The Global Hues | Vol. 2 | Issue 3 | | March 2022
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INKING STORIES THAT MATTER TODAY AND EVEN MORE TOMORROW
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Contents Vol 2 | Issue 3 10
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Koheli Puri
Dr. Priyanjali Datta
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March 2022
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
The Leading Lady Of Her Own Corporate Realestate Empire
A Beacon Of Light For The Entire Womankind
The Force Behind Transformation Of Women’s Lifestyle & Wellness-Globally
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Special Feature
Lipika Sud
Dr. Malvika Iyer
One Who Rooted Out The Ingrained Myths Of Interior Designing
A Disability Rights Activist & The Face Of Change For Differently Abled
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Divyashikha Gupta Standing Tall Under A Self-Created Corporate Umbrella 4 | The Global Hues | Vol. 2 | Issue 3 |
Ghazal Alagh The Woman Behind India’s Fastest Growing Personal Care Brand
March 2022
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Special Feature
Social Entrepreneur
Lakshmi N Menon
Inspiring Change In Society
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Constructive Special Feature
Hobbies
Can Make You A Better Entrepreneur
Sumita Ghose
Bridging The Gap Between Artisans And Modernity
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Meenakshi Acharya
Rohini Manian
Swati Sharma
Carrying On The 100 Year Family Legacy Forward
A Powerful Force Behind Highly Acclaimed Technology-Driven B2B Consumer Benefits Marketplace
A Dynamic Persona Changing The Landscape Of Legal Solutions
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Vineeta Singh
Vandana Tolani
Arti Sudhir Nair
Change
Lifestyle
The Intellectual Mind Behind India’s Widely Popular Cosmetic Brand
The Mastermind Behind A Boutique Investment Banking Firm
On A Mission To Create A Digital Presence For Design Professionals Via Archiipedia
Khyati Udeshi Naigandhi
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Anamika Srivastava
Dr. Ankita Singh
Driving Social Change That Matters Via Development Consortium
The Force Behind Transformation Of The HR Landscape
Kamalika Guha Roy
Transforming Startups Into Reputed Brands With The Power Of Technology
Intellect Quotes
5 Inspiring Books
Bringing Impeccable Recruitment Services At TenaSHEous
For Women Entrepreneurs
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Shweta Deshmukh Leaving The Entire World Spellbound With Her Groundbreaking Creativity
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Listing
Madhya Pradesh
She Glorifying Businesses
The Heart Of India
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Kanika Mittal
Aparajita Roy
Making Twitter The Platform Of Choice Via Thought Leadership
On A Mission To Preserve The Heritage Of The Handmade
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The Call For Reducing
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
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Shraddha Sandeep Pingale
An Influential Figure In The Very Challenging Civil Engineering Industry
Finance
Surviving A
Stock Market Crash The Global Hues | Vol. 2 | Issue 3 | | March 2022
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Publisher’s ote
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A woman is the full circle. Within her lies the power to build, nurture and transform. She is indeed the change maker. Himanshu Tyagi
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t goes without saying that entrepreneurship is no longer ‘a men’s only’ world. Many women are coming forward and taking the plunge to make a bold mark across the globe with utter dedication and determination.
Women entrepreneurs have the potential to emerge as the biggest force in the economic growth story of the entire world. As per McKinsey, India could add up to $770 billion— more than 18% to its GDP by the year 2025. Entrepreneurship comes with a host of challenges. The roadblocks are heightened further if she is a woman. Yet some women dare to give it their all and decide to be their own bosses, change lives, inspire many, and transform society through their exemplary contribution. Our Women Special “She: Glorifying Businesses” Edition, brings into the limelight the inspiring stories of women who had forayed into the world of entrepreneurship in pursuit of their passion, emerged victoriously, and managed to grab the eyeballs of the entire business fraternity. We bring to you their journey through the thorns, their struggles, vision, achievements, and milestones. On this International Women’s Day, it’s time to recognize, reward and celebrate each women entrepreneur who has been able to pursue, prevail, create an impact and etch out a story of inspiration worth inspiring millions around the globe.
Vol 2 | Issue 3 | March 2022 Publisher: The Global Hues Founder & CEO: Himanshu Tyagi Editor-in-chief: Tannishtha Mukherjee Copy Editor: Priyanka Tyagi Content Manager: Himanshi Jain Editorial Team: Kusum Vats, Aditi Gautam, Shreya Malakar
Design Head: Himanshu Koli Digital Team: Chaitanya Mitra, Amit Sharma ------------------------------------------------Head of Sales & Marketing: Chetan Kaushik Sales Team: Annu Vimal, Ritu Chauhan, Anubha Singh Chauhan, Anushka Gupta, Sanchit Rathi, Shubham Goel Data & Research: Naval Kishore, Sanjay Sharma Marketing & PR: Krishiv Kumar PR@theglobalhues.com Advertisement: Mayank Gulati Subscription: Maniraj Reddy HR: Simran Khanna Corporate Office Address: A-204, Third Floor, Vikaspuri, New Delhi-110018 Ph. no. : +91 9871258991 Email: info@theglobalhues.com
The Global Hues does not accept responsibility for returning unsolicited materials & photographs. All unsolicited material should be accomplished by self-addressed envelope & sufficient postage. All disputes are subject to exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Delhi/New Delhi only. © 2022 Publisher, Reproduction in whole or a part throughout the world, including image text or anything without written permission from the publisher, is prohibited. All rights reserved.
Hope you love reading the stories of hope and courage. Happy Reading!
The Global Hues
Editorial@theglobalhues.com
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I have never let gender get in my way. It has taken me over 30 years to get from a garage to the huge campus that we have today. And it’s been a long journey.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Founder & Chairperson, Biocon
A BEACON OF LIGHT FOR THE ENTIRE WOMANKIND aunched with a humble seed capital of Rs. 10,000 in 1978 by a young and passionate 25-year-old entrepreneur in Bangalore (India), Biocon has become India’s most respected and top biotechnology and pharmaceutical company. No price for guessing, the woman behind this most successful biotech company is none other than Kiran Mazumdar Shaw whose exemplary leadership and brilliant philosophies are an inspiration for the entire business fraternity.
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A first-generation entrepreneur, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has many firsts to her name, and her accolades are too many to list. She is
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the first Indian businesswoman to reach USD 1 billion, even as she works tirelessly to deliver affordable treatments to patients via her biotechnology enterprise.
THE JOURNEY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Kiran was always inclined towards studies. She pursued B.Sc in Zoology from Bangalore University. With a thirst to gain more knowledge, she went to Australia for post-graduation. She became the only woman to enrol herself in the brewing course at Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education in Melbourne. In 1974, she got her first job and started working as a trainee brewer with Carlton and United Beverages. She worked there for 4 years; post this, her life took a major turn.
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In 1978, Shaw joined Biocon Biochemicals Limited, Ireland as a Trainee Manager which helped her understand the revenue model of the company. After joining the company, she established the Indian arm of the company in the same year. She rented a garage space in Bangalore with an initial investment of only Rs. 10,000, and started her welcoming entrepreneurial journey.
I call myself an accidental entrepreneur. I was all set to take up a brewing job in Scotland when a chance encounter with an Irish entrepreneur-led me to set up a biotech business in India instead. THE WARRIOR WITHIN
The challenges in Kiran’s entrepreneurial life were many to list. Since biotechnology was a new field during those times, it became too difficult for her to take bank loans. Women entrepreneurs back then were quite rare to be seen. Some would even ask her father Rasendra Mazumdar to be a guarantor. Furthermore, recruiting and hiring the right set of people for her startup was a cumbersome process and enough to deter young Kiran. But she never gave up, as she knew great things always take time, therefore she stayed patient. She found a retired garage mechanic who became the first employee of the company, followed by a few brave folks. Uninterrupted power, sterile labs, superior quality power, imported research equipment, and workers with advanced scientific knowledge were not easily available in India but all these challenges could not stop Kiran to set the path for
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the growth and diversification of Biocon. In her words, “I faced a number of challenges whilst I built Biocon. I had credibility challenges where I couldn’t get banks to fund me; I couldn’t recruit people to work for a woman boss. Even in the businesses where I had to procure raw materials, they didn’t want to deal with women.”
INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY Kiran’s resilience, strength in the face of adversity, and a strong sense of purpose make her someone entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders look up to.
She believes that there should be a sense of purpose; that purpose will drive people to succeed. This sense of purpose does not have to be the same throughout. When Kiran started her career, her purpose was concentrated on her company, however, it has changed over time and shifted to involve many other things as well. Furthermore, Kiran believes in empowering, mentoring, trusting, and enabling leaders at multiple levels in her team. She provides ample opportunities to them to grow their leadership potential. The future is built on the flow of new ideas. She is highly result oriented and always keeps herself open to new ideas and opinions.
BIOCON: INDIA’S LARGEST PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY Biocon is a global biopharmaceutical company changing patients’ lives in over 120 countries by inventing new and affordable methods to treat diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. From pipeline to production, from drug discovery to drug delivery, Biocon brings differentiated, high-quality and affordable healthcare products to communities across the globe.
Powered by advanced therapy platforms, its 35000+ highly skilled and talented workforce blend heart, science, and creativity to
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make better healthcare solutions. Biocon has 4 global businesses– Generics, Biosimilars, Research Services, and Novel Biologics. They represent Biocon’s risk-balanced strategy, underpinned by agile network connections, a robust pipeline and a timely ‘emerging markets’ orientation. Biocon is relentlessly working towards achieving health equity by making medicines more easily accessible for patients across the globe. Biocon is committed to providing everyone, everywhere, affordable access to a speciality portfolio of medicines. It is steadfastly investing in developing novel therapies for diabetes, oncology & immunology and is strengthening its global reach and economies of scale.
KIRAN’S STRATEGIC VISION FOR BIOCON Vision: Kiran envisions enhancing global healthcare through innovative and affordable biopharmaceuticals for patients, partners and healthcare systems worldwide. Mission Kiran wishes to see Biocon becoming an integrated biotechnology enterprise of global distinction. Essential to this mission is excellence in:
Intellectual asset creation through discovery, research and development
State-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities
Internationally benchmarked quality and regulatory systems
New medical insight through disease-specific clinical research
Customer relationship through outstanding products and services
Human resource development through training, mentoring and empowering
Management of research and business partnerships
pushed Kiran to think of ‘out of the box’ solutions. Kiran suggests budding women entrepreneurs to evolve with time which would surely help them find better prospects of growth.
HER WORDS OF WISDOM FOR ASPIRING WOMEN LEADERS
Kiran Mazumdar is a role model that all budding women entrepreneurs look by and take inspiration from. She advises women entrepreneurs to:
Develop A Sense of Purpose: Businesses should be driven by a sense of purpose and always be open to facing and conquering challenges. When Kiran started Biocon, the resources were limited, the infrastructure was primitive and had to work in a hostile business environment but it was that consistent passion and self-belief that helped her to succeed against all odds. She advises entrepreneurs to challenge themselves and stand out from the crowd. “Don’t be a me-too entrepreneur! Think about how you can be differentiated, even if it is in a similar business line,” reiterates Kiran. Evolve and Change Over Time: Business visions evolve and change over time, that’s what Kiran believes she has learnt as an entrepreneur. Biocon’s vision has always
Pick The Right Talent: As per Kiran, building a dream team that understands your vision and takes it forward is challenging yet the key to sky-high growth. Kiran says, To support the vision, it’s highly potent for entrepreneurs to surround themselves with a team of people with complementary skills and behaviour. Build An Effective Business Model: One of the difficult challenges that any entrepreneur faces is building an effective business model. They must know how to market their product/ service keeping in mind the target group as well.
KIRAN’S LOVE FOR READING
Books encourage self-educating, self-improvement, and success, and reading them provides leaders with tips and business strategies, and above all, inspiration.
Kiran has read many books over the years. Emperor of Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, The First Cell: And The Human Costs Of Pursuing Cancer To The Last by Azra Raza, Future Shock by Alvin Toffler, Sapiens: A Brief History Of Humankind By Yuval Noah Harari, Leapfrogging To Pole-Vaulting, Creating The Magic Of Radical Yet Sustainable Transformation By Raghunath Mashelkar & Ravi Pandit, The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot are a few to list.
AN INSPIRATION FOR ALL When Kiran started out, women were not considered risk-takers, not aggressive and competitive enough, lacking the big picture. Kiran challenged these preconceived notions and grabbed the eyeballs of the entire corporate fraternity. She speaks her mind, with fierce conviction, along with compassion and empathy.
“I want to be remembered as someone who put India on the scientific map of the world in terms of large innovation. I want to be remembered for making a difference to global healthcare. And I want to be remembered as someone who did make a difference to social-economic development in India.”
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SPECIAL FEATURE
Dr. MALVIKA IYER A DISABILITY RIGHTS ACTIVIST & THE FACE OF CHANGE FOR DIFFERENTLY ABLED
“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” – Dr. Malvika Iyer she detonated a grenade at her home and lost both her hands at the age of 13 on 26 May 2002. Besides losing both her hands she also sustained severe leg injuries including nerve paralysis, multiple fractures and hypoesthesia. She was hospitalized for 18 months after which she started to walk with the help of crutches and was given prosthetic hands. Unhindered by the tragedy, she appeared for her Secondary School Leaving exams and scored 97% with only 3 months of preparation. The late President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam invited Dr. Malvika to Rashtrapati Bhavan to congratulate her on her achievement. She moved to New Delhi to study Economics at St. Stephen’s College and completed her M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Social Work.
HER CAREER AND ACHIEVEMENTS
r. Malvika Iyer is not just a survivor; she is a warrior who emerged like a phoenix from a gruesome bomb blast. A story that everyone should know, a story of strength, courage, power and determination.
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She refused to let an accident dictate the course of her life. She is a disability rights activist and a motivational speaker. An Indian national and braveheart, Dr. Malvika was born in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu on 18 February 1989 and was brought up in Bikaner, Rajasthan. She was living a peaceful life until
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Dr. Malvika began her career as a motivational speaker when she was invited as a speaker at TEDxYouth at Chennai in 2013. After her first speech, she followed to be a speaker in many other nations such as the United Nations in New York, Norway, USA, Singapore, South Africa and Indonesia where she emphasized the importance of inclusion. “I am a product of inclusion and it’s my dream to see every individual with a disability to be embraced by their society,” says Dr. Malvika Iyer. Iyer has tried to raise awareness about the need for universal design, accessible public spaces, and participation of disabled youth
in promoting inclusive elections by giving motivational talks and sensitization workshops in schools, colleges, private establishments, non-governmental organisations, and youth forums. Furthermore, she worked to raise awareness about the importance of having a positive body image. In 2013, she hosted the India Inclusion Summit. Iyer, an advocate for accessible fashion, walked the runway for ‘NIFT’ and ‘Ability Foundation’ in Chennai, emphasising the importance of producing outfits with usefulness and style for individuals with disabilities. She was named a Global Shaper to the Chennai Hub of the Global Shapers Community, a World Economic Forum programme in 2014. Dr. Malvika soon became a member of the Working Group on Youth and Gender Equality of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, and in March 2017, she was invited to give a speech at the United Nations in New York. She was also invited to co-chair the World Economic Forum’s India Economic Summit, which was held at the Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi in October 2017. She is now a well-known international motivational speaker who has inspired millions of people to overcome their fears and face the world with confidence and hope.
Deccan Chronicle named her one of the 100 Change Agents and Newsmakers of the Decade in 2015. She has also been honored with the title “Inspiring Young Changemaker” from The CSR Journal Excellence Awards. She starred in the short film ‘The Phoenix,’ which was nominated for ABILITY FEST 2013 (an India-International Disability Film Festival). “You don’t need a perfect body to succeed in life.”- Dr. Malvika Iyer The obstacles faced by people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic were not well understood which propelled Dr. Malvika Iyer to step up. She altered this with the help of her sister Kadambari, who made an animated educational video. “I believe it is my social responsibility as a person with a disability to create this awareness. My challenges are not the same as that of a visually impaired person or a wheelchair user so it is important for me to make sure that people understand that everyone is unique, and we must do our best to include everyone”. – Dr. Malvika Iyer Iyer believes that to provide inclusive opportunities for those with disabilities, first and foremost, we need acceptance. We
require unrestricted communication. Disabled people are not a homogeneous social category. Sensitizing our society about the special needs of people with disabilities is crucial. Once the maya of societal attitude is removed, disabled people are more aware of what they deserve from the society. People with disabilities in India are now aware that they have a say in disability policymaking. At the political level, we require representation. Negative attitudes are the outcome of a lack of understanding and the segregation of people with disabilities. She strongly thinks that education comes into play to bring a mindset shift in this situation. According to Iyer, educating young people about prejudiced attitudes is very important. Instead of portraying people with disabilities as objects of charity, it is the need of the hour to integrate success stories of people with disabilities into the school curriculum. Instead of portraying persons with disabilities as weak and reliant, the world needs to portray them as role models. Dr. Malvika advocates education as the foremost medium for change. She is unequivocally a role model for many. She is not only the face of change but an image of strength.
RECOGNITION AND FAME
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2018, Iyer was awarded the Nari Shakti Puraskar, India’s highest civilian honour for women, for her remarkable contribution to women’s empowerment by Honorable President of India Ram Nath Kovind. She was chosen by India’s Honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take over his social media accounts on March 8, 2020. After her performance in the SSLC exam, she was lauded by famous Indian leaders. She has received numerous honours, including Wisdom International Magazine’s Outstanding Model Student Award, Young Achiever Award from National Association of Professional Social Workers in India, and the inaugural Women in the World Emerging Leaders Award in New York in 2016.
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At Stalwart World, we are obsessed with continually raising the bar by delivering world class service to our customers, partners & our team of Stalwarts.
DIVYASHIKHA GUPTA
CEO & MD, Stalwart World
Divyashikha Gupta STANDING TALL UNDER A SELF-CREATED CORPORATE UMBRELLA
he long and winding journey of entrepreneurship is not one that’s meant for the faint-hearted. And yet there are some who are destined to go down that very road in a bid to answer their inner most call. Bearing testimony to this is Ms Divyashikha Gupta, CEO & MD Stalwart World, who despite being a management graduate from Asia’s finest business schools, chose to give up a comparatively cushy corporate career in favour of pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams.
