The Hindu Business Line : Together they walk the talk

All for it: Sahachari members (left to right) Parul Choksey, Lakshmi Nair, Minakshi Bajaj, Nilima Kilachand, Daksha Mehta, Madhu Ruia, Gauri Pohoomul, Brinda Khatau and Sheela Bhogilal

Gayatri R. Shah

As the festive season kicks off across India, the bazaar-cum-exhibition materialises across cities. Normally organised in a large space like a hotel banquet hall, a trade centre or open-air venue, this mode of shopping is popular, as multiple vendors display their wares under one roof. It’s a win-win for both customer and retailer. Mumbai recently hosted one such event called Design One, showcasing several emerging and established talent.

Interestingly, Design One is spearheaded by a group of dynamic and influential women under the aegis of a non-profit called the Sahachari Foundation.

Sahachari, which means women walking together, was founded earlier this year to support social activities and causes. The 11 founder members acknowledge that they come from a space of privilege and want to give back to society. One of them, Gauri Pohoomul, says, “Philanthropy is the important thing, it’s about the art of giving. Like a good Parsi charitable organisation, it’s not about the people behind it, but what the charity is doing that should be noticed.” Laudable indeed, but what is hard to ignore are the well-known names behind Sahachari, some of whom belong to leading business families. The founders include Minakshi Bajaj, Sheela Bhogilal, Parul Choksey, Mala Goenka, Pallavi Kanoria, Brinda Khatau, Nilima Kilachand, Daksha Mehta, Lakshmi Nair, and Madhu Ruia.

Many of them were already involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives within their businesses. Says Gauri, “We want to do various types of events, both big and small, while enjoying the process of working together. Each of us comes with a different skill set, some have great organisational capabilities, others are active in the cultural field, and others in NGOs. We are a multifaceted group.”

And they mean business: the proceeds from Design One and other events this year go to the Apne Aap Women’s Collective, which provides shelter and education to daughters of sex workers. As Madhu Ruia says, “Children of sex workers are the weakest members of society. They are faceless, without an identity, without a surname.” Brinda Khatau adds, “It is very important to provide these girls an education. It is the only way they will be able to make a living outside the flesh trade.” Sahachari wants to expand the shelter, offer more programmes and provide space for children with less learning abilities.

The group’s flagship event, Design One this year saw about 80 participants displaying a range of products for sale including contemporary and traditional fashion, jewellery, silver, children’s clothing, gifts, home accessories and packaged food. The idea is to support fledgling entrepreneurs and promote talent. So you had established names like Bina Modi, Kavita Bhartia, Anju Modi and Nikasha Tawadey mixed in with young designers like Anushka Khanna, Laila Motwane, Soumya, Rakhee Grover Jain and Shalini Shahani. Asha Singhania showcased her geometric design sarees and Jyotika Jhalani her shawls.

Explaining the selection process, Gauri says the works are grounded in the traditional and, at the same time, reflect openness to Western sensibilities. Shalini Shahani, whose India-inspired A-line dresses are popular across Mumbai, says Design One “offers great exposure as more people get to know about your existence, without me worrying about overexposure. I am only going to do one exhibition a year and this is it!” NGOs like the Art of Living too showcased sarees, blouses and fabrics. Other NGOs that participated included the BSPCA (for animal welfare), Rajasthani Mahila Mandal and Isha Foundation.

This year, Sahachari also organised cultural shows like the sold-out ‘Charishnu’, where Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson brought together different dances of India, and Hindustani vocalist Pandit Channulal Mishra sang and recited poetry to explain Janmashtami. In Mumbai, the organisation has tied up with the National Centre of Performing Arts to promote cultural activities and generate public awareness.

As Sahachari is relatively young, the founders have not yet mapped out plans for other cities. “Right now we want to be a sustainable non-profit which benefits lots of institutions,” says Gauri. “To be a good NGO, you need to be very responsible, so I’d rather not speculate on what we will and won’t do.”

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