LUTIONS FOR BEAUTY & HEALTH

OUR RETAIL EXHIBI-TIONS WILL SHORTLY COMMENCE

We prefer outright sales. We can send samples once you place an order with us. We accept no legal responsibility for the use of our products. We do not replace medicine. We enhance the use of any medical tool with the use of holistic sciences.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

( Nandishi Shriram )

LIGNE INTERNATIONAL

Choose Nature : live Nature :

MAADARASE ENTERPRISES

Training Center & Production UnitNo.1, Brindavan, Nagar, Main Road,

Shawalace Colony, 1st Street, Adambakkam, Chennai - 600 088. Ph : 9790701900, 7299110029

K. Menaka Head Offi ce : Chennai

Regarding ourselves “ Maa-darase Enterprises” is a service Oriented Organisa-tion. Contributing to social economical activates and to conserve nature to purchas-ing Since its is commenceds involved with the areas of Agriculture, rain water harvest, herbal research and cultivation, Environ-

ment awareness, poverty alleviation program rural upliftment and income gen-erating activity for the poor and down trodden people With our service motivation proceeds our ground works and collective organiza-tional activities we extend our technical guide lines and guidance to the entre-

preneurs, self help groups and woman’s Self employ-ment to avail the benefi ts by participating in out various projects which are aimed at developing their lively hood Our prime project called “Areca plates unit” is a “wealth from waste” con-cept and the Areca plates made from areca nut sheath.

37 |


This product involves alter-native plastics and heathy and hygienic, Biodegradable and eco friendly. The pilot project for manufacturing areca nut sheath plates and jutes products, unit its sur-vive to important training

and issue technical guide lines and guidance to set up the manufacturing unit. Our Activities “Maadarase Enterprises” involved with other projects such as ba-nana fi ber project and Paper

carry Bag manufacturing unit and providing those ma-chineries and Raw materials supply. Maadarase Enter-prises have achieved award for Go, green business Idea contest, Conducted by byst.

Mishas Collection

Established on 25th December 1989 with the view to introduce quality of womens waer in local and international variety

our womes line comprises of traditional dresses, bridal dresses, party wear and casual dresses. wide range of Makesh work, Patti & gota work and hand embrodery on cotton and saffoons.

we are dealing in westren wear as well. designing tuniqs for offi ce wear export..

Company Name : Mishas CollectionContact : Samina Fazil (CEO)

Email : enigmaticfl [email protected], Cell : 0323-5343199

Orifl ame [India]

Uma Badrinarayanan, 503798Sponsor, Shanthi Pandian, 501858

Sucess comes only by choice not by chance!

First of all I am very proud to say that all my leaders and their core members are very ethusiastic, energetic and determined. Two years back Sapphire and Diamond titles were far beyond our reach. But today I am very happy and confi dent that I have proved that nothing is impossible. The theme for this year is ‘Dare to Dream’ and that’s why my dream is to become an Executive Di-

rector in another couple of years. Not only me, all my leaders are also determined to achive this will happen, because of Orifl ame Uni-versity as in my team all my Directors and Senior Manag-ers have started conducting L3 regularly and their core team members are doing L1 and L2. Systematically, I have also started L4 and I am eagerly waiting to start my L5 soon.

One thing I learnt from Ori-fl ame is that anybody can

become a consultant but to become a big leader and achive sucess, one should have belief and faith. Ori-fl ame’s income is not today’s income, it’s the future as-set for our next generation. Gone are the days when peo-ple are rich only by virtue of ancestral property, today, a simple common person can own wealth and become a crorepati through Orifl ame.

So Dare to Dream, Dream big and achieve big!

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Panchvati“If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth know-ing, and if nature were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living”

Jules Henry Poincore

Pure, unadulterated, divine – That is what nature stands for. Modernization and Transformation has become an essential part of our lives, which has diminished our connection with nature and deprived us of the emotional sensitivity connected to it. It is time to reunite, to recon-nect with everything that is natural. Panchvati is an ini-tiative to rebuild this bond with nature for all the love and nurturing care that she has given to us.

Objective:

Panchvati is an effort to support the artisans who

naturally practice their art with reverence and help us replenish the lost bond with nature. This is not an at-tempt for money or for fame; it is our quest to retrace our steps back to nature. We intend to give these highly talented, hardworking men and women what is rightfully theirs – Your Appreciation. We will merely act as a medi-um to convey your thoughts to these skilled artisans and in turn provide you with beautiful workmanship and excellent quality at attrac-tive prices.

Handcrafted Products give personal touch to the living environment. Panch-vati offers the opportunity to design our homes with handcrafted products from mother earth and bring na-ture to our homes. We bring

to you exquisite handicrafts and home articles from inte-riors of India.

Vision:

To improve the working con-ditions of the village artisans by bringing their art which is in complete harmony with nature into everybod-ys home providing natural, comfortable and refreshing ambience.

We intend to bring the vari-ous artisans together and form a group where sim-plicity and harmony will reign supreme and provide a healthy and sustainable fu-ture to the artisans and their families.

Studio Palazzo has been in existence for the past nine years, in Chennai holding more than 50 exhibitions in Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi and Maldives. Started with the intention on exhibiting young and upcoming artists from Tamil Nadu, now the gallery has broadened its base and shows artists from different parts of India and from Belgium, France, US and Iran.