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The entrepreneurial bug bit Divyashikha at the tender age of eight, long before the term ‘start-up’ became a key buzzword in India’s professional world. Even as a child, she was clear about not wanting to do a job. Her parents’ support only ignited her passion for creation further, and what ensued was countless conversations at the dinner table discussing possible business ideas with her parents, unlike most children her age whose dinner-time companion was the television. Her encouraging family’s feedback and suggestions
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only contributed further to the refining of her thinking process and as she grew older, the seed of thought to become a creator blossomed naturally into a desire to become an entrepreneur. This desire coupled with passion and determination made leaving behind the baggage of comfort, familiarity and predictability fairly easy as she embarked on her journey. What beckoned was the far more enticing and exciting adrenaline rush; the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that only the entrepreneurial journey could offer. And so, it was at age 27, barely a few years after being in a job, that Divyashikha quit a largely promising corporate career to embark on her life-fulfilling mission, with the creation of Stalwart World in 2009.
COMMUNICATION: HER ENTREPRENEURSHIP PHILOSOPHY CORNERSTONE Most entrepreneurs are natural leaders. And as Divyashikha puts it, “two-way communication is the key component of effective leadership since it fosters an open and diverse work environment.”
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concerned partner. Through its in-depth understanding of the wellness needs of an organisation’s workforce, Stalwart Wellness helps in creating impactful and holistic wellness interventions aimed at optimising its human capital output. Its holistic approach focuses not only on physical healthcare services but also on mental and emotional aspects of wellness and well-being. ‘Wonder Woman’ for instance, is a mix of preventive health checks and wellness solutions that help working women excel in their respective professional fields. Similarly, ‘Fit For Life’ is a personalized health programme focussing on cardiac care, weight loss, and diabetes management.
(From L to R) RAJASI MOHADIKAR – Business Head: CEO’S Office, SUHAS KSHEMKALYANI – National Director: Sales & Distribution, DIVYASHIKHA GUPTA – CEO & MD : Stalwart World, ADITYAVIKRAM GUPTA – Director & Managing Partner : SMC and S VENKATESWARAN (SV) – Managing Partner : SBCL Another key focus area for her is listening to feedback and catching on to subtle nuances from conversations with clients, teams & stakeholders. She believes that constructive feedback goes a long way in helping improve individual as well as team performance, thereby enabling an organisation’s growth in existing avenues as well as in diversifying into newer endeavours. Her mantra for her team’s business-making decisions is to make sure that each decision is favourable for every entity in the value-chain.
STALWART WORLD: FOSTERING BUSINESS GROWTH Headquartered in Mumbai, Stalwart World partners with likeminded entrepreneurs to create self-sustaining and scalable business models driven by technology and innovation. With service delivery in more than 100 cities and proven pan India expertise, Stalwart World has 4 entities each focussing on distinct businesses.
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1. Stalwart Business Consortium LLP:
2. Stalwart Management Consulting (SMC):
SBCL is India’s First & Only 360 Degree Integrated Sales Implementation Organization in India that partners with FMCG brands to increase Sales & Markets.
Stalwart Management Consulting is an HR solutions company that maps talent for organizations’ human capital requirements. It has across-the-board expertise in crafting solutions that create seamless, cost-effective & impactful human resource solutions to help build sustainable and competitive teams for its clients.
It partners with F&B and FMCG brands to help them Sell More, Sell Fast and Sell Often by offering its clients tangible retail sales & distribution solutions at affordable and competitive commercials to build their presence in general trade, modern trade, HORECA channels, and market places to name a few. Currently, Stalwart Business Consortium LLP is working towards building:
India’s largest and widest Sales & Distribution Network
India’s fastest growing FMCG Sales Team to offer a Plug N Play sales infrastructure to the clients
India’s fastest Route to Market company that makes market entry easier, affordable, and hassle-free for FMCG brands
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As demand for quality talent surges, Stalwart Management Consulting leverages on its experience by providing talent solutions that suit client needs across sectors. The solutions SMC offers range from talent acquisition, advisory, and consulting solutions to HR Analytics and outsourcing, which makes it the proud and preferred talent solutions partner of some of the top Fortune 100 companies globally. 3.
Stalwart Wellness:
Stalwart Wellness is a wellness programme that ensures the all-round wellness of its partner businesses’ employees throughout their employment cycle with the
Stalwart Wellness uses multiple communication channels like email, telephone and social media to establish a strong rapport with its audiences and deliver efficacious outcomes. 4. Stalwart–YOU 7.0: Stalwart-YOU 7.0 is another of Stalwart World’s offerings; a unique Learning Organization that makes learning 100% experiential and links business objectives to outcomes. A step in the direction of building the workforce of the future, it uses concepts from performing arts like films, music, and drama to design distinctive learning calendars for many multinational companies across the world.
SBCL: STALWART WORLD’S FLAGSHIP OFFERING Stalwart Business Consortium enables early or growth stage FMCG brands enter the retail market by taking on their entire sales & market responsibilities. “Stalwart specialises in optimizing cost-of-selling for its partner FMCG brands and also brings predictability in the volume of their sales over time,” Divyashikha explains. With their Sales & Distribution, Marketing and Revenue solutions outsourced to a Sales Partner provided by SBLC, brands can focus entirely on strengthening
their manufacturing/sourcing and product portfolio.
SBCL’s CLIENTELE SBCL’s clientele includes earlystage brands interested in entering retail markets and growth stage brands looking for market and channel expansion. Divyashikha’s client philosophy hinges on strong client relationships and providing in-depth market intelligence regardless of their current organisation size and share. Uniformity in the quality of service for clients across scale and stage is what she consistently advocates. As she puts it, “Today’s small companies could be the big organizations of tomorrow, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to be a trusted and loyal partner entrusted with fuelling the growth of an organization.”
Additionally, as a business owner, she’s had to don multiple hats, while assuming roles from sales and accounting to marketing, operations, and human resources. “During the initial days of the company, I realized that I needed to fit into as many roles as possible to first understand the finer nuances of my businesses and then organize them to achieve my strategic objectives,” she recalls. A business is nothing without its people. Divyashikha realised this early on and made sure that she used this insight to carefully handpick her core team as well as her ancillary teams. Today, by her own admission she’s lucky and privileged to have a core team and an employee base that has stood by her in times of uncertainty amidst changes in organisational structures and functions.
DIVYASHIKHA’S CORE VALUES
MISSION & VISION STATEMENTS
Divyashikha nurtures her businesses with the core values of responsibility, independence, transparency, professionalism, accountability, and code of ethics, which she believes are the basic tenets of corporate governance. “Stalwart World has always focused on corporate governance as a means to maximize long-term stakeholder value through disciplined & sustained growth and value creation,” she states.
Divyashikha envisions Stalwart World as a world-class, people-centric organization focussed on engaging with and delighting all its internal and external partners and stakeholders through cutting-edge and innovative services; thereby setting benchmarks in domestic and international markets.
DEALING WITH CHALLENGES Being a first-generation entrepreneur augments the intensity of challenges that the entrepreneurial journey throws up. The risks and roadblocks involved in setting up and running a business, and the accompanying mental and emotional upheavals and churns are enough to unnerve the stoutest of spirits, and it was no different in Divyashikha’s case. One of the first moments of truth that confronted her was the challenge of hands-on management of finances on a daily basis. Forced to keep track of every expense incurred, it’s a habit that’s now been ingrained in her and that has held the company in good stead over the last 13 years.
In her words, “At Stalwart World, we are obsessed with continually raising the bar by delivering world class service to customers, partners & our team of Stalwarts.”
ADVICE FOR BUDDING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
To succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
Shatter the glass ceiling, get out of your comfort zones. Find your calling. Believe that it’s possible, not because you need to but because that’s what you were born for!
WORDS THAT INSPIRE HER ‘Wanting to win or Waiting to Win’ is common to all...! But, ‘Working to Win’ is the mark of a champion.
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I feel fortunate to be able to build a community of consumers who believe in our purpose and invest in our products to support our cause.
GHAZAL ALAGH
Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer Mamaearth
Ghazal alagh THE WOMAN BEHIND INDIA’S FASTEST GROWING PERSONAL CARE BRAND
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riven by passion and enthusiasm for making early parenting trouble-free, A Corporate Trainer turned Artist, Ghazal Alagh Co-Founded a purpose-led brand Mamaearth in September 2016.
Ghazal is responsible for product development, content, and community management in the company. She works closely with a number of mothers to develop a product line that addresses the troubles that moms struggle with on a daily basis. She has recently appeared in a reality show named Shark Tank India as a judge and is, therefore, becoming a household name. There’s art in her story and magic in her brand. As the Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of today’s highly admired personal care brand, Ghazal’s life as an entrepreneur has not been about expecting, hoping and wishing, but about doing, being, and becoming. In an exclusive interview, Ghazal shared insights about her journey, brand, clientele and many more.
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today. I firmly believe, ‘The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.’
WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY? WHAT FACTORS DO YOU KEEP IN MIND WHILE TAKING BUSINESS DECISIONS? I strongly believe that to get the best out of people, you need to empower them and entrust them with responsibility and ownership of projects. I have seen that when people feel ownership of projects, they tend to perform better and display stretch in their capabilities. While taking business decisions, I always take a step back to disconnect from the situation to have a more objective approach towards the situation.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY AND THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES YOU ARE OFFERING.
GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF YOURSELF AND WALK US THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY ON BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR. The journey started with a personal experience. When Varun and I had our first child, we started looking for chemical-free products for our baby, but we could not find options that were easily available in India. We mostly ended up importing baby care products or asking friends to bring carry them, which was both expensive and time-consuming. Identifying this gap, we ultimately decided to incept Mamaearth and venture into ‘Toxin-free’ baby care products. While we started as a brand for baby care products, we soon realized that most millennials were looking for safe and toxinfree products for themselves too. Hence, we diversified into personal care products for adults as well. We have over 140+ products in
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Mamaearth itself. Understanding the millennial concerns, we have launched 3 more purpose-led brands – The Derma Co, a science-based active skincare brand followed by Aqualogica, a hydration based brand created uniquely for Indian skin. Recently we launched Ayuga, an Ayurveda based skincare brand creating a perfect blend of recipes and rituals.
WHAT FASCINATES YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD? What enchants me about the entrepreneurial world is my ability to create brands that solve millennial concerns through our products and purpose. I feel fortunate to be able to build a community of consumers who believe in our purpose and invest in our products to support our cause.
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WHAT HURDLES DID YOU FACE WHILE BUILDING YOUR CAREER? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM IN ORDER TO SUCCEED? Before becoming a mompreneur, I was pursuing my career as a trainer and an artist. After graduating with a BCA degree in Information Technology, I became a corporate trainer at NIIT. I parallelly nurtured the artist in me and pursued a course in Figurative Art from the New York Academy of Art. When we started Mamaearth, we realized that there were a lot of parents like us who were looking for toxin-free products and they were our early adopters. However, as we scaled, we realized that in India educating people about toxins and the benefits of toxinfree products was important. But we were committed to the goal we were set out to achieve, and with the support of our family, business associates, and millennials like us, we have been able to contribute towards providing safe and toxinfree products to our consumers
Honasa is an acronym for Honest, Nature, and Safe. Established in 2016, Honasa Consumer Pvt Limited (HCPL), is a digital-first consumer brands company creating the FMCG conglomerate of the future. An organization built on the values of Honesty, Natural ingredients and Safe care, HCPL caters to the needs of millennial consumers through innovative products, evolved propositions, Direct to Consumer marketing, and e-commerce fulfilment. Currently, catering to over 500 cities in India with brands like Mamaearth, The Derma Co., Aqualogica and Ayuga, HCPL is building an ecosystem that helps benefit the consumers and community at large. Over the last 5 years, we have been able to build a strong portfolio of 140+ products under Mamaearth and 40+ under The Derma Co.
WHAT IS THE USP OF THE COMPANY? HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO KEEP AN EYE ON ONE’S COMPETITORS? A keen understanding of the millennial ecosystem and our
digital-first approach with our brands help us stay ahead. We keep our consumers at the centre and focus on them and try to innovate on the basis of what the consumers demand and not what other brands are doing.
WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS? HOW DO YOU DEVELOP STRONG & POSITIVE CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS? Everyone with access to the internet is our consumer across India. Being a digital-first brand, we are directly connected with our consumers through our platform, and we engage with them continuously to understand their requirements and seek feedback on the products we deliver to our consumers. This helps us innovate with consumer inputs and upgrade products.
WHAT ARE THE CORE VALUES OF YOUR COMPANY? HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH EFFICIENT COORDINATION AND MEDIATE ON THE COMPANY’S VALUES WITHIN ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION? Honasa Consumer has been built on the principles of Honesty, Natural and Safety, and the brands have been created with these principles as the foundation and the purpose at the core. Mamaearth believes that goodness starts with the small things that each one of us can do every day! It resides in the little choices we make in our daily lives. The brand added goodness inside its products by being animal cruelty-free (PETA certified), toxin-free and plastic positive. It was time to choose goodness for the environment and make their contribution towards restoring the ecological balance. Similarly, The Derma Co. was created to educate consumers about science, Aqualogica was launched with the purpose of providing clean drinking water to those who don’t have access to it
and Ayuga was launched with the purpose of reimagining Ayurveda in skincare for millennials.
AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MANY, WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR WOMEN, WHO ALSO WANT TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR? Women need to support each other, that is how we, as a gender, will grow. Women, today, are capable of doing any job, as well or even better than men. It’s all about giving them an opportunity. One thing I would like to tell everyone is that if you are passionate about it, go for it. Don’t get bogged down by what people are saying, if you believe it, go achieve it.
MENTION THE AWARDS AND MILESTONES RECEIVED BY YOUR COMPANY SO FAR.
Over the years, we have shaped HCPL into a high performing inspirational workplace with over 400 employees while winning “Great places to work” certification 2 times in a row.
Launched over 140 products under Mamaearth and 40+ products under The Derma Co. in 5 years since the inception
Mamaearth’s product innovation led to the brand winning the award for Nielsen BASES Breakthrough Innovations 2020- India Winners
SHARE A QUOTE THAT INSPIRES YOU EVERY DAY. “Women need to shift from thinking “I am not ready to do that” to thinking “I want to do that, and I’ll learn by doing it.” Sheryl Sandberg
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The best part of being an entrepreneur is you can inculcate your own value system in the organization while taking each step towards your ultimate goal.
Koheli
Puri
KOHELI PURI
Founder & MD, StudioXP
THE LEADING LADY OF HER OWN CORPORATE REALESTATE EMPIRE prah Winfrey once said, “Follow your passion — and if you don’t know what it is, realize that one reason for your existence on earth is to find it.” Unlike many, Koheli Puri, the Founder and Managing Director of StudioXP was convinced about her goals from a very young age. She had always dreamt of owning an empire in the corporate real estate world that was entirely her creation. With ample zeal and dedication towards her target, she started working towards it from a really young age. In order to create her own enterprise in the corporate real estate world, Koheli Puri aligned her educational background in a way that would assist her in achieving this goal. With a Bachelor’s degree in architecture and an M.tech in ‘Building Engineering and Construction management’ from IIT Delhi, she comes with an exceptional educational foundation.
O
GETTING TO KNOW KOHELI PURI Koheli Puri is no less than an inspiration. She believes that if the goals are worked for with a needle-sharp focus, nothing is impossible. Koheli, a dynamic personality, has worked at leadership level in one of the top Multinational Company in her relevant field for over 7 years and has two
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decade-long experience in the real estate and the construction industry where she has delivered multiple large-scale commercial developments. In 2011, she began her ultimate entrepreneurial journey by launching StudioXP, a renowned Real Estate Development Management and Design & Build Firm. While launching the company she, as an entrepreneur, was aware that running a business is hard and running a successful business is even harder. Therefore, she developed different stocks of information from various organizations to influence her ability to launch and act on entrepreneurial opportunities. The Skillset & knowledge that she derived from these companies, helped her in creating a brand of paramount importance. StudioXP has successfully completed 10 years of working with the best of the clients and is growing with them multifariously. Despite a myriad of uncertainties and socio-economic turmoil over the decade, the company has managed to consistently grow multifold due to an unstoppable and passionate team.
ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD IN THE EYES OF KOHELI When it comes to running a burgeoning business, the right mindset and persistent values are as pivotal as earning profits. For Koheli, the best part about being an entrepreneur is to be able to inculcate her own value system in all levels of the organization. She has set trailblazing goals for her company and
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working with a team that is in alignment with her vision helps her work towards the goals bit by bit each day. Koheli is emerging as a visionary and takes immense pride in embracing and building her own business empire, StudioXP. Facing the successes and failures of her company has made her a resilient, strong-willed, and determined entrepreneur who has seen all the ups and downs during the journey.
KOHELI’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY “In my opinion, a good leader should emerge as a good human being first with qualities like Empathy, Resilience, Decisiveness, Clarity in thought process and Strategic thinking. They should have the prowess to emerge as a visionary,” Koheli remarked. While taking business decisions, Koheli always takes into consideration three requisite aspects: Humanity, Integrity, and righteousness. She also believes that it is imperative to know the competitors, their value-added services & innovative approach, which helps one to take a strategic decision towards business expansion, development, and growth.
STUDIOXP: A RENOWNED REAL ESTATE CONSULTANCY & DESIGN & BUILD FIRM
The company provides end to end hassle-free real estate solutions to its esteemed clients. Some of the core offerings of the company include Development Management, Architecture & Interior Design, Funded Fitted out Model, Design & Build services.
WHAT MAKES STUDIOXP STAND OUT? Koheli devises and implements well thought out strategies to set her company’s services apart from similar-sized players in the market. The exceptional services and prime verticals of the company are the company’s USP. StudioXP is the only company where the Owners and Directors hail from the same background in their respective verticals. There are very few companies in the market that have Architectural design and Construction/Construction management as their prime verticals providing individual services as market leaders. That is one of the reasons, the company is able to provide clients with well-informed quality services and end-to-end solutions. The company believes in ‘word of honour’ which is quite rare in the Real Estate industry.
CORE VALUES OF THE COMPANY “Integrity, accountability to quality services, a commitment to timely
StudioXP, established in 2011, is a highly acclaimed Real Estate Development Management Firm, with multi-disciplinary specialist skills and experience in Architecture, Interiors & Construction of Corporate Campuses/offices, Commercial Projects, I.T. Parks, International Schools, Hotels, Healthcare, Industrial & Data Center Projects. An ISO-9001 certified company accredited for Quality Management in providing exquisite Services, StudioXP is currently providing comprehensive services to several Fortune 500 companies, National & Multi-national Corporate Clients, Developers, IPC’s, Private Equities in Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad & Bangalore region and Dubai.
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Vision: The vision of StudioXP provides a line of sight to the entire organization. StudioXP aims to:
delivery, and trust & transparency in relationships across all levels from clients to the entire team at StudioXP are our core values. These values are the essence of our identity,” Koheli asserted. StudioXP ensures that its ethics and principles are briefed to all the employees who join the organization and are provided with proper orientation. The company has a process of checks and balances in place to ensure that its values are carried forward by each and every team member across all regions as it takes up assignments in Pan India.
