Continuing our journey through Navratri’s inspiring stories, we now explore the radiant world of Goddess Chandraghanta. On the third day of Navratri, we pay homage to this powerful goddess, depicted as a warrior with ten arms, riding a tiger, and wearing a crescent moon on her forehead.
Chandraghanta stands as a symbol of courage, strength, and wisdom, qualities that women entrepreneurs hold close to their hearts as they address the challenges of the business world. With this in mind, we at StartupTalky asked these remarkable women an important question about how they address challenges in their businesses.
Their insights give you a glimpse of their strong determination, much like Goddess Chandraghanta herself. Here are their stories of turning challenges into opportunities with courage and clarity.
Ambika Bhaik, CEO, Yellow Fertility
Each challenge is an opportunity to learn and lead. My style is to remain observant, rather than reactive, to examine situations calmly and then move forward. Courage to me is the willingness to make difficult decisions, to pivot the strategy, to invest in new technology, or to stand up for what’s right, even if it’s not popular.
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Takeaway: Calm observation before action helps turn challenges into bold leadership choices.
Gopika B Raj, Co-Founder & CCO, MyDesignation
As a cofounder and CCO, I believe challenges are an inevitable part of the journey. I believe that good things do come to good people. We will have to overcome many challenges. We should be willing to step out of our comfort zone and embrace the uncomfortable. I see it like water, we have to bend, twist, and adapt to whatever shape the situation demands. Just like an ECG, the ups and downs are a sign of life; a flat line means no pulse. Similarly, in business, those fluctuations, complicated days, unexpected turns, and tough calls are proof that we are alive and moving forward.
For me, it’s about making peace with that rhythm, standing alongside my teammates, and knowing that at the end of the day, everything will find its way to work out.
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Takeaway: Flexibility and acceptance of ups and downs are vital for long-term growth.
Tejasvi Madan, Founder and CEO, Beyond Bound
Being a woman founder in a largely male-dominated industry isn’t easy. At times, it feels like you are asked to prove yourself twice over. Chandraghanta’s courage reminds me that belief in oneself has to come first. Whether it was deciding to take risks with unconventional designs or standing firm on size inclusivity, every bold move has shaped BeyondBound into what it is today. Obstacles don’t disappear, but courage transforms them into stepping stones.
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Takeaway: Self-belief and courage turn every obstacle into a stepping stone for progress.
Nidhi Sabbarwal, Founder at Kalyanamm Holy Waste Recycling Pvt. Ltd.
Chandraghanta inspires bravery and diligence, qualities I rely on and use when faced with challenges. When approaching a traditional market where charcoal was standard for incense, it took bravery; it was no easy task to get consumers to abandon routines that had lasted generations. Diligence included tracking consumer trends, being aware of changes in the industry, and pursuing environmentally sustainable practices.
I think that every challenge is an opportunity to reaffirm why we began: to make rituals healthier and more sustainable. Encountering challenges with courage and practising with discipline, we turn every setback into a learning opportunity. I feel we have transformed challenges into opportunities for growth and impact.
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Takeaway: Discipline and courage help challenge traditions while staying true to purpose.
Dishi Somani, Founder of DishiS Designer Jewellery
The jewellery business is constantly evolving, and challenges arise daily, whether it’s due to changing consumer tastes or shifts in the market. I address challenges proactively by maintaining vigilance, identifying emerging trends early, and systematically analysing customer feedback. Courage is built upon having faith in the uniqueness of my brand and taking courageous decisions, either through trying out new designs or changing business strategies. Just like Chandraghanta, in my view, staying alert, responding swiftly, and leading with courage are essential to turning challenges into catalysts for growth.
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Takeaway: Staying alert to trends and customer needs fuels resilience and growth.
I tackle every challenge with care by remaining attuned to global beauty trends and domestic consumer behaviour. Bravery emerges when we dare to step beyond our comfort zone, whether through bold choices or innovative ideas that disrupt the market. Just like Chandraghanta, I find that challenges are best confronted with knowledge and bold action, because each challenge brings with it the potential to learn, innovate, and build the brand even more.
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Takeaway: Knowledge combined with boldness turns challenges into innovations.
Samiha Jha, Founder & Director of Sammyukk
Chandraghanta’s courage influences how I confront challenges in business. Entrepreneurship requires not only passion but also the tenacity to make difficult decisions and the discernment to foresee challenges. Faced with uncertainty or failure, I prefer to act, not react, with courage, strategy, and poise. We’ve converted challenges into opportunities at Sammyukk by remaining vigilant, being able to pivot quickly, and believing in our purpose. Similar to Chandraghanta, I think courage does not mean being fearless, but getting up with purpose every time fear comes knocking on your door.
