Women business leaders at the CNN-News18 SheShakti 2024 conclave had one message – Be job creators, instead of job-seekers.
Celebrating the women entrepreneurs, News18 spoke to Joita Sen, Director, Senco Gold & Diamonds; Chaitali Das, Chairperson & Managing Director, Route2Jute; Rinzing Choden Bhutia, Founder & CEO, Agapi; Sankari Sudhar, Founder, Overqualified Housewives. Each panellist had an inspiring story and a distinct vision.
EMBRACE INNOVATION, STAY RELEVANT: JOITA SEN
“Coming from a legacy of 85 years is a big responsibility. Kolkata is known for kaarigari. Preserving it is important and a challenge. Yet you have to embrace innovation, with technology, digitalisation, new trends. Social media has shrunk the world in a big way. It has been a good season…Gold is also streedhan. It is the best investment women can have. It is a great way to adorn your power. The maximum returns in recent years have been on gold,” Sen said.
On appealing to new target audience, Sen said, “Trust is built over time. Delivering what we promise, it is a defining factor. All artisans across the world are from Bengal. We have artisans working with us for generations. Design and innovation is our strength. You have to be relevant with the times and give the younger generation what they are looking for. The youngsters don’t look at jewellery as investment, they look at it to express who they are or identify with. Speaking your personality is key to them. You have to cater to different kinds of personalities. We are studying what women want,” said Sen.
“Women have always bought jewellery for themselves, men’s response is just “achha lag raha hai”. That hasn’t changed, but men’s fashion is also increasing,” she said, adding, “The upcoming trend is light jewellery. A story-driven collection always works. Wedding season and Dhanteras are coming up. Green stones are in vogue. Coloured stones category is gaining popularity,” Sen said.
NEED TO ELIMINATE SUBCONSCIOUS BIAS: SANKARI SUDHAR
“The number of women entering the workforce is increasing, but once they are in the middle of the ladder, they drop out because of family commitments. I was one of them. But now more and more companies are accepting the factor and are welcoming women. We are working to suppress this subconscious bias. We started showing examples, skillsets and mindset of women who wanted to restart. Initially the companies were wondering, but once they hire, they start opting for more women,” said Sudhar.
On her goal ahead, she said, “I want to see an article that India is a country with highest number of empowered women, instead of overqualified housewives. It is also about the cultural gap.”
TIME FOR GREENER, HEALTHIER, INCLUSIVE WORLD: CHAITALI DAS
“We started with imparting skills to inmates, showing them the right direction. Jute should be the fashion statement even to fight climate change. We have impacted 5,000 inmates through skill development and wellness. Some are entrepreneurs, some work with us. In 2021, we made it to the Guinness world record for making the biggest jute bag and giving the message of greener, healthier and more inclusive world,” said Das.
On her goal, Das said, “My mission to revive jute and reformation of prison inmates. With a wake-up call of banning plastic, covering the entire globe is the plan.”
WOMEN NEED TO START THEIR OWN UNITS: RINZING CHODEN BHUTIA
“We set ourselves apart in skincare by using Himalayan herbs we have been using for generations in Sikkim. We provide skill development training to marginalised, tribal women. We encourage them to set up their own unit. We are working with the elders who have tremendous knowledge.”
Bhutia’s goal is, “Right now, we have tapped just 1% of the plants available. To encourage more women to take it up. How many jobs can the government offer? Don’t just be a job seeker, ne a job creator. The kind of flora North-East has makes it possible, India is the biggest market. We want to reach out to it.”
ABOUT SHESHAKTI 2024
In its Season 2, News18 SheShakti celebrates the trailblazing women propelling India to the global forefront.
Under the theme ‘Breaking Barriers’, this year’s event in New Delhi on September 16 throws spotlight how women are redefining success and driving transformative change. The summit has an inspiring line-up of pioneers from diverse fields — politics, science, arts, business, sports and entertainment — to share their ground-breaking journeys and insights on empowerment, resilience and leadership, reflecting the unstoppable momentum of women leading India’s progress.
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