THE CLIENTELE It is the company’s values of accountability, delivery commitment, innovative design approach, quality construction, and transparency that ensure a strong and repetitive clientele. The company is currently providing Development Management, Design & Built, and end-to-end real estate solutions to several Fortune 500 companies, National & Multi-national Corporate Clients, Developers, IPC’s, Private Equities in Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Dubai. The list of esteemed clients includes Ultimate Kronos Group, Lumens Technology, Ericsson, Brookfield, Black Stone, DLF,
Be as receptive as possible as an organization so that it’s easier for clients to feel comforted during interactions.
Provide best in class services for complete Development Management including Architectural design & Construction and add real value to developers, funds, financial institutions, and Corporate/Commercial Occupiers to help them in taking well-informed quality real estate decisions.
Provide employees with best-in-class and specialized skills in a highly rewarding and caring environment to boost professional career and growth.
HURDLES FACED BY THE COMPANY No matter what struggles an entrepreneur goes through, they should not deviate from the focus necessary to keep an unwavering eye on the end goal. Koheli is one such personality. She strongly believes that hurdles stimulate growth and navigating one’s way amidst challenges and hurdles builds resilience. She always stays focused and never gives up. Having ventured into a stream that had a number of tough established competitors, it was her educational background, ethical policies, the experience of working at leadership levels in reputed companies, commitment, professionalism, accountability & a ‘never say never’ attitude that has helped in building client’s trust and taking the company to the next level.
Be the customer’s first preference in India to cater to large-scale development projects for corporates, IT, ITES, Commercial Projects in the next 5 years.
Create sustainable buildings & technologically advanced campuses, that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also create value for occupiers and investors.
ADVICE FOR FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS
OUR ELEGANT & TIMELESS DESIGNS Nucleus office space, Jaipur Development Authority, Trinity Life sciences, Religare, Ienergiser, HCL, RMS, AXA XL, Oyo, Three Pillars Global, JFL Group, Pine labs, Centrum, Bank of America and many others.
“Brain is the best thing given to human beings that gets sharper the more it’s used. My advice to budding female entrepreneurs is– Dream Big to Achieve Big”, Koheli said with affirmation. Planning properly, thinking strategically, and implementing smartly are equally important factors for success. Qualities of dedication, patience, perseverance & inbuilt managerial capabilities are also important for any budding entrepreneur to make a mark.
HONOURS AND ACCOLADES Koheli Puri and StudioXP have been the recipient of many spectacular awards and accolades.
MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
OUR CREATIVITY AT ITS BEST
Mission: StudioXP is an organization where people, passion, and process meet to deliver the best solutions. The company desires to:
OUR CONTEMPORARY APPROACH
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OUR FLAMBOYANT SPACES Some of the prestigious awards include:
Indian Achievers’ Award 2021 for Business Leadership by Indian Achievers’ Forum
Featured in Forbes India Marquee June 2021
Self Made Women Award 2021 by Digilive in recognition of extraordinary contribution to society
Winner of Women Leader in Male Dominant Industry – at Women Leadership Summit and Awards 2021 by Transformance Forum
Women Empowerment Leadership Award by URS Media and Asia one in 12th Asian Business and Social Summit 2019 in September 2019 Times Business Award Reality for Commercial Architecture and Interiors in March 2018 and April 2019 Featured in Asia One, The Only Pan Asia Business And News
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Magazine – for Brand Image and Brand Leaders under the Category of Interior Infrastructure Projects in 2017
Featured in Silicon India Magazine on Women Entrepreneurs Building India Globally in 2017
Felicitated in Dubai as one of “The Greatest Brands & Leaders 2016-17 - Asia & GCC-in India UAE Business Forum - Process Reviewers PricewaterhouseCoopers PL” in May 2017
Received “Company of the Year” award in Design and Built Projects Category in 2016 for its Innovative design, quality, and on-time Project Delivery
Rated amongst the top 25 Architects for Corporate Office Project Pan India by Consultants Review Magazine in 2016
Featured in A+D (Architecture + Design) magazine containing Design with Edge - for its creativity excellence in 2015
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WORDS THAT INSPIRE HER When your goals and dreams are more important than your distractions, welcome to the 1% club. With the core values of Transparency, Trust, and Accountability, Koheli Puri has been able to establish StudioXP as one of the prominent real estate development management firms in the country. She is indeed a woman of power, wisdom, and influence, making a bold mark in the corporate world.
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Lipika
Sud
Creativity, for me, is giving meaning to an imagination. It is about creating something out of nothing.
ONE WHO ROOTED OUT THE INGRAINED MYTHS OF INTERIOR DESIGNING esign is a sense of style, a zest for life, an awareness of balance, a sense of aesthetic delight, and an exquisite fusion of colors and aesthetics. As far back as ancient India, architects used to double as interior designers. Back then, interior designing was seen as an unregulated profession, but this long-held myth had to change. There emerged the goddess of creativity and design, Lipika Sud with her eclectic design ideas. As the dark period had to be over, Lipika Sud, with the weapon of creativity and innovation in her arms, started her strenuous journey of becoming an interior designer.
D
LIPIKA SUD
Director & Principal Designer Lipika Sud Interiors
In 1989, when she founded her dream company, Lipika Sud Interiors, she knew there would be obstacles, there would be doubters, there would be mistakes but all she had in mind was the unwavering determination to revolutionize the interior design industry. Lipika Sud is a leading entrepreneur with an expertise of more than 3 decades in the fields of interior design, project management, and sustainability. Apart from designing several residential, corporate, institutions, and hospitality projects in India and abroad, she is also profoundly involved in activities related to women empowerment and the revival of arts & crafts of India. Today, heralded as one of India’s leading Interior Designers, Lipika Sud is credited with breaking the myths associated with interior designing. Let’s hear what she has to say about her entrepreneurial journey.
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GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF YOURSELF AND WALK US THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY ON BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR. Since my childhood, I have always been very creative. During my school days, I used to paint and draw and be a part of many elocutions, theatre, drama, and dancing events and competitions. Life was on the roll. I was very happy as I could do so many creative things. After completing my schooling, I got into Shri Ram College of Commerce as I was a Commerce student. But life automatically guides you towards what you love; I ended up being a part of the college festival. After I finished my bachelor’s, I joined The Indian Institute of Mass Communications to pursue advertising and public relations. I also hold a degree in Law from Law Faculty Delhi University. To start my career, I took a job in the corporate sector with the Taj group of hotels. I was enjoying my work but life took a major turn. When the club at the hotel was being designed, I was exposed to the world of interior design. At that instant, I decided this was something I would love to do for the rest of my life. One fine day, I packed up my bag and walked out of that corporate job to finally pursue a career in interior design. To gain in-depth knowledge, I started studying this particular subject. Finally, I founded Lipika Sud Interiors in 1989 with an aim to create breathtaking and out-of-the-box designs. I also partnered with corporates who were excelling in the same business.
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their minds, ignore other people’s judgements and move forwards towards their ambitions and goals. Secondly, it is very important to make smart decisions. Sometimes being an entrepreneur at an early age is a smarter decision than doing a job. If one can get over the fear of failure, and have the passion to drive change, one must jump into the entrepreneurial world. Those women who are already in the business world must work towards taking their business to the next level.
The transformation was not easy at all. I was bashed by many people around me. 30 years ago, interior designing was looked down upon as a hobby and not a profession. To break that deeprooted myth, I took my business to another level. The passion, desire, and a sense of purpose pushed me towards my goals and helped me in reaching where I am today.
WHAT HURDLES DID YOU FACE WHILE BUILDING YOUR CAREER? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM IN ORDER TO SUCCEED? I started Lipika Sud Interiors in a male-dominated industry where only a few women could establish themselves as entrepreneurs. When I used to visit sites, I was often questioned regarding the ownership of my company but I used to always say with pride, This is my business. It did take a while to establish my identity in the corporate world but once I established myself and was able to deliver, the respect towards me as an entrepreneur grew steadily and consistently. Furthermore, the true yardstick is not when the client likes your first service, but when he becomes a repeat customer or recommends you to other corporates and individuals. The sense of trust, loyalty, and the expectations that we met, helped me and my business to grow over the years.
WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY? WHAT FACTORS DO YOU KEEP IN MIND WHILE TAKING BUSINESS DECISIONS?
is definitely a big purpose. The journey from creating an empty space to a ravishing place serves a purpose i.e. happiness on the client’s face. Furthermore, I attain the purpose of touching their lives if I am able to enhance their lifestyle and gift a comfortable space to them.
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY AND THE SERVICES YOU ARE OFFERING. Lipika Sud Interiors is one of the renowned interior design companies that helps me manifest my design sensibilities both at the national and international levels. We at Lipika Sud Interiors understand the client’s needs and translate them into reality. We provide an array of services ranging from residence design solutions, hospitality design solutions to corporate design services. We also design institutions, hospitals
My leadership philosophy always puts my team and my clients first. Furthermore, anything that one does, there has to be a sense of purpose behind it. Whenever one does something, be it small or big, one should always ask- What is the purpose behind this? Does it serve somebody’s life in any positive manner? Will it touch anybody’s lives? For me, as an interior designer, making a beautiful home or office
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and provide furniture and Art & Craft Services. Our trademarked Campaign “Proud to be Indian by Lipika Sud”® celebrates the rich cultural heritage of India. Through Design Intervention with the crafts, we are able to combine traditional aesthetics with modern design. This also helps create Market Linkages for the craftsmen, economically empowering them and keeping our Indian Crafts alive.
WHAT DOES CREATIVITY MEAN TO YOU? IS THERE ANY UNIQUE & CREATIVE PROCESS THAT YOU FOLLOW IN YOUR PROFESSION? Creativity is everywhere. Creativity is life. It is not about one particular beautiful thing, rather something that happens when you find joy by making something out of nothing. Creativity is about giving meaning to an imagination. In the field of
interior design, we are provided with just bare walls; we add color, materials, all kinds of art and put it all together in the right perspective and right dimensions to give it a new life. The process of creativity starts from understanding the client’s requirements, which then we translate into several ideas which we brainstorm within the team. This process of creative thinking evolves into beautiful concepts which we share with our clients and together we come up with final creative solutions that are then implemented. This helps us to achieve the desired results of projects which are highly creative and also lends a sense of satisfaction to the client.
MENTION ANY ONE PROJECT THAT HELPED LIPIKA SUD INTERIORS TO FLOURISH IN THE INTERIOR DESIGN INDUSTRY.
grown a little more and so has the organization.
AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MANY, WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR FEMALES, WHO ALSO WANT TO BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR? As women, we tend to be very unsure about whether doing a business is really the right thing because right from childhood, we are brought up to think about marriage, children, and home responsibilities. Fortunately, things have started to change tremendously in society today. Nonetheless, I feel women are still not very vocal and assertive about what they want while running their business. They have huge insecurities with regards to the society accepting them as entrepreneurs. It is important for them to kill the demon of “insecurity” in
Women tend to get dejected very quickly, especially when they fail. They must remember that it is not how many times you fail and fall, but how many times you get up and brush up and move ahead, that really determines your success. That’s the mantra that I think can work for many budding women entrepreneurs.
SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE THAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED. Live in the moment, it’s all about being able to enjoy everything that you’re doing now. The “now” factor is most important. What has gone past can’t be changed. All we can do is learn our lessons from there. We really don’t know what will happen in the future, but we can work on it “now” to ensure that we don’t make the same mistakes again. Living in the moment is like breathing. Every breath, every action, every moment matters. If you’re smiling, happy, and focused, there is no way that you can face failure in the future.
For us, every project is important. The size of the project doesn’t matter. It could be a small residential project, a large corporate building, a hospital, or a hotel. It is about how well and successfully we have been able to understand the client’s requirements and translated it aesthetically into the project. There have been several challenges along the way, but every project has been a learning experience. With every project, I have The Global Hues | Vol. 2 | Issue 3 | | March 2022
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The foundtions of RMA are knowledge, faith, integrity and trust.
Meenakshi Acharya
Founder Partner, RMA Legal
M nakshi Acharya
A DYNAMIC PERSONA CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE OF LEGAL SOLUTIONS
eenakshi is the proud Founding Partner in RMA Legal- a full services law firm offering end-to-end solutions to businesses, corporates as well as individuals. Acharya completed her Law from Kishinchand Chellaram Law school, Bombay in 2008. In the initial course of her education, she was advised by her family to take up Chartered Accountancy. She excelled at it with flying colours. She started working in an esteemed law firm “Thakker and Thakker” as an Internal Auditor in the initial years of her career where she got in touch with many paralegals, lawyers and got inspired to study law. While completing her
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law, Acharya applied and worked in a paralegal position in AZB & Partners and later got absorbed as an Associate position. She has versatile expertise in mergers & acquisitions, private equity investments, debt funding, foreign investments policies (FEMA), company & business transactions; capital market, e-commerce, land, infrastructure, employment & labour matters. “I got the opportunity to work with prime law companies of India just like the AZB & Partners, Thakker & Thakker, ARA Law, and Singhania & Co. This helped me to guide RMA Legal to its current position within the market,” asserted Meenakshi.
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Today she holds the milestone of fourteen years of experience and expertise in the legal business. Her experience includes:
Structuring of foreign investment in light of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). Conducting due diligence on potential investment targets, Conducting Due Diligences & preparing DD Reports including advising clients in relation to transactional documentation, pre and post-investment restructuring as well as statutory compliances. Drafting and negotiating transaction documents including share subscription agreements, share purchase agreements, shareholder’s agreements, investment agreements and other ancillary agreements including charter documents related to the corporate transaction. Setting up an e-commerce business platform, preparing structures for B2B and B2C business model (with FDI Investment), preparing documentation in this respect. Liaison for approvals from
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various regulators such as the Reserve Bank of India, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where the transactions required such approvals.
Advising Foreign-owned Indian companies in the IT sector, Aviation, Designing & Engineering sector and Indian companies in the Education sector, AWS service industry, infrastructure on employment and labour related queries.
Advice on entry strategies into India and on various Indian laws and Regulations.
Drafting various EPC contracts such as supply contract, erection contract, works contract, conducting due diligence with respect to IPO transaction, preparing documentation, reviewing and drafting of certain chapters under DRHP, compliances with SEBI, FEMA, listing agreement/LODR, Company Law.
Advisory work on issues arising out of the Companies Act, company-related documentation, corporate compliances such as notices of general meetings, resolutions at the board and general meetings,
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filings with Registrar of Companies, etc.
Real estate advisory work, residential and commercial leases, include Title search, property due-diligence, vetting and negotiating documents such as sale agreements, agreement to sale, leave & license agreements and lease deeds.
She is a proud member of the Bar Association of India and Mumbai & Goa High Court Bar Association. Meenakshi’s interest resides in versatile experience in mergers & acquisitions, private equity and investments, foreign investments policies (FEMA), corporate & commercial transactions; capital market, eCommerce, real estate, infrastructure, employment & labour matters.
office to start our operations. Any new beginning brings with itself many new challenges. However, with the support of my family, especially my mother, I worked hard and never gave up,” said Meenakshi.
Advice on draft Red Herring Prospectus; Drafting and advising on certain chapters of DRHP, etc.
Conducting Legal Due Diligence
RMA LEGAL & CORE OFFERINGS
Structuring of Transactions
RMA is established by a team of dedicated professionals coming back from varied streams of law. Meenakshi is one of the Founding Partners, always working diligently to take her Law firm to infinite heights. The company stands strong and firm on the foundations like information, faith, integrity and trust. RMA Legal’s spectrum of experience encompasses setting up of businesses, commercial contracts, M&A, Private Equity and investments, debt capital, capital market, corporate advisory, eCommerce, real estate, maritime & air law, Intellectual property rights, statutory and regulatory compliance, advising on foreign banks setting up in India and Indian Banks opening branches or subsidiaries overseas and assisting in obtaining approval from RBI; International and domestic arbitration; litigation, mediation, telecommunication and media, infrastructure and other related services.
Drafting, review & negotiation of all transactional documentation including JVs, Tenders, Concession Agreements, EPC, PPP, PPA, Financing Agreements, and so on.
Obtaining all approvals under Environmental Laws
Advice on All Regulatory and Compliance Laws
Litigation support across India
“I do a lot of paperwork myself to ensure everything is on point. Client trust and delivering the best solutions are always on my mind. It keeps me motivated, on my toes and is a big reason behind RMA’s success today,” said Acharya.
The company also handles civil matters, criminal matters, educational litigation, affiliate vendor service agreements, and franchisee agreements.
The company has been on a growth curve since the inauguration day and today they have diversified in many fields. Some Services provided by RMA legal are:
Cross border & Domestic M&A
Meenakshi describes her entrepreneurial journey as full of ups and downs. While establishing her firm, she had to start from scratch since she was a first-generation lawyer with no back support or readily available clients.
Asset & Business Purchase Transactions
Joint Ventures, Strategic Partnerships, Schemes of arrangements
Restructuring & Re-Organization
“We started with all of our existing contacts, met new people, collaborated with them, and rented an
Fundraising through IPOs, Rights Issues, Private Placements, QIPs, FCCB
HURDLES ENCOUNTERED
RMA’s corporate practice is centred around transactional and legal advisory services concerning day-to-day business, regulatory issues, corporate and governance affairs of public and private companies. RMA provides end-to-end support to entities, both Indian and foreign, in setting up their business in India and helping them in their operations guiding them through the gamut of Indian rules and regulations.
Through their network of associates, the company is able to offer a wide spectrum of solutions in varied practice areas on a Pan India basis which enables them to provide comprehensive legal solutions.
CLIENTELE AND COMPANY’S USP
“Our goal is to be the firm of choice for clients with regards to all their legal needs irrespective of the nature, complexities or dimensions of the matter. We understand the trust reposed on us by our clients. The focus for RMA is on providing commercially sound legal advice and solutions in an expeditious manner while ensuring regulatory and statutory compliances. This shall
be augmented through optimal use of technology and other innovative means to ensure cost-efficient services,” explained Meenakshi. RMA advises on all laws for the successful completion of the projects involved, they have also extended the hand-holding of their clients with respect to any litigation arising out of the projects both during the transaction and afterwards. Acharya has serviced a wide range of clientele including companies in the infrastructure sector, power sector, real estate, investment companies, IT companies and foreign investors from various jurisdictions.
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Since the company’s inception, Meenakshi Acharya is devising innumerable strategies to take her company to sky-high heights. RMA Legal has won many highly prestigious awards and achievements so far. Some of them are.