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Takeaway: True courage is not fearlessness but rising with purpose each time fear appears.
Final Thoughts
Just as Goddess Chandraghanta symbolises courage, vigilance, and wisdom, these women entrepreneurs show us that challenges are not roadblocks but turning points. Their stories remind us that staying alert, believing in oneself, and acting with purpose can transform obstacles into growth. This Navratri, may their journeys inspire us to face challenges with the same courage and clarity.
We have lived in times where men had the sole decision-making powers, be it regarding the choice of furniture in their house or whether the wife should opt for working a job of her choice. Women have been designated indefinitely to roles such as mothers, wives, and generally someone who you could lean on. This very quality makes a woman the pole center of any support system.
Contrary to popular belief, women are the biggest supporters of their own kind.
Be it a household, or a corporate setting, women are trying hard to survive the winter that tests their social acceptance as someone who is more than just a primary caregiver in the former and someone who can lead in the latter. As we speak to successful woman entrepreneurs, we aim to understand how their support for other women in the industry has made a difference overall.
At BC Web Wise, we are committed to supporting women employees in their journey by implementing a range of initiatives. We understand the importance of flexible timings or working from home, especially during pregnancy and post-maternity leaves, and have accommodated such needs. We also encourage men to support on the home front and provide flexible timings for child care, ensuring a healthy work- life balance. Our performance evaluations take into account these adjustments when needed, ensuring fair treatment.
Furthermore, we have a strict policy against biases in hiring and promotions, ensuring equal opportunities for all. We take immediate action and put measures in place to protect women, creating a safe and healthy workplace environment. Our leadership team sets an example, with equal representation of women, including our CFO and HR head, who have been with us for over two decades, demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. Women are also well-represented in the leadership of our sales operations, creative practice, and strategy practice, etc highlighting our dedication to empowering women in the workplace.
Charu Noheria – Co-Founder & COO of Practically
Charu Noheria – Co-Founder & COO, Practically
In order to empower women in the workplace, I personally believe that, firstly, we need to be educated on women’s issues, secondly, we need to be aware of our role as women and, thirdly, we need to give ourselves a chance to lead. Organizations and coalitions are encouraging more women to work together to create a more inclusive environment for people who identify as female.
In my individual capacity, I try to offer my time and expertise when anyone reaches out to me be it for introductions, job referrals or even professional advice. I believe that we can learn and grow together no matter what we are doing and where we are in our careers. My advice to women is to support and encourage each other. It is important to figure out how to thrive as working women, so you should take the time to invest in yourself while supporting others. Recognize your talents and find out how to share them with other women who may need guidance and inspiration.
I have also been lucky to work with several accomplished women leaders who I look up to. They have shown me that you can be successful and empathetic at the same time. I actively seek out women entrepreneur groups and try to take part in their activities to network with other women entrepreneurs.
Dr. Shikha Baghi Bhandari – CEO & Owner, Timeless Aesthetics
Shikha Baghi Bhandari – CEO & Owner, Timeless Aesthetics
I threw myself into my work right out of university. The work ethic instilled in me by my parents, enabled me to persevere against worldly odds. These qualities are necessary to make it into world. I realize that not all of us are given the same opportunities, which is why it is necessary for people like myself to create opportunities for others.
There is no better way to help someone than to enable them to help themselves. That is one of the main reasons why I took it upon myself to educate and train women to become self-sufficient. These skills can earn them work and they can even start their own businesses.
Timeless Aesthetics is a place where you can find yourself. My entire focus is to make you believe that you’re important, you are perfect and you’re capable. These elements are also part of my trainings.
Our nonprofit initiative “Timeless Promise” helps those less fortunate and acid attack victims. These women are simply ignored by the masses, they not only receive free treatments at my clinic but I also offer them training and employment to which, there are no charges or fees.
Learning a good trade can set you up for life and I firmly believe that. My mother worked her entire life and I am showing it not only to my children the importance of financial independence but also to those who walk through my doors.
I hope to make a difference in someone’s life, I believe I’m doing so in my own way.
Being a woman, I personally respect and admire any woman entrepreneur starting her own business or working with someone. Nowadays it’s good to see almost every young girl wanting to do something. I personally prefer having woman partners, people in space who I work with. I chose to have at least a woman in the team always.
