MUMBAI, INDIA - On the occasion of International Women’s Day, at a seminar on ‘Women Enterprise Builders (WEBs)’, Malini Shankar, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department (WRD), Government of Maharashtra said, “Providing a safe environment, rendering equal opportunities and cultivating a congenial home, all go into empowering women.

World Trade Centre Mumbai organized this event in association with All India Association of Industries and Idobro on 9th March 2015 at the WTC Mumbai.

It was a milieu of women from all walks of life - officials from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) mingled with women from rural and varied backgrounds. It was unity in diversity of a different sort. Each made poignant points, sharing their personal experiences of various struggles and achievements. Kajal Anand, President, All India Cosmetic Manufacturer’s Association spoke of how her demanding father’s shaped her mind. It helped her break away from her struggles to be a successful entrepreneur.

Enlightening the audience on the role of women entrepreneurs in the economy, Andrea L Aquilla, Economic Officer, USA Consulate remarked that every dollar a woman contributes to the GDP brings prosperity to the family and in turn to the nation.

The star of the evening was Nirmala Kandalgaonkar, Founder, Vivam AgroTech. She started with $ 799.738 as capital and grown with a turnover of $ 799610.500, at the age of 48! A truly inspiring model, who converts waste to electricity which is supplied to 5000 villages. Her driving point was to work for the fun of it and not for money. Mahalakshmi Saravanan, Founder & Partner, Women Entrepreneurs India said it was time women optimized their online presence to tap international markets. Farida Hussain, President Marketing, US Vitamins advocated the importance of empowering men along with women’s empowerments.

Other women who shared their experiences were Chitkala Zutshi, a retired IAS officer Member, Water Resources Economy, Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority, Nilima Patil, Director-Food Cluster, Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture and some others who have moved away from the competitive corporate field to take on newer challenges. Among them was Amrita Chowdhury, who risked becoming a writer, says she has stepped into the unknown world of cyber crime. Beenoxi Arora who moved out of financial side of banking and is now the Vice President, Axis Bank Foundation.

The event ended with a musical performance by Sunita Bhuyan a renowned musician and a violinist in the Indian style of Hindustani music, celebrating the strength of women in the form of music. Rupa Naik, Director-Project, World Trade Centre Mumbai and Executive Director, All India Association of Industries proposed the vote of thanks. 

PHOTO (L-R): Ms. Rupa Naik, Director, World Trade Center Mumbai and Executive Director, All India Association of Industries, Ms. Karon Shaiva, Chief Impact Officer & Managing Director, Idobro Impact Solutions, Ms. Chitkala Zutshi, I.A.S. (Retd.), Member, Water Resources Economy, Maharashtra Water Resources Regulatory Authority, Ms. Andrea L. Aquilla, Economic Officer, USA Consulate, Ms. Kajal Anand, President, All India Cosmetic Manufacturer’s Association, Ms. Nirmala Kandalgaonkar, Founder, Vivam AgroTech and Ms. Bijal Ajinkya, Partner, Khaitan & Company.

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