Felicitated as one of the Top 50 legal Falcons at LexTalk World Conference, U.A.E. 2021 and again selected for the year 2022
Awarded The Indian Achievers Award 2021 by the Indian Achiever’s Forum for Emerging Company and also received the title of Entrepreneur of the year 2021 in recognition of outstanding Professional Achievement & Contribution in Nation Building.
Meenakshi Acharya has been awarded by Women Entrepreneur Magazine for ‘Top 10 Best Women in IP Copyright and Trademark in India 2021’
HER WORDS OF WISDOM
For all the women who aspire to lead a successful law firm, Meenakshi shares a great piece of advice for them. She says, “When you work in a law firm, you get clients, but when you set up a law firm you have to build your own clientele. It’s not an easy process. Don’t give up. Keep working. Things will work out. Fly high, the sky is all yours.”
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Priyanjali Dr.
Datta
THE FORCE BEHIND TRANSFORMATION OF WOMEN’S LIFESTYLE & WELLNESS-GLOBALLY hile there’s been a flood of startups in the Indian ecosystem, there are very few dedicated to improving women’s lifestyle & wellness. Women perceive wellness across 7 dimensions- Better sleep. better mindfulness, better nutrition, better fitness, better sleep and better sexual health. Having built four startups & three documentaries on women’s health & social taboos, Dr. Priyanjali Datta has nailed the role of being a creative entrepreneur committed solely to the cause of advancing humanity by making scalable solutions.
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From her college days in E.S.I.C Dental College, Priyanjali had a strong urge to do something meaningful that could impact the lives of millions of people. Along with her peers, she would host & participate in fashion shows & spend all the gains on conducting public health awareness camps. Hailing from Meghalaya, she identified high rates of breast cancer in the North-Eastern states & felt that it could be treated if identified early. She realized that not just in the North-East of India, but women globally did not have any premium end-to-end affordable daily management tools for health & wellbeing.
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After recognizing this lacuna in women’s health, she decided to contribute to solving this problem and founded Aaroogya International, a global technology powered social enterprise, in 2017. This was Priyanjali’s first memorable step in the entrepreneurial & social impact space. With her Rockstar team and Aaroogya International, Priyanjali impacted the lives of more than 70,000 women across India, Africa and the United States. Amongst these women, the organisation was able to detect more than 20,000 cases of various infections and cancers at early stages of the diseases. The organisation worked with the structural framework of machine learning models and a data-science based application called MyHealthLine. This application was also instrumental in delivering high-end screening for more than 2 lakhs people in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. Priyanjali took her efforts in contributing to the cause of health during COVID-19 by forming a global consortium of 24 organisations to deliver partnership led value to the cause. Early cancer detection & cure was only one step in the journey of Dr Priyanjali. Priyanjali’s expertise lies in domains like fundraising, product
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The fact that I can breathe life into something intangible and use my creation to help 100s of millions of women through technology & creativity is by far the most rewarding and fascinating aspect of entrepreneurship to me.
development, and management of human-centric, tech-driven products; she has been able to create globally scalable products. She has raised funds from a diverse Indian and International institutional funders and awarded scholarships and grants from Mulago design thinking, OYW-Novartis, Birla fellowship, CISCO, Millenium Alliance- UK, Indian and US government-funded accelerator, HDFC startup smart up funded program & many more.
PINGA- EVERY WOMAN’S PERSONAL DIGITAL COMPANION
Priyanjali utilized her expertise in innovative tech and built Pinga – an audacious product, which delivers a globally scalable solution in the form of a mobile application. 270 million Indian women, which is 10 times Mumbai’s population, show poor emotional & sexual health leading to physical & emotional symptoms. Thus, 1 in 2 women suffers from this, daily. The expenses to rectify these multiply to 5x without early detection. This narrative is uniform across the world. Pinga is a smart application for women aged 18-45 years, helping them live better emotional and sexual lives. The app caters to every woman who wants to take charge of their emotional
Dr. Priyanjali Datta CEO, Pinga
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PINGA’S ROCKSTAR TEAM
and sexual well being. It aims to reach every woman’s smartphone as their personal digital companion with robust management tools, self-assessments, a trusted community & a hybrid marketplace.
HURDLES ENCOUNTERED From building Aaroogya International, to bootstrapping Pinga, Dr Priyanjali faced endless hurdles, but they were not more than her determination.
The biggest hurdle she faced was finding a team of hustlers who were highly skilled, ambitious, and had the vision that resonated with the DNA of Pinga.
Another vital member of the Rockstar team is Anirban Ghosh. Anirban, a Harvard Alumnus, has rich experience leading, managing, and executing high-impact projects across various healthcare, software, and consumer electronics industries.
Another pivotal part of her endeavour was to build a pioneering tech product which would deliver accurate assessment in an approachable fashion. Priyanjali mentions that creating a lean tech product without compromising on the robust framework & technology elements was a tough nut to crack. Since this was uncharted territory, creating a road map from scratch for a distinguished fem-tech product like Pinga was hard but worth the cause. While there are lessons to be learnt from existing players, Priyanjali expresses that they barely scratched the surface when it comes to female wellness. There’s a long road ahead and many milestones to be achieved.
PINGA’S OFFERINGS
After extensive research on 70,000 women, Pinga offers many reliable & accurate self-assessment tools for breast health, vaginal health, PCOD, Endometriosis, general health & oral health. The app’s algorithm centres around hormones & their levels throughout the menstrual cycle, which impacts emotions of the user. These hormones, mood and emotions are managed by Pinga’s lifestyle management tools- like, Hormon-o-meter, Mood-o-meter & Sex-o-scale. The app also offers communication tools like games for enhanced sexual health. Achievement badges & redeemable coins ensure retention rates & Daily Active Users. There’s also curated content from experts & influencers, for the users to peruse.
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Pinga’s hybrid marketplace with hand-picked packages by industry wellness experts gives users end-to-end value. Pinga is set apart from its competitors by its deep-tech approach, architecture & their rockstar team is what sets them apart from competitors.
THE CLIENTELE
The app currently offers services to 4 kinds of users- Free users, Premium users, Group users & Adjacent users. Free users can use the basic features of the app without monetary investments. Power users can avail unlimited benefits at a soon-to-be-introduced offer on a monthly basis. Group users include companies looking to gift Pinga memberships for the wellness of their female employees. Finally, adjacent users are the supply channels of the Pinga’s Shop O’Clock Marketplace, including wellness experts, medical doctors, products, service providers in the space of women’s health, hygiene, sexual wellness, and hormonal care. Pinga currently has more than 15,000 downloads, a global team from Harvard & Johns Hopkins University incubated with John Hopkins Technology Ventures &
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has raised funds from institutional funders.
THE ROCKSTAR TEAM BEHIND PINGA
Dr Priyanjali loves to call her team “Rockstars” as it’s with their immense support, experience, hard work & sleepless nights; that they’ve been able to scale Pinga to such incredible heights. She has partnered with Stanford US-Asia Technology Management Centre and Johns Hopkins University. She has been able to crack unrestricted Government and institutional funding & support from various scholars, including the recipient of prestigious international scholarships from Mulago Foundation, and Novartis- One young world’s joint scholarship. A part of the founding team includes a scholar & a maxillofacial surgeon from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Dhruv Kacker. Dhruv, a serial entrepreneur, is also a Co-Founder at Aaroogya International. Collectively, Priyanjali & Dhruv bootstrapped Pinga and invested their scholarship funds, along with innovation grants from the prestigious Government of India, United Kingdom Government, USAID, FICCI & Facebook.
Industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs are joining the leadership team. They have demonstrated historical success in creating products for billions of users and creating billion-dollar businesses. The team holds International patents which Pinga will leverage to create differentiated solutions. There are 26 members in the Rockstar team of Pinga & with a team like this, Priyanjali envisions taking Pinga to greater heights.
Pinga is on a mission to give every woman on the planet the power to have a better life with end-to-end solutions. The long term vision for Pinga is to become a universal ecosystem for a new-age woman to achieve a better lifestyle and wellbeing.
HER PHILOSOPHY & ADVICE FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
Priyanjali believes that one needs to be the North Star for their team to be a successful leader. She believes that a leader should have a strategic intent to create the best product in the world. However, to implement such a strategy,
the actions taken by each team member is what makes a company successful. She mentions that she & her Rockstar team are product Ninjas chasing customer delight every day, looking to create the perfect product-market fit. With this goal in mind, a leader creates a clear road-map at both macro and micro levels to bring this vision into fruition. As a source of inspiration to innumerable females, she motivates young women entrepreneurs to join Pinga to learn the ropes of entrepreneurship in a high-growth & intense learning environment.
PRIYANJALI’S VISION FOR PINGA Priyanjali’s vision is to scale Pinga & reach every woman who owns a smartphone- to use the app as a friend that guides them on daily management and optimises their lifestyle in their preferred languages. She wishes that every woman on the planet can use Pinga to manage their lifestyle, perform self-assessments & have access to a trusted community & hybrid marketplace of experts, products & services.
“My association with Pinga started as one of its earliest users. I, like mostly people today, was under quite a bit of stress and lacked proper management of my daily life. When I used Pinga for the first time, I knew that my quality of life can improve immensely with its features. So here I am, many months later, enjoying every bit of this journey of developing and getting Pinga out there, so that women like me can have a guaranteed source of comfort in their lives.”
ANAHITA PATHAK
Lawyer turned Content and Product Lead for Pinga
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HOBBIES CONSTRUCTIVE
CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER ENTREPRENEUR
t’s almost impossible to devote every hour to building the business and bringing infinite talents to the table. Entrepreneurs often engage in hobbies and weekend adventures to build endurance and have fun. For all those entrepreneurs who don’t think it’s worth making time for hobbies, a hobby can help you challenge yourself, fuel creativity, enrich your life and become a better entrepreneur. Here’s why you need to find constructive hobbies for yourself:
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READING There is a famous saying “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” Famous billionaires Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk read books quite frequently. Books are a perfect platform to immerse into new worlds and see the world through someone else’s perspective and share their thoughts. Without any doubt, reading fosters growth and that’s what you genuinely need to excel in your career.
PLAYING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS LOOSENS UP STRESS AND ANXIETY Entrepreneurship is not at all a glamourous job to pursue. It’s a stressful job that may create emotional turbulence and impact overall productivity and bring negative emotions of self-loathing. Therefore, pursuing hobbies come as a rescue and can make you feel calm, relaxed, and motivated. A constructive hobby boosts the level of eustress helping you to become more creative and productive.
Warren Buffett is a legendary investor and the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is also known for playing the ukulele as he understands the significance attached to pursuing hobbies. Music doesn’t only heal body and soul but also changes mood and makes you happier. You can also learn how to play a musical instrument as it develops good listening skills, experimenting, self-discipline, and overcoming repeated failure. Aren’t these essential tools for running a successful business? Yes, they are.
FOR A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Entrepreneurship not only adversely impacts physical fitness but emotional health as well. Hobbies ward off depression and promote mindfulness. That is why you should engage yourself in hobbies that keep you feel active, happy, and cheerful. Remember, you can take strategic and wise decisions only if you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
FUELS UP CREATIVITY Hobbies, undoubtedly, create space for creativity allowing entrepreneurs to explore undiscovered territories. They indeed help you to open up to a whole world of new experiences and therefore put forth creative solutions for work-related problems.
WORKS AS THE ENERGY CURE Hobbies are always credited with improving vital skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, memory, and productivity. They are quite rewarding and help you recharge yourself. As you learn to gain new perspectives and experiences, it helps you emerge as a better leader and a better entrepreneur. Now, let’s take a look at some hobbies that can spark your passion in business:
GARDENING
C.Z. Guest once said that “Gardening is the best therapy in the world.” It has great therapeutic powers. To garden, one must have a definite plan, take care of all the plants, tend to problems, and nurture the creation. And that is what exactly needed for the successful functioning of a business. As gardening rejuvenate and clear a mind from the stresses of life, an entrepreneur can provide themselves with training sessions for future career projects.
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TRAVELING TO PLACES Traveling lets you listen to your own self and explore new places and ideas. It provides you thrills and helps you take a break by rejuvenating yourself mentally and physically. As you explore new places, you meet new people and try to understand their viewpoints, which in turn helps you understand the different choices of people. Moreover, traveling makes you realize your own importance and gives you a sense of satisfaction.
RUNNING Running is indeed an excellent sport for entrepreneurs as it is energizing, relieves stress, and above all, a very cheap and easy hobby to pursue. A bootstrap entrepreneur always appreciates anything that is cheap. Moreover, if you own a pair of sports shoes, go become a runner.
YOGA Yoga is the journey of the self through the self from the self. It is crucial for entrepreneurs more than any hobby as it helps to strengthen the body and find inner peace in the midst of chaos. People highly recommend yoga as it helps discover the true objectives of life instead of getting irritated and frustrated over little uncontrollable things. Summing up, it can be said that doing something for yourself will ultimately make you better in business.
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I strive to lead with empathy with my eyes constantly on the goal.
ROHINI MANIAN Founder & CEO, Propcierge
Rohini Manian CARRYING ON THE 100 YEAR FAMILY LEGACY FORWARD
eal estate has traditionally been a male-dominated sector. However, it is often said that nothing lasts forever and nothing stays same. To break the deep-rooted stereotypes, women are coming forward to excel in different sectors and real estate is no different. One such passionate woman is Rohini Manian.
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Having born into a business family, Rohini Manian has always been surrounded by talks about business. Hence, the tendency to engage in entrepreneurship and the ability to perform peerlessly felt natural to her. Rohini’s first love is real estate. Her passion to do something in this particular field led to the creation of Propcierge, India’s only digital platform for real estate needs in 2019. As the Founder and CEO of Propcierge, Rohini carries forward into Propcierge, the 100-year family legacy
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of infrastructure, real estate, and relocation businesses. Rohini, a third-generation entrepreneur from the Manian family, uses her western education and intrinsic Indian business acumen to spearhead Propcierge and is ably supported by experienced international property professionals, as they serve a global world. As a startup accelerator, avid investor, and motivational speaker, she believes in guiding fellow entrepreneurs to build scalable and purpose-driven businesses that create sustainable social impact. ROHINI’S JOURNEY TO THE ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD Rohini has grown up listening to dinner table conversations of her parents around business ideas, their implementation, and trends. Her inclination to build businesses started at a young age as her parents and brother are entrepreneurs and they constantly inspire her to invigorate the world of entrepreneurship. The freedom and her ability to impact several people around her motivate her every day to bring new ideas to the table.
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board encourages women to take up more roles in the real estate industry. Furthermore, as the CEO of Global Adjustments, it wasn’t easy to lead a team of people much older and experienced than her. In the initial days, she had to put in extra effort to explore more. Gradually, her extensive knowledge and thought process added value to the company which helped her earn respect in the organization. “Respect has to be earned and not commanded, that is something I learned very early in life,” Rohini remarked.
Our Team
THE VISION STATEMENT Rohini’s long-term vision for Propcierge is to make the company an ideal and preferred choice of every Indian whenever they think of Anything Real Estate! ADVICE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Rohini started off her journey in 2014 with her family business Global Adjustments, a relocation and realty services company when she was 23 years old. She took over as Chief Executive Officer in 2016. As CEO, she delegated the company’s agendas, oversaw the entire organizational structure of the company, and managed the overall operations. As the challenging yet exhilarating journey of bearing the risks and enjoying the rewards fascinated her, she never looked back. Currently, she is the Founder and CEO of Propcierge, a real estate company that provides an exotic range of interior, renovation, home construction, and many other services. ROHINI’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY According to Rohini, the best and foremost leadership is always authentic. Although it may borrow from various influences, the real philosophy is as individual as a
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fingerprint. That’s why the quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.
knowledge has made it a trusted and go-to expert for anything real estate.
Rohini brings her honest best self to every conversation she does with all her stakeholders and encourages her team to do so too. She strives to also lead with empathy with her eyes fixed constantly on the goal.
WHAT MAKES PROPCIERGE UNIQUE?
PROPCIERGE: EVERYTHING REAL ESTATE Propcierge is one of India’s leading 360 degrees service providers and platforms for real estate. It prides itself in the 100 year legacy of infrastructure, construction, and real estate services. This has enabled the company to offer solutions that help provide the best experience for individuals and corporates - from property management, construction, renovation, and interiors to designing homes and commercial spaces. Propcierge’s unique approach augmented by technology combined with the local
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Propcierge makes itself formidable in the real estate industry through its combined expertise of local knowledge with state-of-the-art technology.
We believe in absolute success over relative success; Carrying a 100-year legacy, we are now poised to respond to the market ahead of time and our competitors, Rohini asserted.
Rohini shares a famous quote by Sheryl Sandberg for every budding women entrepreneur which says “You will be defined not just by what you achieve, but by how you survive.”
THE CORE VALUES Propcierge is built on the pillars of integrity and transparency. Its efforts and billings are transparent to both; the internal team as well as external customers. That’s why everyone in the team speaks the same language of customer delight. Propcierge also works with a team of international experts who have laid strong Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to follow and this is quite sacrosanct for the company. “As far as mediation goes, I am always on the side of doing right for the client,” Rohini mentioned. THE CLIENTELE Propcierge deals with individual clients as well as corporates.
Delighting the customers and maximizing their satisfaction has always been the core philosophy of the company. It has successfully built long-lasting relationships with all its clients and that’s a perfect testimony to the process it has built and the people who steer it. HURDLES FACED BY ROHINI For Rohini, every challenge has been a new opportunity. As a woman in the male-dominated real estate business, she used to find it extremely difficult to be taken seriously for what she used to do and bring to the table. She knew the only solution would be to set an example and build a strong diverse leadership board of her own. Today, her self-built
She believes that it is especially true for women entrepreneurs because everyone has their eyes on women. She advises women to take every challenge as an opportunity to show the world that she is no less than any other in the industry and can climb the ladder of success that she has set for herself. Rohini also says “There will be times when you would need help. Don’t hesitate to ask and reach out to your network of friends, family, and professionals. A healthy network is a key to a successful business.” WORDS THAT INSPIRE HER I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. – Invictus
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SPECIAL FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURE
SUMITA GHOSE
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
LAKSHMI N MENON
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN ARTISANS AND MODERNITY
INSPIRING CHANGE IN SOCIETY hat business entrepreneurs are to the corporate world and economy, social entrepreneurs are to social change. “When I could come up with creative solutions and explore new opportunities to address social needs, people started relating to them and joined us wholeheartedly. At that instant, I decided to invest more time in such activities,” asserted Lakshmi, a designer turned social entrepreneur.
