SiliconIndia Women Summit 2009 Key Note Address by Chandra Prabhakar

What are we today ? We are a successful professional We are a successful home maker We are a successful daughter We are a successful wife We are a successful mother We are a successful daughter – in – law So are we a super woman…..? Is that what we want to be?

We need to overcome…. Dependence on others Lack of self confidence Indecisiveness Lack of self pride Giving higher priority to other’s needs than ours!

And we have to think ….. We are the WOman of the family ! We are as strong as they are ! We are as intelligent as they are! We have as strong an IQ as they have ! We are as capable as they are ! We are as confident as they are ! We are no way lesser than them !

Case Study – Lijjat Papad

Objective Generating employment for women Making women independent Empowering women

The Start…. –Brain child of seven semi-literate Gujarati housewives from Mumbai –Started the activities by borrowing Rs. 80 –Took over a loss-making papad venture and bought the necessary ingredients and the basic infrastructure required to manufacture papads –On March 15, 1959, they gathered on the terrace of their building and started with the production of 4 packets of Papads. –They started selling the papads to a known merchant in Bhuleshwar –Within three months there were about 25 women making papads –In the first year, the organization's annual sales were Rs. 6,196

Tough Times….. The papads were kept on the cot and the stove below the cot so that the process of drying could take place in spite of the rains Publicity through word of mouth and articles in vernacular newspapers. Publiciity helped it increase its membership By end of second year 100 to 150 women had joined the group By end of the third year it had 300+ members

Expansion Lijjat began producing other products like masala, wheat atta, bakery products, etc. In 1970s, set up flour mills, printing division and packing division The group also initiated some unsuccessful ventures such as cottage leather, matches, and agarbattis In 1987, Lijjat purchased new premises at Kamal Apartments in Bandra,Mumbai

Expansion… In 1988, entered the soap market with Sasa detergent and soap – Sasa had annual sales of Rs 500 million, accounting for 17 percent of Lijjat's total turnover in 1998 Lijjat started exporting its products with the help of merchant importers in the United Kingdom, the United States, the Middle East, Singapore, the Netherlands Thailand, and other countries Annual exports accounted for more than US$2.4 million in 2001

Sharing of success…. Profits and losses are shared equally among the members of a given branch

Current status Lijjat is more than just a household name for 'papad' Started with a modest loan of Rs 80, the cooperative has annual sales of Rs.300+ crores

Some Award & Recognitions.. "Best Village Industries Institution" award for the period to "Businesswoman of the Year" award - The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence in 2002 "Best Village Industry Institution“ in 2003

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