You have all the power within you, Vanita Datla tells women entrepreneurs

The state of Telangana has a whopping number of 70, 000 SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises) but, a paltry 8 per cent are headed by women.

“About 22 per cent of plots in industrial parks in the State were reserved for entrepreneurs from SC/ST. But, less than 3 per cent were utilised,” said Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, ITE&C, said while addressing a programme ‘Women in the forefront: Entrepreneurship among SC/ST’. The event was organised by the Dalit Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Telangana chapter, on the occasion of its 14th Foundation day.

Jayesh said that women entrepreneurs need to be encouraged. He urged DICCI to collaborate with WE Hub, the first-of-its-kind and only State-run platform of its kind.

Aruna Dasari, Head of Women Wing, said that the DICCI, which was founded on April 14, 2005, has become an industrial body to develop SC/ST business leadership.

Narra Ravi Kumar, National Working President, DICCI, said that the association has 10,000 members spread across the country, with 20 companies whose turnover exceeds little over ₹1,000 crore, and 150 whose turnover is over ₹100 crore. “All these (entrepreneur) were born in poor families without any connections and mentorship,” he added.

“These successful SC/ST entrepreneurs are not the products of welfare schemes of govt that come to us because of communities that we belong to. We have all the capabilities to be job givers and tax papers”, he said.

“Women do well at home front and in the back end. But, we want them to come into the forefront, do well, and get identity. That is why we titled this meeting, ‘Women in the forefront’,” Ravi Kumar said.

Giving examples, he cited women entrepreneurs like Kalpana Saroj, Chairperson of Kamini Tubes, who is described as the original ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. Similarly, Agni Samook is an innovation by a Dalit women entrepreneur. When food is cooked on an‘Agni’ stove, the ingredients inside the bowl or utensil becomes hot and not the utensil.

“Women are born entrepreneurs. They are multi-taskers, management experts and have all the traits to become successful entrepreneurs. What they need now is proper direction,” said Seema Kamble, mentor of women wing of DICCI.

The Chief Guest, Vanita Datla, former CII Telangana Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of Elico Ltd, a 55-year-old company, said, “It took 124 years for CII to think of putting women in forefront, DICCI, a very young body is already thinking about it.”

Asking women to grab the opportunity to lead, she said that all industry bodies are male dominated,but, DICCI was focusing on helping women take centre stage. “Don’t lower and de-market yourself on caste, religion and community. You have all the power within you,” she told them.

Vanitha said that not more than one per cent property all over the world is registered in the name of the women. “The total property all over the world is registered and owned by men only. This must change. Women must come to centre stage,” she said.

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