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Lakshmi N Menon hails from Kanjiramattom, Kottayam, Kerala. She is an alumnus of CMS College, Kottayam and during her 10-year stint in San Francisco, she was featured in New York Fashion week as a jewelry designer while working as a featured artist in the Artizmo local artisans’ Gallery. Her passion to give back to society led to the formation of her proprietary firm Pure Living in 2014. Her first project was Ammoommathiri or Wicksdom. The concept of making cotton wicks by grandmothers of old age homes gave wrinkled hands a ray of hope to become self-reliant. Ammoommathiri has been highlighted in the ‘Change makers’ series by BBC on Star Plus and felicitated by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.
INITIATIVES INSPIRING CHANGE
Chekutty Dolls: The Iconic Project
Fshioned from garments destroyed by floods, the concept
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of Chekutty Dolls in 2018 became an icon of resilient Kerala with the efforts of Lakshmi, Gopinath Parayil, and gazillion volunteers. The entire project helped in reviving the handloom industry of Kerala.
A Pen That Gives A Tree
What if a pen turns into a tree one day? A pen is not just a pen in the eyes of Lakshmi. Disturbed by the massive increase in plastic waste, Lakshmi invented the idea of paper pens. Made from recycled paper, with a seed in each pen making it a plantable pen, “Pen With Love” is designed with the sole intention of reducing the problem of plastic.
CoVeed for Covid
Her novel project, CoVeed was all about making miniature paper houses that can be used to store essentials (pulses, grains, etc) for those in need during the Covid 19 lockdown. She also appealed to those stuck inside homes to make miniature houses to gift to frontline workers, health workers, and police personnel. The project has been shortlisted for display by the National Museum Scotland and selected as a souvenir for Dakshinachitra craft village in Chennai.
PPE Scraps Into Mattresses
During the spike of Covid 19, the demand for mattresses, pillows, and other essentials increased in Kerala. Furthermore, it wasn’t easy to transport mattresses from other states due to borders shutdowns. Therefore, Lakshmi
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came up with the idea of Shayya; making of mattresses from waste material. Being a fashion designer, she wanted to create something within and for Kerala. She used this opportunity to ensure employment for women from her neighborhood. The concept of making Shayyas was very unique as it involved no stitching; anyone who knew how to braid could do it easily. This initiative attracted attention from the World Economic Forum Davos Agenda and National Museum Scotland.
THE SYMBOL OF KINDNESS AND COMPASSION Lakshmi Menon is indeed a generous and kindhearted personality. Whenever Lakshmi faces a challenge, she upgrades and upskills herself. According to her, the hurdles appear as challenges only if we aren’t equipped enough to face them. The moment you upgrade yourself to face that challenge, it doesn’t remain a challenge anymore. To be successful, what you ideally need is the prowess of the mind and the soul. Lakshmi is well equipped in it. She believes “Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn but you never fail.” If she sees a problem, she immediately starts finding a creative solution and propagating it to the maximum number of people to make a larger impact. Lakshmi N Menon is indeed one of the highly renowned social entrepreneurs in India to watch out for.
I would like to see a society in which every child and young person gets a good education, opportunities for work and is able to pursue their dreams and ambitions. umita Ghose, the visionary behind India’s first community-owned craft company, rangSutra Crafts India has created opportunities for inclusive growth by acting as a bridge between artisans and markets, change and continuity, and tradition and modernity.
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Sumita has always been interested in the cultural aspects of life and her interest in handicrafts made her learn the value of Indian craft and traditions. However, she often used to ponder about how the real heroes behind these intricate works of excellence were not valued and while studying the Indian Economy she realized that the root of the problem was in the economic policies that focused on developing research institutions, industrial factories, and commercial establishments in cities. Sumita was a student of Elphinstone college where she met her spouse, Sanjoy Ghose who inspired her to work in rural Rajasthan along with him. Her work opened her eyes to social divisions (caste and gender) that were strongly etched in western Rajasthan, and the injustice of it all. She then comprehended the potential and power of collectives, especially of those most marginalized – women and the socially and economically disadvantaged community.
SUMITA GHOSE
Founder & MD, rangSutra Crafts India
RANGSUTRA’S INCEPTION Empowered women have ideas that can transform the world, for Sumita, the idea was to create an organization that empowers marginalized women and men in rural India. Her strengthened belief to run a profitable enterprise with minimal harm to the environment led to the creation of rangSutra in 2006. rangSutra is owned by 2000 rural artisans out of which 80% are rural women who got confidence and livelihood from this platform. This has helped them not only to become financially independent but has also helped them become friends and support each other. rangSutra gives supreme importance to cluster development; it believes in investing a lot in the mobilization of artisans so that they understand the value of traditional craft skills to ensure that they comprehend the significance of the long craft value chain. Seeing the final product in the stores makes them proud of the work.
CHALLENGES FACED BY SUMITA Every great story includes challenges and hurdles and so did Sumita’s. The primary challenge she faced in her initial years was her lack of experience and self-confidence which was scrutinized through the patriarchal mindset. To overcome the biggest challenge of lack of access to
education and to paid work, Sumita decided to form women’s groups, who collectively would have the confidence to voice their thoughts and take collective action. She achieved this through various processes like microfinance and technical expertise and in this process, she gradually learned to become more confident.
LONG TERM PLANS FOR RANGSUTRA Speaking of what the future holds for rangSutra, Sumita mentions expanding the organization and including more craftspeople from different states to make a visible presence and grow the business. She aims at creating more awareness about India’s craft heritage, so that it not only survives but thrives, thus forming a sustainable basis for artisan’s livelihoods. Sumita is a renowned entrepreneur who has received awards like the Nari Shakti Award in 2016, TIE Spirit of Manufacturing Award (for rangSutra) in 2014, the Synergos Fellowship in 2012, and various others. Sumita is here to empower each and every person trying to make a change, she thereby states: “Be the change you want to see in the world. For her, She who works with her head, heart, and hands is an artisan.”
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Swati Sharma
Passion, persistence and compassion made me build a business ecosystem that transpired into a multi million dollar startup.
SWATI SHARMA
Co-Founder & COO, Thriwe
A POWERFUL FORCE BEHIND HIGHLY ACCLAIMED TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN B2B CONSUMER BENEFITS MARKETPLACE
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Woman from a humble background with a dream to create a compassionate ecosystem that works towards solving complex business & social problems.
Swati Sharma, the Co-Founder and COO of Thriwe Consulting comes from a conservative Indian business family. Growing up in a conservative household, Swati was resilient and always had a strong desire to prove herself. Swati always took interest in reading, drawing, fashion designing, writing poems or stories in her teenage years. Her love for reading motivated her to pursue literature in college but her decision to enter the corporate world was strongly influenced by her peers. Sharma believes her life took a completely different turn when she set foot in the corporate world. It was like waking up from a dream and gaining professional consciousness.
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Entrepreneurship seemed like a distant thought that almost never crossed her mind until she met her current co-founder, Dhruv Verma in 2012. He was her client and trying to solve the problem of sports accessibility. At that point in her life, Swati didn’t believe she was up to the challenge of helping him, but adventure and excitement prompted her to join him. Little did she know this venture would transpire into a milliondollar startup!
HER FASCINATION WITH THE ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD AND SUCCESS STORY Any idea that takes a leap into solving people’s problem at large and developing a strategy for social welfare is what fascinates Swati. She strongly believes that one should have a positive influence over a large ecosystem based on their value system and ethos. With less than 3 years of corporate experience, Swati stepped into the shoes of an entrepreneur and started Thriwe. Her biggest challenge was to learn everything from scratch without having any formal apprenticeship & learning time in her kitty. Her spirit of fighting against all odds made her convert every challenge into a winning story. Today, Swati successfully runs one of India’s largest tech driven B2B Consumer Benefits Marketplace that caters to both National and International Markets; offers loyalty solutions that enables business institutions such as financial institutions, banks, card networks, corporates, consumer goods etc acquire, engage, retain as well as delight their customers. Thriwe has a network of over 100,000+ partner associations and service delivery presence in 130 countries worldwide, Thriwe empowers clients to invigorate engagement with their most valuable customers.
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People expect entrepreneurs and leaders to know everything from day 1, but the truth is that they learn everything along the way by making mistakes and picking the selves up every single time. Having mentors to guide her and pick her up when needed, helped her tremendously. Sharma says that it’s an amazing experience to start an entrepreneurial journey with Co-Founders who can really support and motivate each other during the toughest initial years of the company.
LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY Swati’s leadership and life philosophy comes from a famous quote by her guru Paramhansa Yogananda - “As you forget self in service to others, you will find that, without seeking it, your own cup of happiness will be full.” For a few initial years, her focus was not only to make her company survive but also thrive on the laid building blocks in comparison to the ever-evolving business space. To make her company climb the ladder of success, she undeniably focused on one single parameter and that was customer delight along with superior employee satisfaction. For her “Customer is a King, and their delight is of utmost significance” simultaneously maintaining the stand that clearly instills that “Employee is an invaluable asset that needs timely recognition and maintenance”. Over the years Swati realized that this is the
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core of her business philosophy and every business decision. For the longest time, she didn’t take the title of a ‘leader’ seriously because she didn’t believe in having titles for the purpose of self-aggrandizement but rather believed in doing work that resonates best with the interknits of society. Swati reflects on her professional journey and sees herself to have worked wholly in the service of her customers, her team, her investors, her colleagues, and her god. For her, the success, the accolades, the growth, the support of all stakeholders has just followed.
THE CLIENTELE AND COMPANY’S USP The company follows a biblical line- Discover new engagement offerings that did not exist yesterday, every day! Thriwe was launched with an aim to re-invent the rules of customer loyalty. Founded in the year 2011 with headquarters in India and offices across UAE, Singapore, London & Florida. Swati explained, “Earlier, a lot of effort, time and money was put in by brands for curating loyalty programs, but the results were not exciting to the end consumer. As every company started launching these programs, the differentiators and genuine pull of the same started to go down.” Therefore, Thriwe’s USP has always been to create unique and high-value consumer allegiance programs. The key has been the exclusive approach towards Data analytics which includes the study of HNI usage patterns, understanding of consumer demographics coupled with curating cost-effective consumer engagement programs. Some of their trusted partners across various categories are Mastercard, VISA, HSBC, Standard Chartered, HDFC, Axis Bank,
Mashreq Bank, Union Pay, UOB, DBS, Emirates NBD, LG Consumer Durables so on and so forth. Thriwe’s business model includes aggregating a large network of partners and high-value tangible offers on one side coupled with customizing and personalizing them using their business intelligence for the clients on the other side, and finally delivering them through a white-labelled and off the shell technology platform.
ADHERENCE TO CORE VALUES Swati’s key values for success are: Constant Innovation and Business Agility: The world is changing at a very fast pace- what is true and valued today is irrelevant tomorrow. Swati means it in every term – Products, needs, processes, customs, traditions. They scaled from golf into multiple categories because various clients from across all allegiance categories wanted to work with Thriwe. They have established strong trust, integrity, constant innovation, and a high level of customer service among their clientele.
HER VISION AND MANTRA FOR COMPANY’S GROWTH Swati envisions Thriwe to be “The Most Trusted and Innovative Consumer Strategy Specialist in the World” Their short-term goals are:
To expand the services in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and selected African regions End to end automation & digitization of customer strategy and behavior
WORDS OF ADVICE FOR ALL ASPIRING WOMEN Leadership is hard, entrepreneurship is harder- doing it all as a woman is the hardest. But women are so incredible and fully capable of pushing the physical, mental, and emotional boundaries. We are living in an amazing time where
women can dream big and chase their dreams. Don’t get complacent at any point –always stay hungry and agile. Even when you have struck upon a pot of gold, branch out a separate team that continues the search for the next big thing. She suggests all budding women entrepreneurs to:
Be authentic- If you are compassionate, emotional, overthinker – be it all boldly.
Bring change to the whole ecosystem by bringing your innate warmth into the corporate world.
Invest in your growth and social network – It is very important to keep you going and growing.
Respect, Humility & Empathy: They believe in dealing with every stakeholder with respect, humility & empathy. Treating others, the way Thriwe would want to be treated every day. What the leadership exemplifies in Swati’s day to day behavior, communication, body language and decisions has a far-reaching impact on the organizational culture and value system. Hence, there is consistent communication with the department heads regarding the importance of the above ethos to the company and to her and her Co-Founder personally. Swati makes it a point to follow the above in all the interactions in a disciplined manner.
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Vin ta Singh
The fact that we showed up, bought us opportunities that led us to where we are today.
VINEETA SINGH CEO, Sugar Cosmetics
THE INTELLECTUAL MIND BEHIND INDIA’S WIDELY POPULAR COSMETIC BRAND
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omen of today are breaking the glass ceiling to create their own business empires in the highly competitive corporate world. Their stories inspire others to achieve significant milestones in their path to success. One such inspiring story is of Vineeta Singh, the Co-Founder and CEO of Sugar Cosmetics who has made Sugar, one of the leading and widely popular cosmetics brands in India.
Alumni of Delhi Public School, IIT Madras, and IIM Ahmedabad, Vineeta trails celebrated academic foundation. She was only 23 years old when she was featured on the cover of the WEEK as she became the first and the youngest B Graduate woman from India to decline a placement offer of INR 1 Crore per annum from a global investment bank to start her own HR services company.
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stereotyped into rules. Its tagline says “Blend The Rules With Sugar.” Manufactured in state of the art facilities across India, Germany, Italy, the USA and Korea, Sugar Cosmetics ships its bestselling products across various different categories across the globe.
HURDLES ENCOUNTERED
Entrepreneurship is not an easy road to take. Vineeta and her husband Kaushik Mukherjee faced a lot of challenges after launching the digital-first beauty brand. After Completing her Electrical Engineering from IIT Madras, Vineeta moved to pursue her Business studies at IIM Ahmedabad. During her MBA days, she made up her mind to start her own business venture. In Vineeta’s words, “I always felt strongly about building something with women as the core customer, so when my first startup didn’t scale, I decided to launch a beauty subscription company with my Co-Founder, Kaushik, in 2012. The 200,000 women who shared their detailed beauty preferences with us were at the heart of our pivot to Sugar Cosmetics, which launched as a direct-to-consumer makeup brand in 2015.”
VINEETA’S VISION FOR SUGAR COSMETICS Back in 2014, the Indian beauty industry had its own constraints;
being dominated by multinational brands, and very few of them had a best-suited range for the Indian complexion. As people were struggling to find the right shade for their skin, they were switching to big foreign markets. That’s when Vineeta brought correct shades and texture for the Indian populace by laying the foundation of Sugar Cosmetics in mid-2015 to enable women to explore, crack the code of and relish the matchless beauty products that are exclusively recommended for them by beauty connoisseurs.
ABOUT SUGAR COSMETICS Sugar Cosmetics is a cruelty-free makeup brand that is always high on style and higher on performance. The brand is inspired by and targeted towards bold, independent women who refuse to be
When we tried raising capital, we were told that digital-first beauty will be a small market and that it would be impossible to compete with large FMCG companies without raising hundreds of millions of dollars. We were even told that the product itself won’t be a strong moat since it is a commodity.
A BRAND FOR WOMEN, BY WOMEN Vineeta works with a team of highly skilled and creative women day and night as she always wanted to build something with women as the core target audience. She recalls how she as a naive new b–school grad used to make many women-centric business plans–lingerie, athleisure, beauty- on paper. Vineeta has always been passionate about creating a brand for women, by women; and that is what led to Sugar Cosmetics being a women dominated workplace.
HER FAMILY- THE BIGGEST STRENGTH Vineeta feels overwhelmed to share how supportive her family and friends are. They have always supported the dream Vineeta have wanted to achieve. Vineeta is
blessed with two children who are her biggest strength. Being able to impress the two most important little humans time and again has a different high but it gives her a sense of satisfaction.
HER ‘NEVER SAY DIE’ APPROACH As a runner and an entrepreneur, Vineeta learnt that no matter what challenge is thrown at you, agility matters. She believes that growth is not about how fast one gets to it but how well one sustain it once one’ve arrived. Therefore, whenever Vineeta feels spent out, she makes sure that she stays strong and bounces back.
WORDS OF WISDOM FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS
Read more and schedule some “me time”. She also suggests women to stay fit and spend some quality time with family and friends. While Sugar’s content game has always been strong, Vineeta envisions making it stronger in the coming years. The focus will be on curating strong content that caters to individual platforms. Furthermore, the brand will work on strengthening its core pillars-Distribution, Product, Content, and Community Building. Going forward, Sugar Cosmetics aspires to build and expand its retail footprint, enhance retail marketing and visual merchandising experience.
Vineeta’s biggest advice for all entrepreneurs is to invest in selfcare. Learn a new skill. Get fit.
When Vineeta pitched her business idea years ago in front of venture capitalists for funding, most of them were men, they turned her idea down. Today, after the brand has started reaching heights, VCs are astonished by the growth of Sugar Cosmetics. It was Vineeta’s firm belief in herself and her brand that has raised Sugar Cosmetics to infinite heights. Today, Sugar raises funds in millions and sells around 650,000 products per month. The application has over 1 million downloads. The brand has offline retail stores across 130+ cities in India.
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ANAMIKA SRIVASTAVA
DRIVING SOCIAL CHANGE THAT MATTERS VIA DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM
At the very core of our existence is the belief that a better future for humanity depends on our capacity to harness change.
ANAMIKA SRIVASTAVA Founder & CEO, Development Consortium
namika Srivastava has walked a long journey thus far. Married at an early age of 22. It was a totally new experience and a different way of living. Srivastava always had a dream to do something different in her life and never left it behind.
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She derived her motivation from her mother who gave her birth in her 19s and was a successful educationist. “If she could do it so well, I can too as they say it runs in your blood,” says Anamika. It was not an easy journey. She was lucky to get an opportunity of working in the corporate sector with the most premier organizations at that time. The undivided support from
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her husband and his constant care for her health kept her going. She conceived two amazing daughters via IVF. As life progressed, Srivastava completed her masters while she was in a family way. She took a break from work and used this time to complete her higher studies. After devoting four years
to family life Anamika started getting anxious to go back to work. “Sitting at home and only managing my girls was not acceptable to me,” she explained. She wanted to do more and decided to step out to work. It was even harder to find a job after career break. Anamika had to begin anew which meant she had to start from scratch. She started as a receptionist at one of the UN privileged organization. “No work is small if you have the will you will find your way” and she did find her way to where her skills were, in Finance and Accounts. She continued to work in different organizations and landed in one of the UN organizations that changed her outlook towards life. That’s when she decided to start Development Consortium – an organization devoted to stimulating lasting change in the lives of those who need it most.