STUDIO PALAZZO AN ART GALLERY# 7, Seethamma Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018

Telefax: 044 42030546 | Timings: 11 AM to 7 PM – Sunday Holiday

39 |


Saddi’s Fashion Saddi’s Fashion was estab-lished in July 2000 under the supervision of its entre-preneur Mrs.Sadia Waseem.The basic aim was to design and promote the ladies wear according to our tradition and culture. At Saddi’s, we deal in formal,casual and party dresses for women. The designs and styles whether in screen print-ing or embroidery, refl ect the efforts done by Saddi’s through its research and de-velopment skills .The blend of aesthetic sense with our culture and traditions is the beauty of Saddi’s creation. Saddi’s Fashion does not compromise on quality as we believe to promote the quality not quantity .

The Entrepreneur: Sky is the

limit

The Product

To organize successful exhi-bitions throughout Pakistan is also a landmark achieve-ment for Saddi’s which not only refl ects the trust on quality and freshness of ideas /concept used but also it distinguishes Saddi’s products from others.

Saddi’s has also par-ticipated national & international exhibitions like ‘Live in Splendour’ New Delhi India, Wextnet 2005 Karachi, Wexnet 2010 La-hore etc.

Saddi’s has its out sourcing set up. Workers having dif-ferent skills are kept busy to accomplish the task given by Saddi’s. It is really very diffi -cult to supervise ,control and

meet the quality standards by getting the production in this way. But by the grace of Allah The Almighty, the workers are always very co-operative & time conscious.

As the land of Pakistan is rich in heritage and crafts-manship therefore, now Saddi’s is also introducing/promoting handicrafts/jew-ellery and other traditional items internationally.

For quarries information do not hesitate to call:

Mrs.Sadia Waseem, Saddi’s Fashion, House # 62 Street # 5, Khan Avenue (Behind Shell Pump), Bostan Khan

Road, Ext,Chaklala Scheme lll, RAWALPINDI.(Paki-

stan)

Member: Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce &

IndustryIslamabad Women Cham-

ber of Commerce & Industry

Phone: 092-051-5704297 | Cell: 0300-5104099

E-mail: [email protected] | Web:www.saddisfash-

iom.com

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“hutke crafts”

We had many opportunities to meet artisans and NGOs in the rural and semi urban areas, where they create amazing products but get meager income. With regular travel, dialogue and research on their life, we realized that they have challenges in marketing their products which affects their working capital and production. As a result, “hutke crafts” was created, aiming to support these producer groups in marketing and obtaining decent value for their creations. Currently, we assist them to promote their products with a decent price. In due course we plan to support them with design, skill training and product development. Our vision is to enhance the livelihood of these producers. Our products include Bags (made of cloth, Korai grass, etc), home decors (made of terracotta, palm leaf, hand made paper, etc), and Jewels made of seeds.

“hutke crafts” can be reached at [email protected] and ring us on +917299204552 or +919486753748.

Address : B9, Mango Block, 85-87 Arcot Road, Vadapalani, Chennai 600 026, Tamilnadu, India.

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Mrs Carolin Praba Reddy, an enterprising woman of substance, driven by passion for beauty and health care, is the Managing Di-rector of Vcare Health Clinic (P) Ltd. Vcare is a trusted hair care and beauty solution provid-er.

Carolin Praba is the fi rst South Indian cer-tifi ed Trichologist from the International Asso-ciation of Trichologists (IAT), Australia.

She started her career as a teacher in the year 1991 and her passion for beauty and well-ness made her shift to the beauty profession in 1997 by starting a small parlor in Pondicherry. She developed a craze for hair treatments and this craze made her a Certi-fi ed Trichologist and started the First South Indian Trichology Clin-ic in Chennai in the year 2004 to provide com-plete hair care solutions. Within a short span of 6 years, 10 branches were

established.

Vcare, the fi rst South Indian Trichology(Hair) Clinic, an eminent hair treatment specialist from South India, pro-moted by M/s Praba’s Vcare Health Clinic (P) Ltd is a trusted solu-tion provider in the hair treatment sector. Vcare has created a niche for itself in the Health & Wellness industry, es-pecially in Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Her constant passion for innovation , updating her knowledge and ex-pertise in the changing world of Trichology and cosmetology, has seen Vcare introducing new technologies in treat-ments, time and again. She takes pleasure in sharing the knowledge gained and in this ef-fort, she has established Vcare Global Institute of Health Sciences, im-parting knowledge in Trichology and beauty industry.

Vcare Global Institute of Health Sciences has

established a tie-up

with Bendigo Regional

Institute, Australia and

training people in Trich-

ology and various other

Beauty related courses.

Students from all over

India and abroad are

getting trained in this

institute.

She has always been am-

bitious, entrepreneurial

and growth orient-

ed. This has made her

establish Vcare Med-

spa – the complete skin

clinic, Vcare Pharcos, a

state of art manufactur-

ing facility and VADL,

a diagnostic laboratory,

in the recent years.

The strength of Praba

Reddy is relationship

networking, strong in

interpersonal commu-

nication. She strongly

believes in what you sow

is what you reap. She

believes that success is

not a destination, but it

is an ongoing journey.

She is innovative, cre-

ative and never say no

to life.

Registrar of Newspapers for India Regn. No: TN/CC (S) Dn 354/08-10Registration No: TNENG/2005/167/19 EVE’S TIMES

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