OVERCOMING THE HURDLES Nothing great comes easy. Anamika says “The constant disagreements between my parents on various issues made me become someone different that I am today. It made me very strong, determined, resilient, patient and the most important thing was learning from their mistakes.” The biggest hurdle for Srivastava was completing her education. Her father’s motivating words, “You have nothing to lose, do what you can and give your best,” kept her going. He was her constant support and a reminder that she can achieve her dreams. It took her some time to bring change and there was a 360-degree turn in her life when she made up her mind to build DC and lead it to the next level. Being shy and introvert, Anamika still prefers staying behind the curtains whether at work or at social occasions – action should speak more than words, she says. Varied thoughts were roving over Anamika’s head while working with UN and managing projects on topics like human trafficking, child protection and prison reforms. While being on the field and seeing what she would have never known otherwise, how hard the life was outside and how privileged she had been so far, broke her heart.
She specifically remembers one incident when she visited Tihar Jail to support a programme. Hearing the story of one of the many survivors and a young prisoner changed her view about life. She wanted to do so much but there was a limit to what could be done. But somewhere something had to start. She became more determined about it. In her words, “It was the first time the thought of starting my own social enterprise came to my mind.” Near this time, Anamika’s mother-in-law was diagnosed with last stage cancer. She had moved to work from home to support her. In this duration, one day at a lunch table with her Co-Founder and a few other colleagues and friends, Development Consortium was born. It took about a year to set up and they started with volunteering. All members had put their efforts and time. Anamika feels indebted to all of them.
THE SUCCESS OF THE DEVELOPMENT CONSORTIUM
DC is a respected non-profit organization, dedicated to working with young people and vulnerable communities across India - empowering them to overcome health, education and rights, abuse & injustice issues. At the very core of their existence is the belief that a better future for humanity depends on their capacity to harness change. It is the building of this capacity that is at the heart of their working model. Over the years, DC has worked on different programs. Some of the key programs are: Preventing Adolescent Anemia DC, in association with HCL Samuday – a flagship project under HCL Foundation - has initiated a project in the Hardoi district of Uttar Pradesh wherein families of adolescent girls will be provided with fortified atta as well imparted with necessary information to stimulate behavioural modification. The aim of project Sampushti is to establish the importance of iron in diet, and in turn, address anemia in the adolescent population thereby ensuring overall
improvement in health and wellness as well as better pregnancy outcomes later in life. Streeksha The key aim of Project Streeksha is to bridge the existing gaps in women’s education and employability by providing young women opportunities especially in rural areas to get access to a professional/vocational education and thus preparing them to be employable. The programme aims to do so by addressing key reasons behind young women lagging behind in receiving professional/ vocational education - lack of finances, family/social support and social norms. Love Matters India Love Matters India (LMI) is DC’s flagship digital initiative in India. Love Matters is a digital and bilingual awareness and education initiative designed to cater to the needs of young people in India. Today, LMI speaks to millions of young women across India through online as well as offline campaigns and interventions. Teenbook A novel digital safe space and India’s first comprehensive and dynamic online resource hub on life skills education for teenagers, parents and educators. It aims to bring a mindset shift towards supporting the children with their emotional, social and behavioural health well-being. DC is also moving into the space of environment conservation through its new programs focused on the circular economy of plastic waste collection, management and recycling.
ADVICE FOR BUDDING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS Don’t move so fast lest you fall. Take risks, make mistakes, learn from them and move ahead. Don’t feel guilty about your failures, feel proud of your mistakes as these make you stronger and most importantly listen to your heart.
HER FAVOURITE QUOTE
“Standing alone does not mean I am lonely, it means I am strong enough to fight my battles alone.”
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KANIKA MITTAL
MAKING TWITTER THE PLATFORM OF CHOICE VIA THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
The ability to strive for commercial wins with an inherent sense of purpose is what excites me most about the business world.
for driving meaningful work with brands.
purpose and fuels my passion for work.
Prior to Twitter I was the Marketing Director at Reebok India and led the brand through an intense repositioning exercise from a mass sports brand to a premium fitness brand. At Reebok, I also created #FitToFight: a disruptive women’s movement where Reebok put the female consumer front and center of all strategy and execution. It became a wake-up call for the industry at large with many competitive players launching similar initiatives afterwards. #FitToFight was supported by celebrities like Kangana Ranaut, Government bodies like the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and social change-makers like Kalyan Satyarthi Foundation. An important component of my journey with the brand was leading the Digital Transformation of the retail giant and paving the way in Digital Innovation and Omni Channel Experience.
WHAT IS YOUR LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY? WHAT FACTORS DO YOU KEEP IN MIND WHILE TAKING BUSINESS DECISIONS?
WHAT FASCINATES YOU THE MOST ABOUT THE BUSINESS WORLD? WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?
KANIKA MITTAL
Business Head, Twitter India
anika Mittal serves as the Business Head of Twitter India, the world’s popular microblogging and social networking service that’s home to a world of diverse people, perspectives, ideas, and information.
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In an exclusive conversation, Kanika Mittal shared insights about
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her exhilarating journey, experience, the philosophy that drives her everyday, and much more.
GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF YOURSELF AND WALK US THROUGH YOUR EXCITING JOURNEY. I am the Business Head for Twitter India, and leading Revenue and Brand Solutions across industry verticals, namely Auto, CPG, Tech, OEMs, M&E, BFSI etc. During the
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course of my tenure, my focus has been to land a strong positioning for Twitter with brands centred around Purpose and Innovation, and help both diversify and grow the business in a sustainable and scalable fashion. My aim is to drive impact across the 4Ps: Purpose, People, Profit, and Presence and continue to put Twitter on the map by making it the platform of choice through Thought Leadership, Focus on Creative Ideas, and Passion
The ability to strive for commercial wins with an inherent sense of purpose is what excites me most about the business world. Creating a winning impact for my clients while also being able to pursue passion projects that have a meaningful contribution is a mantra I most resonate with and bring with me on the job every day. As for my strengths: Empathy, Integrity, Compassion & a strong passion for my purpose as a leader is what keeps me going. I value the needs of my teammates and make sure to keep the team’s wellbeing at the forefront. Integrity & respect towards my work has always been a guiding principle throughout my career journey. My ability to be compassionate is what pushes me to strive every day to win with
As a leader, my core philosophy is that people are the business’s biggest asset & therefore investing in people is my utmost priority. I strongly believe that a leader is only as good as his/her team & therefore nurturing my team’s abilities, helping them conquer their challenges and always being their biggest cheerleader are crucial components of my leadership style. What I also diligently try to ensure is that I am always able to walk the talk, because it is only when the leader embraces and puts to action the strategies and decisions in their work, that the team sees merit in it. I’m also a strong believer of the statement that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’, therefore, I always strive to create a positive culture & create a shared vision that drives the team. My aim is to build a team whose greatest differentiator is their compassion & who always aims to ‘win with purpose’. I rest all my business decisions on three Key Pillars:
My more strategic inclination makes the long term vision & viability of a business decision a vital aspect that influences my judgement.
Internal & external ramifications of the business decision are equally crucial, often we only focus on the external implications however, the internal ramifications are as significant.
Finally, the commerce of it all, whether or not it is a reliable commercial decision comes into play before I conclude on the path I finally choose to take.
HOW DO YOU STAY ON TOP OF THE INDUSTRY TRENDS? HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT THEM? Consistent investment in selflearning & development is my way of always staying connected to what’s happening in the industry. I ensure I continue to learn something new every day whether it’s via reading, listening to podcasts or connecting with a passionate peer group. Working at Twitter helps in this regard as well, as it keeps me at the center of What’s Happening!
MENTION THE AWARDS AND MILESTONES RECEIVED BY YOU SO FAR. I am grateful to the industry for recognising my work and passion for it on several occasions. I am honoured to have been recognized in Exchange4Media 40 under 40, Social Samosa Superwomen, in the list of Top 50 Brand Leaders in Asia, felicitated at The Women Economic Forum. I have also been fortunate to have won Effies, Clios, and other such recognitions for my work. I am an active speaker, jury member at leading industry forums and am an evangelist about Businesses that are built on Purpose and Passion and continue to advocate these two the most through my work and outreach.
AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR MANY, WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE FOR FEMALES, WHO ALSO WANT TO STAND TALL IN THE CORPORATE WORLD? Nurture your ambition. Embrace it like an essential part of yourself and never feel apologetic about it. As women, we wear many hats - mother, daughter, wife, homemaker, professional, artist etc. But our ambition is personal and it’s a hat we wear for ourselves, so wear it with pride and fully commit yourself to it and your dreams will follow.
SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE QUOTE THAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED. “Every mortal will taste death, But only some will taste life.” - Rumi It is a reminder that no matter how hard things get, life is worth living with a smile.
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VANDANA TOLANI THE MASTERMIND BEHIND A BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT BANKING FIRM
Entrepreneurship has always given me the ideal opportunity to take calculated risks and turn my passion into a reality. Overcoming the challenges it poses helps me to grow multifariously each day.
VANDANA TOLANI Founder & CEO, Convanto
ark Twain explained the lure of entrepreneurship best when he wrote, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. With a voracious appetite, Vandana Tolani, the Founder & CEO of Convanto always had the
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desire to explore and discover the world of entrepreneurship. Vandana had her own family office in Singapore and Jakarta. She worked as an Investment Banker & Advisor to family offices and angel investors in Jakarta and Indonesia, helping start-ups from diverse backgrounds like Fin-Tech, B2B Tech, and consumer startups. Her work revolved around raising funds for them. After 15 years of staying in Singapore and Jakarta, she came back to India. Here, she did different investments but then decided to return to the advisory.
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The switch from investment to advisory led to the creation of Convanto, an acronym for Consultant Vandana Tolani. Today, she is also a Venture Advisor with Loyal VC, the INSEAD-led Canadian VC Fund, with a core portfolio of over 160 investments in more than 35 countries. She is also a Partner with a Silicon Valley-based Venture builder. Over the years, she has arranged funding for startups & growthstage companies in diverse sectors
like EdTech, FinTech, Consumer B2C & B2B, AgriTech, Health-tech, Food- tech, Disruptive & DeepTech as well as non-tech sectors.
a woman. Vandana’s intensifying approach towards her business sets Convanto apart from similar-sized players in the market.
VANDANA’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY Leadership is a hard row to hoe but success only comes to those who dare to attempt. Vandana’s structured approach to leading others has not only guided her in decision-making but has also helped her establish core principles, perspectives, and values within the company.
MAINTAINING HEALTHY CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS Vandana deals with big, small, and medium-sized businesses that are in need of any kind of funding along with documentation. Vandana positions herself as a highly competent and self-reliant businesswoman as it helps her build trust with clients.
Vandana prioritizes a people-centric and a customer-focused approach as she believes that this mindset proactively seeks ways to improve the total experience, leading to happier clients and increased profits. Furthermore, she masters the art of managing her team and understanding their strengths and weaknesses to get a far deeper understanding of the team’s dynamics and potential. CONVANTO: A BOUTIQUE INVESTMENT BANKING FIRM Convanto is a highly renowned boutique investment banking firm led by Vandana that focuses on fundraising and consulting early-stage startups. Over the years, Convanto has successfully executed fundraising assignments for various Fintech, B2B Tech, and D2C startups. With a range of services aimed at enabling young start-ups, Convanto works with intellectual professionals that help start-ups with services like Fund Raising, Marketing & Growth Advisory, GTM Strategic Advisory, and Value-added services like Building Investor Presentations and Financial Models. CONVANTO STAND OUT FROM ITS COMPETITORS Convanto, a highly acclaimed consulting firm establishes itself unique in the corporate landscape by consistently delivering top-notch services. Moreover, in an industry that is highly male-dominated, Convanto is one of the few boutique investment banks led by
Maintain a clear perspective as it enhances the chances of making better decisions
Hath faith in your choices; never underestimate yourself
Maintain consistency as it establishes awareness, builds trust, and helps in delivering services efficiently
Understand your target market as having a thorough grasp of it can aid in making strategic decisions
“When it comes to developing strong client connections, communication holds pivotal importance. We develop open channels of contact with our clients so that they can freely share feedback and suggestions,” Vandana mentioned.
AWARDS & MILESTONES Vandana has added many feathers to her cap quite recently. Some of them are:
Recognition under Top 10 consulting firms by a female founder and Women entrepreneur of the year 2021
THE CORE VALUES Vandana with distinctive core values tries to create unity and synchronicity within employees toward a common goal. “Transparency is our key as it encourages honest and two-way communication between me and my team. Subsequently, it increases trust & communication and generates greater employee engagement,” Vandana asserted.
Listed among Top 10 Women Leaders in Wealth Management 2021
VANDANA’S VISION FOR CONVANTO As per Vandana, companies that have a strong organizational culture and optimize key resources throughout the phases of a longterm strategy are able to better articulate their business objectives to a targeted audience, increase sales, and experience success. The leaders who run the companies, execute and update their plans, help their employees to learn and excel while maintaining the companies values and market competitiveness, thereby helping the organizations to become leaders in their respective industries. Convanto is one such company that works around these goals. ADVICE FOR BUDDING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS Vandana shares four great pieces of advice for the leaders of tomorrow:
Her firm Convanto has also been the recipient of many awards and accolades. It has been:
Listed under the top 10 women entrepreneur brands along with Nykaa Listed under Top 10 Futuristic Women in 2022 along with Nykaa Awarded by Kiran Bedi for The Best Financial Institution for Supporting Startups in Feb 2022
WORDS THAT INSPIRE HER “We’ve been making our own opportunities, and as you prove your worth and value to people, they can’t put you in a box. You hustle it into happening, right?” —Jennifer Lopez Vandana, through her highly esteemed fundraising and consulting company Convanto, has done 165 investments in more than 35 countries. She wishes to do more investments and help growing start-ups with their fundraising and documentation work and envisions doing C, D, and E series funding in the coming years.
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APARAJITA ROY
DR. ANKITA SINGH
THE FORCE BEHIND TRANSFORMATION OF THE HR LANDSCAPE
DR. ANKITA SINGH
Senior Vice President & Global Head of HR, Cignex ith over 22 years of rich experience in managing & leading all functions of HR, Dr. Ankita Singh very well understands the importance of People within an organization.
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Having realized her inner calling in the field of management midway through her engineering, she dropped off from her degree & steered 100% of her attention into understanding the domain of management. Having been a boarder all her life, she grasped a sense of self-supporting & self-governing behavior right from the beginning. She firmly believed in the importance of sharing, caring & being for one another from her boarding journey. ‘People are everything’ was the motto firmly imprinted in her mind & her life. She pursued her education & alongside, joined the corporate sector for practical exposure. She received a Gold Medal in BBA, MBA & completed her Ph.D. in Management. Dr. Ankita also holds the most prestigious certification of the “Sustainable Business Strategy” Course from the acclaimed Harvard Business Online School. Amongst other things, she is also a certified PPA (Thomas Profiling) Practitioner.
EXPERTISE & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE With over two decades of progressive experience in managing and leading across various facets of
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It’s not the magic mantra; it’s the Magical People that matter the most in life.
human resources, Dr. Ankita has been a vital part of the success stories of various esteemed organizations. Her primary expertise lies in leadership development, Organizational Behavior, Culture building & Employee Engagement. She, in the past, was associated with other renowned organizations, including Sahara India, Convergys, Zensar, Hexaware, and Datamatics. Presently, she is the active Senior Vice President & Global Head at Cignex. She’s also the Founder of the HR Association of India, a community of leading HR professionals contributing towards the enhancements of HR & enabling the betterment of society.
PHILOSOPHY & ACHIEVEMENTS As the HR head, she envisions transforming and empowering the HR and support functions, including Administration, Travel & Resource Management for the entire organization. She believes in diversity & tries to connect and engage with all employees, thus making her a leader in her field. She believes that she gets a unique perspective by connecting with individuals and respecting their uniqueness. She firmly believes that “In today’s world, HR is responsible for ensuring that everybody is valued in the system and is future-ready to meet the need of the uncertain times.” For her endeavors as an HR leader, she has been awarded by Forbes India and Great Manager Institute
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as Top 100 People Manager in India for the last three consecutive years, 2019, 2020 & 2021. She has also been recognized as the CHRO (Chief Human Resource Officers) of the Year in 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020, Women Personality of the Year in 2018 & 2019, The most influential Corporate Personality 2019, The Indian HR Champion of the Year 2019, The Most Inspiring Personality of the Year 2019 & The Most Influential HR Leader of the Year 2019.
HER INSPIRATION & PERSONAL ENDEAVOURS Being a single mother & the only female executive member in the company, Dr. Ankita is a hustler & lives life with compassion. She finds herself fortunate to always have the proper support from her friends, family, colleagues, manager, and house helps & others throughout her life. She considers her mother to be her true inspiration & mentor as she was the one who listened & supported her through all her endeavors. Dr. Ankita is an explorer who loves traveling & refers to it as something that helps revitalize her mental health & happiness. She is also a responsible citizen and has actively participated in numerous social causes & NGOs on Children’s Education & Development. She advises youngsters to have faith in their capabilities and dream big. If anything is humanly achievable, every human can achieve the same. Staying hopeful, optimistic, and humane are the known magical ingredients of a great recipe called life.
ON A MISSION TO PRESERVE THE HERITAGE OF THE HANDMADE APARAJITA ROY
Founder, by Woman parajita believes that creativity is a very human quality and refuses to give away this attribute to the machines (AI). by Woman stands on this bedrock. With a mission to preserve the heritage of handmade art, Aparajita founded by Woman in 2020.
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Her career kicked off at the Reserve Bank of India in Fort, Mumbai. Later, she co-founded KornChain, a company that is believed to become the next tech unicorn. Being the youngest one in an ultra-tech start-up transformed her in an unfathomable way. Her life started revolving around top-notch engineers; fuelling her fascination with the tech-enabled future. Nonetheless, Aparajita has always been deeply concerned about the decline of human intervention in certain jobs due to AI. She realized that AI has the potential to erode a crucial representation of the human spirit i.e., Art. “Though we have been using technological scaffolding to go beyond our biological limitations to create art, creativity has always been an input of humans and machines have always been the impetus.”, says she. This perplexity in Aparajita’s mind gave birth to by Woman.
APARAJITA’S VIEWS ON ENTREPRENEURIAL WORLD “Our beliefs and commitment towards our shared vision are the
We work relentlessly to bring back the much-needed focus on the ingenuity of handmade art and the artists behind them. pillars that empower us to deliver the best of our capabilities.” Aparajita never confines her responsibilities to just a title, rather she believes in moulding her skills and efforts towards what needs attention. “You learn to own up to things”, and this is the most fascinating part of the entrepreneurial world for her.
ABOUT by Woman
by Woman is a woman-led woman-focused Art brand that brings together beautiful minds and the most skillful hands to bring an aesthetically pleasing collection of handicrafts. Aparajita deeply feels the challenges artists face, especially creative women artists whose art often goes unseen. The team picks out these exceptionally creative women artists and provides them the ‘by Woman’ platform. Aparajita is building a strong team of women who share common beliefs and are passionately working towards the common mission. Anuradha Sachidev, Advisor at by Woman, says “At by Woman talent is seen and celebrated. Symbiosis through support is an organic practice here.” Debjani De, Advisor from California, says “We help women artists to reconnect with their primordial artistic selves. This is a community of truly talented
women who are arduously working towards conserving all forms of handmade art.”
APARAJITA’S VISION
Handmade art is slowly losing its foothold and value with the rise in demand for mass-produced and machine-made art. Aparajita through by Woman aims to preserve the authenticity and heritage of handmade art. The team works relentlessly to bring back the much-needed focus on the ingenuity of handmade art and the artists behind them. by Woman is an equal opportunity platform for gifted women artists from all over India, and they aim to make handmade art more accessible to the art lovers while also gently urging people to foster the culture of preserving the rich and diverse heritage.
WORDS FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS
Aparajita shares three pieces of advice for young entrepreneurs:
Your dream is for you to protect and nurture. It’s your responsibility alone.
Be prepared to get rejected but never lose your focus.
Self-awareness can take you a very long way.
Aparajita welcomes you all to explore the world of art by Woman.
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ARTI SUDHIR NAIR
KAMALIKA GUHA ROY
TRANSFORMING STARTUPS INTO REPUTED BRANDS WITH THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY
ON A MISSION TO CREATE A DIGITAL PRESENCE FOR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS VIA ARCHIIPEDIA What I find most fascinating is the possibility of personally being able to create and effect change through Archiipedia.
ARTI SUDHIR NAIR
Director & Founder, Archiipedia.com rti Sudhir Nair is the Director & Founder at Archiipedia.com, a niche digital platform connecting all professionals and vendors of Architecture, Building Construction, Design, Decoration and Allied Services, with consumers and customers, under one umbrella.
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Arti is an experienced architect, interior design professional, having worked with many architecture firms and builders. With 20 years of rich experience in design execution and project management, she is now successfully running her own Architecture and Interior Design Marketplace, Archiipedia.com.
network, Arti led the foundation of Archiipedia.com in 2019. The Founder envisions creating a digital presence for every design professional or vendor of the building construction industry across the nation via Archiipedia.com. To boast off, Arti is a strong advocate of using local labour and artisans in all her turnkey interior design projects. She says, “I want to be remembered as someone who made a striking difference in the lives of people and did her bit for social and environmental sustainability by spreading awareness about the same and impacting economic progress and stability.”
ABOUT ARCHIIPEDIA ARTI’S CAREER & JOURNEY TO ARCHIIPEDIA
Her deep interest in the field of architecture took her to Pune University where she completed her Bachelors in Architecture. As she wanted to explore the Art and Science behind designing and building, she started her career with CNT Bangalore as a design intern. Later, she poured more knowledge into her creative brain while working with reputed architecture firms like Venkataraman Associates and builders like Sobha Developers. She also has had a long stint as an entrepreneur providing different turnkey interior design services to her clients. Intrigued by the esteemed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grand vision for Digital India, and the need for architects and allied professionals to grow their referral
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Archiipedia.com is a Digital Listing, Advertising branding platform that attempts to draw the limelight on the best available talent in Architecture and Interior Design. It serves as a B2B and B2C platform that helps its customers promote their businesses and products through listings and advertisements, therefore growing a referral network and generating good leads for their businesses. Furthermore, ‘Archii-log’, Archiipedia’s multi blogger architecture blog, aims to be a valuable source of information, educating consumers with various design methodologies, latest products, and design services of the building construction industry. “We cater to 25 different categories of professionals and retail outlets including Architects, Interior Designers, Landscape Designers,
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KAMALIKA GUHA ROY
Founder & CEO, Ebullientech Civil Contractors, Painting Contractors, Landscape Designers and a lot more,” mentioned Arti.
ARTI’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY
Arti firmly believes in John C Maxwell’s words of wisdom. To put it, “A leader is one who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way.” Arti is strong, persistent in her efforts, and leads by an example to motivate her committed team, thereby achieving better results.
FEATHERS IN THE CAP
Arti has added many feathers to Archiipedia’s cap by positioning it uniquely in the corporate world. “India Excellence award 2019” from Blind Wink For “Best Online platform for Architecture and Building Construction Industry, “Brand Icon Award 2019-2020’’ by Times Cyber Media For “Business Excellence Innovative Concept”, Indian Achievers’ Award 2020–21 for Most Promising Startup, “Business Icon of India 2021” by Blossom Media are a few to list. Arti has recently been awarded the Indian woman Entrepreneur Of The Year 2021 title by GreatCompanies. Arti, with her consistent zeal and passion, has created a platform that attracts anyone desirous of building their home, helping them find professionals and products under one umbrella. Arti is indeed an inspiration for many budding women entrepreneurs around the world. To motivate future leaders, she says, “Believe in yourself, and surround yourself with positive people who support your goals. Give your best in whatever you do.”
ith over 20+ years of rich experience, Kamalika Guha Roy knows quite well how to develop products & teams from Ground Zero!
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A tech innovator & problem solver at heart, Kamalika Guha Roy, realized entrepreneurship as her true inner calling at an early age. Born to a scholarly father & an artistic mother, Kamalika went after the road less taken.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT A YOUNG AGE After completing her B.Sc from the University of Calcutta, she ventured into entrepreneurship at a time when the word wasn’t even known amongst the masses. She founded Azure Technologies with two of her friends in 2002. Azure Technologies provided IT & Application Development services, including developing desktop and web applications using Microsoft Technologies. Being a robust tech enthusiast & innovator, Kamalika managed a hue of responsibilities in her new-formed startup, including requirement analysis, UX, database design, application design, coding, testing, deployment/ release, client communication, project cost recovery & after-sales support. Kamalika served numerous quality clients, the biggest one being Hindustan Unilever. However, the firm dissolved due to ideological differences.
THE 9-5 WHEEL After dissolving the firm, Kamalika, upon her parent’s insistence involved in multiple jobs across
It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me. various roles; from Software Developer to Chief Architect, she gained much experience across different tech positions. She started with a service-based technology company & gradually moved towards tech-enabled product companies. The combination of these two helped her build an immense techno-functional knowledge-base across diverse business domains like retail, e-commerce, logistics, supply chain, finance, distribution, ed-tech & many more. Between 2004- 2017, Kamalika worked with various reputed firms, including The Walt Disney Company, where she worked as a Project Manager. She also served as the Head of Technology at Grab a Grub Services, a food-tech & lastmile delivery company & The Chief Technology Architect at Just Buy Live Enterprise. She works as a Chief Technology Officer at KidzByte, heading the complete tech department. She is also an Independent Director with Jet Freight Logistics Ltd., one of the country’s leading freight forwarders.
INCEPTION OF EBULLIENTECH Kamalika didn’t just want to stick to a 9-5 routine. Having gained crucial industry knowledge, Kamalika started Ebullientech Interactive LLP, an IT/ ITES consultation & Digital Marketing Company headquartered in Mumbai. Kamalika picked the name Ebullientech combining the two expressions Ebullience (Passionate) and Technology. The company provides a horizon of services, including Web, Android & iOS App Development, Cloud Consulting, ERP, OTT Solutioning, eCommerce Portals, Digital
Marketing & Startup mentoring. “We are a company entirely focused on building products of many startups and SMEs that either lack funding or expertise in the technology sphere,” says Kamalika. Over a span of 4 years, Kamalika has built a strong team of qualified professionals with individual experiences that sum up to over 50 years. Ebullientech Interactive LLP serves quite a few startups, including Dance with Madhuri Dixit, Nazara Technologies, GOQII, NeoGrowth, Jet Freight Logistics, KidzByte Mediatech & many more. Kamalika & her team have garnered a 95% retention rate, ensuring the highest levels of service quality. With inculcated core values of transparency, integrity, empathy, generosity, inclusive leadership, Kamalika aims to build a community of technology resources & consumers focused on growth and equity building.
PHILOSOPHY AND ADVICE FOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS Starting up at a young age, Kamalika came across various hurdles, two of the most prominent being misogyny & racism. She overcame these by enriching her knowledge, sharpening her skills & letting her work do the talking. Kamalika is a firm believer in the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” As an inspiration to thousands of young female entrepreneurs, Kamalika advises the young ones to believe in themselves, be positive, value people, strengthen their skills & stay unfazed by misogyny, workplace politics & favouritism.
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avoided. Offsetting should only be allowed when it is of utmost necessity if one has to bring greenhouse emissions to a real zero as much as possible. Fossil fuels need to be phased out rapidly and transitioned into renewable energy. A few examples could be oil, gas, and fuel.
THE NEED FOR NET-ZERO GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS Climate change would not stop just by ending the use of fossil fuels. Co2, which is the major contributor to climate change, will be required to stay put in the atmosphere and keep on heating up the planet for the years to come. Reducing carbon emissions is of extreme importance, but that’s not all of it. The ultimate goal is to be able to balance out the scales again and get the global climate back to pre-climate change levels. In order to actually get there, it would be necessary to reduce the greenhouse emissions to zero and then fix the past damage by drawing down on past emissions.
GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS IN INDIA
Green GreenHouse THE CALL FOR REDUCING
GAS EMISSIONS
India happens to be the third biggest producer of harmful greenhouse gases. The country pledged to reach net-zero during the COP26 climate meeting held in Glasgow, UK, in November 2021. The meeting was attended by other large-scale emitters such as the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. who have decided to make similar promises. At the COP26 meeting, the Prime Minister further promised that the country would expand its nuclear, renewable, and hydropower capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030. He also claimed that at least 50% of the country’s power-generating capacity would be generated through renewable energy by that year. In the coming decade, India will be limiting about one billion tonnes of the carbon that it gives out.
WHAT COUNTRIES CAN DO TO LOWER CARBON EMISSIONS
et-zero refers to the steadying out of the quantity of greenhouse emissions that are created by industries, transports, homes, farming sectors, etc. The necessity of Net Zero lies in the fact that it is the foremost way to limit climate change by tackling global warming. The next decade is of crucial importance when it comes to limiting carbon emissions and every industry, sector, and country must work together to find ways to cut down on the carbon being produced.
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WHAT DOES NET ZERO GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS MEAN? Achieving a balance between the greenhouse gas emissions taken out and the greenhouse gas
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emissions generated can be referred to as zero greenhouse emissions. In order to reach this balance, it must be ensured that no more gas is being produced anymore, and a lot of it is being taken out of the atmosphere. Once the generation of newer greenhouse gases is stopped, steps will have to be taken in order to deal with the greenhouse gases already present in the environment. If the goal of reaching net greenhouse emissions is to be reached, the emission of newer greenhouse gases can only be allowed in a situation where it’s being offset by procedures that are working on reducing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. For example, it could include processes such as direct air capture or planting more trees.
like solar, wind, etc could be subsidized instead, the world could exponentially expand on clean energy.
Phasing Out Coal Powered Plants
Coal happens to be the greatest carbon-intensive fossil fuel. The majority of the world’s energy is generated by coal power plants and its impact on the environment is not sustainable at all. UNEP has suggested that all countries globally put a complete ban on coal power plants. It wants to phase out the existing plants entirely and focus on coming up with less harmful alternatives.
Focusing On Public Transportation
The impact of the transportation sector on the environment can be lessened substantially if the focus is laid on public modes of transportation such as increasing the number and efficiency of high-speed trains, subways, forms of electric buses, etc. Transportation can be transformed by putting limits on traditional gas-powered vehicles and investing in electric vehicles. Norway and China have been focusing on bringing about this change.
GROSS ZERO VS NET ZERO EMISSIONS
One might wonder, given the terrible impact on carbon emission on our planet as to why countries are not aiming for a gross zero instead of net-zero. Gross zero refers to a situation wherein no emissions at all are allowed and that is not realistically possible. Even with best efforts to reduce the emissions, there will still be some which can’t be ignored. To conclude, tackling climate change is at the top of the agenda for many countries, companies, and even individuals. Implementing the right policies to reduce greenhouse emissions is the need of the moment. It will take decades for today’s policy efforts to show measurable impacts in the future.
Not Extraction of Fossil Fuels
The majority of natural gas, coal, oil, etc must remain underground in order to stay within the global carbon budget. Licenses must not be handed out for underdeveloped fossil fuels in fragile, marine, and remote environments. The focus must be laid on phasing out the fossil fuel industry entirely.
Renewable Energy Over Fossil Fuels
According to UNEP, along with terminating the licenses for newer fossil fuel projects, countries need to not subsidize these industries anymore. Throughout the world, around 5 trillion dollars are spent to subsidize the said substances which are causing enough climate damage. If renewable energy
The emission of greenhouse gases worldwide must be as low as possible if climate catastrophe is to be
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SHWETA DESHMUKH
KHYATI UDESHI NAIGANDHI
BRINGING IMPECCABLE RECRUITMENT SERVICES AT TenaSHEous
KHYATI UDESHI NAIGANDHI Founder & CEO, TenaSHEous
iligent, committed, and ardent, Khyati Udeshi Naigandhi, Founder & CEO, TenaSHEous translated her dream into the reality of her life as she leads one of the dignifying businesswomen. She is a passionate Recruiter with almost 16 years of experience- the combination of both consulting & corporate.
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The proud entrepreneur and mother of a toddler, Khyati is a dynamic figure. No wonder she has achieved credibility in the industry and enjoys excellent rapport. She started her career with GoAir in their HR team, worked in a recruitment consulting firm for 9 years, worked with Inox Leisure Limited for a short stint, and then she leapt for entrepreneurship joining her family business J. Udeshi & Co. before starting her dream company-TenaSHEous.
JOURNEY OF BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR In the early days of her career, Khyati used to dedicate more than 10 hours to her work and always had this zeal to achieve great heights in her career; even if it required her to work late evenings or on weekends. In fact, even on her delivery bed, she continued working. But post the delivery of her beautiful daughter, things changed for her. She was still very much passionate about work but a woman’s
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At TenaSHEous, our purpose is to elevate Women to be independent, be responsible for themselves, be their own boss and make a living.
priorities change automatically once she becomes a mother. More than a recruiter and an employee, she had become a Mother and for every Mother, her child comes first. But that doesn’t mean you lose your spark! Practically, it had become too difficult to manage both at the same time. She started craving for a workplace that gives that flexibility for many women like her so that they could handle both their personal and professional lives well. That’s when she sent a silent prayer to the Lord to give her strength to create such a platform for other women who have to face similar obstacles. And here she is, creating her own story with TenaSHEous!
TenaSHEous: ELEVATING WOMAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Incorporated in 2021 as a young enterprise with a vibrant and dynamic workforce, TenaSHEous is led by Women consultants with rich experience in recruitment. It is a team of versatile and multi-vertical recruiters focusing on both Non-IT and IT segments. Some of the major Recruitment Consulting services offered by the firm include Recruitment at all stages except entry-level- Middle Levels/ Senior Levels/ CXO’s, Headhunting (especially for Senior levels / CXOs), and Mapping of the organizations. It caters to both
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Non-IT and IT sectors, and almost all the industries -Retail & Services, Hospitality, Media, Entertainment & Advertising, Ecommerce to name a few.
KHYATI NAIGANDHI’S LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY Khyati strongly believes that Women need to shift from thinking “I am not ready to do that” to thinking “I want to do that and I will learn by doing it”. There is something so special about women. It takes a certain grace, strength, intelligence, fearlessness and the nerve to never take a “no” for an answer. That’s why Khyati always trains her team members to keep unshakable determination and be persistent in their work even when they face failure. This is the real meaning of tenacity. At the same time, she aspires to create a happy culture in the organization where each woman (team member) feels the belongingness & treats this company as her own. Every woman is working to grow and help others grow in her system. “We rise by lifting others” is our motto, shared by Khyati.
WORDS OF WISDOM If you are dreaming about something for long and if it’s not letting you sleep then just go for it, give wings to those dreams. It will find its way and learn to fly. But take that first step!
LEAVING THE ENTIRE WORLD SPELLBOUND WITH HER GROUNDBREAKING CREATIVITY
SHWETA DESHMUKH Founder, DeZineBox
hile everyone would love their home and workplace to be seen as one of the most beautifully designed places on the planet, there are those who reach beyond that and turn bare walls & spaces into shrines of designs and excellence. Shweta Deshmukh, The Principal Architect of Shweta Deshmukh & Associates and DeZineBox, with an eye for creativity and an innate sense of balance in design, entered the world of entrepreneurship by establishing an architectural & Interior firm, Shweta Deshmukh & Associates (SDA) at Navi Mumbai in 2010.
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Shweta, via SDA, has worked on many weekend homes, multiplexes & malls, farmhouses, and many commercial and residential interiors. Her ability to create timeless designs with a modern & aesthetic touch and ardent desire to make architecture & interior designs accessible & affordable globally led to the foundation of DeZineBox, India’s First & Only Online Design Consultancy that ‘Works For & With You’. Thanks to Shweta and her creative mindset that offers a unique and innovative approach to cater to all interior design needs, thereby bringing in transformation in the interior design world.
FEATHERS IN THE CAP Despite having a history of Epilepsy which grilled her
We, at DeZineBox take time to plan every aspect of a project, make all the selections, get all the details down on papers- well notated so as to convey every intent. childhood, she has always stood tall. Today, while she recalls her journey of vicissitude, she says she had always relentlessly struggled to prove herself as normal as others. However, her effort has paid off well as she crafts an awe-inspiring journey with DeZineBox. Shweta has 20 years of domain experience with many awards and recognitions to her credit. Exceptional Woman of Excellence, Best Coworking Design of the Year, Archid Award by Fortune Street, Most Innovative Firm of the Year 2019 are few to mention. She is also a jury for AceTech Design Wall powered by The Economic Times for the past 5 years and also featured as “Top 10 Women-Led Start-ups of Mumbai in 2020”. She was invited to speak on “Architect Building an IT platform” at WADe Asia. To boast of, Shweta is also featured in various Architectural and Interior magazines as 50 Phenomenal Architects, Young Architectural Practices across the country, Woman Achiever, Inspiring 50 Architects & Interior Designers of India, India’s Young Architects & Interior Designer, and Wonder Women.
STANDING OUT FROM THE REST Shweta says she wants to design every house on this planet and if possible other planets too! She has used this passion for her work
to take architecture practice to an advanced level. She also mentions many times clients only wanted designs and didn’t expect architects to visit the site as they love executing it themselves. It not only ensured cost-cutting but also gave them the joy of designing. When online furniture portals started flooding in the Indian market, it was just then Shweta conceived the idea of DeZineBox in 2014 but as she was expecting a baby, motherhood was prioritized. It was back in 2017 when Shweta along with her husband started sculpturing DeZineBox. In Shweta’s words, “DeZineBox has worked on 250+ projects in more than 65 Indian Cities and 5 Countries that includes Kenya, UAE, Australia & USA.”
AN INSPIRATION FOR ALL
Shweta’s love, devotion, and determination for her profession are truly inspiring. She had fought against all the odds in her life and thus, becoming an example for many worth idealizing. She explains she had surrendered her life a long ago when she had hit the most heartbreaking moments of her life. After that day, she has never questioned why for anything that has happened to her. She accepts everything and opens her heart and mind to the infinite wonder that exists for her in life.
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SHRADDHA SANDEEP PINGALE AN INFLUENTIAL FIGURE IN THE VERY CHALLENGING CIVIL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY
SHRADDHA SANDEEP PINGALE Jt. Managing Director, EConstruct
hraddha Sandeep Pingale has done it all in Construction and Engineering. Serving as the Jt. Managing Director of a leading consultancy and contracting company EConstruct Design & Build Pvt Ltd, Shraddha is responsible for Strategic Planning and Execution of Business Development, Marketing, and Business Operations. She is leading business growth and operations related initiatives consistent with the organization’s growth strategy.
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Having pursued M.Tech in the Engineering field, Shraddha handles the overall operations of EConstruct especially Business Development quite effortlessly. In her words, “Business Development intrigues me. Each day is new, and I get the opportunity to explore new ideas.”
HER UNPARALLELED FASCINATION WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
In the entrepreneurial world, Shraddha has unearthed an adventurous zeal in herself that looks forward to challenges in readiness. Shraddha always looks forward to exploring new ideas and freedom of thinking. She believes, situations demand ideas thus creating a need to break the mould often and leading to a road less taken. As it also encourages creative thinking from Shraddha’s associates, she looks forward to such meetings where cognitive unravelling happens. Shraddha explores her passion every day as it helps her know herself better. The more she thinks with passion, the more it brings mobility in her life. She doesn’t get stuck in a rut and stagnate.
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In the entrepreneurial world, I have unearthed an adventurous zeal in myself that looks forward to challenges in readiness.
In achieving entelechy, there is a sense of purpose to her time on this planet. Furthermore, Shraddha feels privileged to add value, nurture and strengthen the career of countless people worldwide. She finds this experience quite rewarding. Being an entrepreneur has made her receptive to learning which fosters her to explore more into the world of entrepreneurship. It is beyond systematic understanding and effort. Learning every day makes what she sees even more beautiful and in spite of all the learning, the mystery of life doesn’t get diminished.
ABOUT ECONSTRUCT: SHRADDHA’S DREAM COMPANY
Incepted in 2010, EConstruct Design and Build is an Engineering company based in Bangalore with three facets primarily- Engineering Consultancy, Civil Construction & Corporate Training. Its excellent track record includes Residential Constructions like ultra-modern skyscrapers and villas, Commercial and Industrial Constructions like IT parks Office complexes, hotels, shopping malls and others, Road Constructions that entail earthwork and paving electrification, landscaping & widening, and Infrastructure Development like underground water tanks, landscape design, compound walls, etc. Through corporate training, it has imparted training to thousands of students and is actively thinking and working towards a bigger curriculum. It has successfully brought a
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revolution in the Civil Industry by launching ON-JOB learning programs through its Master Study courses. It offers internships to a minimum of 250 candidates per year in Pan-India and overseas. It also offers internships to IIT, NIT, NICMAR and even rural students regularly. “We empower students in all aspects so much so that they can crack any interview, either here or overseas with elan, getting core technical placements in the civil industry,” asserted Shraddha.
THE INCEPTION OF THE LIFE ENGINEERING ACADEMY
Enterprise Data Lakes & Cloud Data Lakes
We often hear people asking “What career do you want to pursue when you grow up?”, however, as per Shraddha, “How do you choose to live your life?” should be the right question to ask. When Shraddha found out that there is an evident lack of life necessary skills, she launched The Life Engineering Academy, which trains students all the basic life aspects and values they would require to live a successful life.
HER MESSAGE FOR ASPIRING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Smart Energy Management
Shraddha Sandeep Pingale is an inspiration for all the budding women entrepreneurs looking forward to making a bold mark in the corporate world. She shares a great piece of advice for future leaders. To put it, “You have undiscovered wings, be courageous to use them. Your dream can defy the laws of gravity.”
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Name
Brand
Designation
Anamika Srivastava
Development Consortium
Founder & CEO
Dr. Ankita Singh
Cignex
Senior VP & Global Head of HR
Aparajita Roy
by Woman
Founder
Arti Sudhir Nair
Archiipedia
Director & Founder
Divyashikha Gupta
Stalwart World
CEO & MD
Ghazal Alagh
Mamaearth
Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer
Kamalika Guha Roy
Ebullientech
Founder & CEO
“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” - Winston Churchill
Kanika Mittal
Twitter India
Business Head
Khyati Udeshi Naigandhi
TenaSHEous
Founder & CEO
“Change is inevitable. Change is constant.” – Benjamin Disraeli
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Biocon
Founder & Chairperson
Koheli Puri
StudioXP
Founder & MD
“People don’t change, they just have momentary steps outside of their true character.” – Chad Kultgen
Lipika Sud
Lipika Sud Interiors
Director & Principal Designer
Meenakshi Acharya
RMA Legal
Founder Partner
Dr. Priyanjali Datta
Pinga
CEO
Rohini Manian
Propcierge
Founder & CEO
Shraddha Sandeep Pingale
EConstruct
Jt. Managing Director
Shweta Deshmukh
DeZineBox
Founder
Swati Sharma
Thriwe
Co-Founder & COO
Vandana Tolani
Convanto
Founder & CEO
Vineeta Singh
Sugar Cosmetics
CEO
“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” - Robin Williams “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.” - John C. Maxwell
“If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think.” -Oprah Winfrey
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.” - Andy Warhol
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” – George Bernard Shaw “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates
All the names have been arranged in an alphabetical order, and it is not a ranking
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FINANCE
SURVIVING
STOCK MARKET
A Stock Market crash is a rapid and often unanticipated drop in the prices of stock. It can be a side effect of economic crisis, catastrophic event, or the collapse of a long-term speculative bubble. Famous stock market crashes include Black Monday of 1987, 1929 Great Depression and many others.
WHAT CAUSES A STOCK MARKET TO CRASH?
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he Indian stock market is facing a sharp alteration caused by a severe dip in the global markets. There have been signals suggesting that the US Federal Reserve will further consolidate liquidity and hike interest rates. Stock market crashes are characterised by an unprecedented and substantial dip in stock prices across a sizable transversion. These crashes lead to substantial loss of finances and are followed by economic bubbles and speculation.
There are a few general reasons why stock markets crash. Some of the causes include:
Increased usage of market debt
Increased market optimism
Price earning ratios surpassing the long-term averages
Immoderate usage of market debt
And increased leverage by market participants
WHAT TO DO WHEN STOCK MARKETS ARE CRASHING? NOT HAVING IMPULSIVE REACTIONS If you believe in the fundamentals of your stock selection, there is no need to be jittery when your portfolio starts crashing. If at all there are stocks that you are unsure about, make sure to sell them off at the first opportunity. Being ruthless about selling off the lossmaking stocks and being mindful about the timing of it is the key.
BEING WISE ABOUT RUPEECOST AVERAGING One of the most general reactions to stock markets crashing is rupee-cost averaging wherein the investors begin to get hold of more of their stocks at different price levels. Amassing the winners at lower levels might be a great idea but not with those stocks which are making losses. Investors must be able to make sure to eliminate their loss-making stocks along with the ones which have witnessed profits only due to momentum or narratives.
BEING CAREFUL ABOUT NEW-AGE COMPANIES Many investors of the new-age companies are perplexed about selling off their holdings, buying on dips, or staying invested as new-age companies like Zomato, Paytm, etc have had their stocks fallen below the issue prices. However, even though the general trend is not in favor of investing in the newly formed companies, we also have examples of companies such as ‘Amazon’ that have become giants from having very humble beginnings. Certain factors to look out for while investing are the following- efficient capital allocation, favorable risk award, healthy cash flows, and powerful economic moats.
GET BUYING Ensure that you have a bucket list of quality stocks ready. As soon as these stocks become available to you at captivating levels, they must be added to the portfolio. In order to create a bucket list, one must focus on stocks that are fundamentally strong. The major sign of a good stock is the one that has double-digit Return On Equity (RoE) and Return On Capital Employed (RoCE). It is often said that when the market is overvalued, one should
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book some profits and keep some cash handy. This gives the opportunity to get hold of stocks at captivating levels as the markets crash. A bucket list of quality stocks must be kept ready. Whenever such stocks are available at attractive levels, you must add those to your portfolio. One must aim at fundamentally strong stocks. Stocks with no debt and consistently great profits, and also a double-digit Return on Equity (RoE) and Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) must find space in one’s portfolio.
FAMOUS MARKET CRASHES THROUGHOUT HISTORY There have been quite a number of stock-market crashing incidents since the beginning of stock markets in the 1600s. Here’s a list of the popular ones: BLACK TUESDAY, 1929 Both industrialized and non-industrialized countries were affected by the stock market crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash which contributed to the Great Depression that occurred in the 1930s. It was during the 1920s in the US that the stock market activity scaled up alarmingly. This happened because a large number of Americans had invested their money and the stocks had increased a lot in price. During the late 1920s, millions of Americans began to purchase stock, and the market increased in value dramatically. Basically, the stocks were selling out for more money than the stocks’ actual worth. The stock prices had almost doubled, having topped 245 points. The main cause cited for the Wall Street stock market crash was the extended length of speculation that preceded the incident wherein people borrowed money to buy up stocks. This led to the prices being pushed at unsustainable levels.
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FINANCE
This economic meltdown caused millions of Americans to lose out on their jobs. Some of the greatest hardships were faced by the industrial and construction workers. More than 40% of factory workers and 67% of construction workers in Ohio were unemployed in 1933. During this economic downturn, millions of American workers lost their jobs. Industrial and construction workers faced some of the greatest hardships during this period. The apparent economic boom of the 1920s came to an abrupt halt in October 1929, as businesses and consumers had completely exhausted themselves financially. It resulted in the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. THE KNICKERBOCKER CRISIS OF 1907 A number of investors took loans from banks to fund an initiative to corner the shares of United Copper Company. This company lost all its money under the pressure of speculation, and the trend was followed by other companies. The stocks ended up losing 15% to 20% of their value. Ruinous runs pervaded as the public confidence in banks took a dip and depositors rushed to pull back their money.
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There were incidents of top executives in financial institutions either resigning or getting fired. Banks and stock brokerages had failed. Businesses failed as well as they could not get bank loans. BLACK MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1987 The market had turned pessimistic due to the dipping oil prices and the US-Iran tensions. The actual wipeout of October 19 occurred because the newly introduced computerized trading programs had allowed the brokers to place bigger orders at a faster pace. International stock exchanges collapsed as The Dow as well as S & P 500 dipped by more than 20%. Nasdaq lost 11%. Luckily, the crash did not end up causing a recession or any other hardship. It was Trader Blair Hull that helped in setting the record straight at the Chicago Board Options Exchange on Black Monday. The major cause of the crash was consumer confidence.
1992- The Harshad Mehta scam of 1992 caused the stock markets to crash as the Sensex dipped over 50% in a single year.
2008- On January 21, 2008, the Sensex dipped by 1408 points and adversely impacted economies, businesses, and stock markets.
2015- On August 24, 2015, the Sensex had dipped by 1624 points. The situation worsened given a poor monsoon season in India.
2020- The Covid Pandemic led to a huge crash in the Global and Indian markets. The Sensex had dropped from 42,273 points to 28,288 points.
STOCK MARKET CRASHES IN INDIA India has witnessed a number of crashes from 1865 to 2020. Here is a list of the major ones-
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THE FINAL POINT
Stock markets experienced crashes for an array of reasons: wars, broken cartels, government policy decisions, banking crisis, health concerns, etc. Keeping an eye out for these events can help one remain in equilibrium during such circumstances. Also, a well-thought-out & long term stock investment strategy is a must when it comes to surviving such periods with moderation.
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LIFESTYLE
5 INSPIRING
water, inks important lessons for women entrepreneurs who want to venture into the risky water of entrepreneurship. It’s a book that will not only help in staying the course when you face any setback but also help you deal with personal challenges. More than entrepreneurship, it teaches the value of two requisite ingredients of successful entrepreneurship-time management and discipline.
Reading books not only helps you to grow personally and professionally but also gives you the desired motivation and courage to emerge as a better entrepreneur in the corporate world. Business books unconsciously help you to deal with the entrepreneurial world, its challenges, and risks. As our brains seek to use the knowledge it absorbs, reading can do wonders.
FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
C
reating and establishing a business is not everyone’s cup of tea, it comes with a lot of challenges but managing it after the successful establishment is even tougher.
Oprah Winfrey once said, “I love being surrounded by books. For me, they’re like art, little pieces of sculpture placed all over the house, reminding me, always, of the power of the written word. Just looking at them brings me the purest kind of joy.” Oprah’s words are accurate in every sense. Women today are emerging victorious in the entrepreneurial world. To interpret themselves better and the world more positively, they read motivational books written by or about successful women. Here are the top 5 books written by amazing women for amazing women.
Make the First Move by Whitney Wolfe Herd Who doesn’t know about the famous American entrepreneur, Whitney Wolfe Herd who created a womenfriendly online dating application Bumble? Almost everyone does. The book written by her details her
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techniques, insights, and values. In the book, Herd mentions that women need to be more assertive about things as an unseen industry bias still persists in the corporate landscape. The book can be a perfect read for you as it also talks about jumping the hurdles to achieve the ambitions and win all the battles.
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changed The World by Melinda Gates Written by famous philanthropist, Melinda Gates, gives an urgent call to courage through her book. She, in this book, traces her awakening to the link between women’s empowerment and the health of societies. Melinda shares her personal journey to achieving equality in her marriage, finding her voice, and becoming an advocate for women. She also presents honest, inspiring, gut-wrenching, and triumphant stories of women she’s met while traveling. This book can fill your heart with determination and hope and empower you enough to take decisive actions.
Undaunted: Overcoming Doubts And Doubters by Kara Goldin Entrepreneurs face a myriad of challenges while creating a business. Kara Goldin, the Founder of Hint
Boss Up! This ain’t your Mama’s Business Book by Lindsay Teague Moreno A mother turned multimillion-dollar entrepreneur Lindsay Teague Moreno, through her book tries to inculcate the elements of confidence and expertise to tap into women’s ambition and achieve success in life. She also shares real and solid business principles with ten different success philosophies that you may encounter on your journey to entrepreneurship.
Shark Tales: How I turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business by Barbara Corcoran Published in 2011, the inspiring story of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran writes about her story in real estate. From growing up, facing troubles, failing miserably, and then restarting everything again, Corcoran inks all her hilarious stories. Shark Tales is a must-read if you are struggling to survive in the business world, climbing the corporate ladder, or reentering the workforce.
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TRAVEL
Madhya Pradesh
THE HEART OF INDIA adhya Pradesh is the heart of India situated in Central India, which draws visitors from around the world due to the well-preserved remnants of its magnificent history. Its different cities provide an intriguing window to the country’s past, differentiated from the chaotic India of today. In addition, there are many national parks that make it a perfect place to visit for animal lovers along with fancy jungle lodges and wildlife spotting opportunities.
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Here are the top places to visit in Madhya Pradesh:
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TRAVEL and is also listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. According to history, it was built by Emperor Ashoka in 262 BC after he embraced Buddhism and non-violence, following his horrific invasion of Kalinga (the present-day Orissa). The site is made up of many other stupas, temples, monasteries, pillars, and statues. It also has an archeological museum.
BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK
Bandhavgarh is among the top national parks in India. It dates back to 2000 years ago and there are several man-made caves with inscriptions and rock painting making it equally enjoyable for history-seeking visitors. Bandhavgarh is home to 37 species of mammals, 20 species of birds and is the best place to see tigers in India along with sloth bears, deer, leopards, jackals, and birds. It features dense green valleys and rocky hill terrain, with an ancient fort.
KHAJURAHO EROTIC TEMPLES
The Khajuraho erotic temples make it to the top of historical destinations in India. With over 20 temples carved into erotic sculptures, this place is proof that the Kama Sutra originated in India. Khajuraho is a perfect destination for people who are interested to know more about our culture and history as this place depicts a celebration of love, life, and worship.
BHOPAL
GWALIOR
The fourth-largest city of Madhya Pradesh, Gwalior is a must place to visit. Its main attraction is the massive hilltop fort that towers over the city and is widely known as ‘The pearl amongst fortresses in India’. It is believed to be one of the most invincible forts in India, dating back to 1,000 years ago. The fort also has several palaces and temples, the highlight being the Man Mandir Palace. At the bottom of the fort is the Old Town of Gwalior, sparkling with history
and exemplary Mughal architecture such as the Tomb of Tansen. The Tansen Music Festival which is held at the tomb every December attracts a large number of visitors.
ORCHHA
Located on the banks of the Betwa River, Orchha is an hour and a half south of Gwalior. The town is another relatively peaceful place, steeped in history full of well-preserved palaces and temples built in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Raja Ram temple here is an important tourist site. The Jahangir Mahal is the highlight of the visit as its upper levels offer some panoramic views and a stay inside the Jahangir Mahal, at the Hotel Sheesh Mahal, gentrifies the experience.
Madhya Pradesh’s capital city, Bhopal, has two main attractions: mosques and museums. Bhopal is quite famous for its captivating Tribal Museum, which depicts the tribes of the region and their lives. The Taj ul Masjid, Jama Masjid, and Moti Masjid are among the city’s rich Islamic heritage. The Bhimbetka rock Shelter, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is situated about an hour from Bhopal inside Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary. There are more than 700 ancient rock shelters, dating back to the Paleolithic age. Is there anything that this state doesn’t cover? Be it historical places or wildlife destinations, Madhya Pradesh is an all-in-one stop for your next trip.
SANCHI STUPA
Sanchi Stupa located in the northeast of Bhopal is among India’s oldest Buddhist monuments
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Inking Stories That Matter Today And Even More Tomorrow
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