I strongly believe in ‘Women for Women’, which is also the essence of my startup ORCO, an organic condiments, and spices brand. The journey began in 2017 when on a daily basis I witnessed my house help being a victim of domestic violence. Having been associated with social work for a couple of years, I realised domestic violence at home is quite regular in Indian family units, particularly among the low-income communities. That’s when I decided to take a step forward and help these women become financially independent.
I began ORCO Spices with my 25-year-old daughter Adhvika Agarwal, with the mission to empower marginal sector women by setting up a small unit in the backyard of my own house and motivating these women to use the skill they already had, i.e. processing spices. Understanding the changing trends Adhvika, decided on taking the organic route and it was an uphill ride from there.
We started with merely 4 women working part-time in our backyard and now we have been successfully able to employ over 100 women and plan to take the number up to 500 in the next year.
It makes me extremely happy to see that my daughter and I were able to build a brand that has helped several underprivileged women become independent and financially stable.
I have personally been through the phase of a girl in the events industry, which has now shaped me into the Woman I am today.
It is definitely tough, as in most fields which are male-dominated, but more in the events industry you feel the pinch when a woman has to give instructions and demand and be tough on men of different categories from workmen to the office level.
So I do all I can to promote women, teach them the tricks of the trade on how to effectively communicate and not only survive in this world but to thrive.
And of course, if all else fails – the last trick is to get angry and everyone shuts up.
Srijana Bagaria, Co-founder, Pee Safe
Srijana Bagaria, Co-founder, Pee Safe
Ensuringaccess to good hygiene and sanitation practices is one of the sustainable development goals. However, when it comes to women and their access to these amenities for better health, there is not much to talk about in our country.
This is despite numerous campaigns and other initiatives both by the government and private sector entities. The pandemic brought out this gap further with many women left without access to basic and affordable things like a sanitary pad.
Pee Safe went a step ahead during this time and even before COVID-19 struck, we launched our sister concern Raho Safe, a brand that provides access to affordable personal hygiene and wellness products. At Pee Safe, we even launched our own range of female condoms called Domina, something that is yet to be popularly accepted in India. Pee Safe was a brand that started to address the need for hygienic solutions for women at the outset and diversified to other products later.
As women, we are often challenged by limited opportunities, a lack of products that suit our needs, among other things. On Women’s Day, it is important to bust the myth that these challenges are roadblocks. On the contrary, these are an opportunity in disguise. We must quit trying to prove ourselves but rather focus on growing and acknowledging our potential to succeed. We have been changemakers always and will continue to remain so for the times to come.
My startup United We Care sprung out of an essential need in January 2020 when the pandemic was in its full course. Mental health issues are a huge problem in India primarily due to a lack of awareness and the stigma surrounding them. This came to the fore during the pandemic when the lockdown, etc. led to many people suffering from stress, anxiety, and related issues.
For women and members of the LGBTQ community, it was an additional blow. At United We Care, we wanted to give people access to counsellors, therapists, and even lawyers without the fear of stigma or judgement.
We have been able to reach out to a number of people through our platform and integrated campaigns around mental health during this challenging time. As a woman, I challenged two stereotypes: the stigma around mental health issues and the fact that women cannot lead from the front.
I was able to make a difference and believe every woman can do so in her capacity. We have the inherent ability to multitask and think laterally. On this Women’s Day, let us make use of this ability to forge ahead in what we are passionate about and move forward with conviction.
Vanya Chandel – Founder, Forfurs
Vanya Chandel – Founder, Forfurs
We are presented with so many opportunities, that we can rise with others and not over. We are taught to fight for a certain spot to be successful when in reality we can just make space for others like us. Raising each other, co-existing, and collaborating is truly how we bring change in our work environment.
I run a business where we require artisans in our workshop. I try to do my bit by employing and training untrained woman artisans in my workshop. This is good not only for business as we can train them according to our requirement but also for the women as they now have financial independence and a steady income. I believe the easiest way to support someone is to give them a chance.
Some of these “untrained” women have turned into great assets to the company and it makes me proud when I see them excel in their work. If you are in a position where you can help or support someone, you should just do it. I see so many capable women around me that just require a chance to prove themselves and I am so grateful that I am in a position where I can support other women. There are so many women that are coming up with their businesses and doing great in their respective fields, I think it’s time we support, encourage, and empower each other.
Having come from a home where the education and independence of women were held in high regard, I never knew of a challenge that I couldn’t solve. Today, women are being rightly recognized for their contributions at their workplace.
For instance, at my company, one of the most important job profiles is held by a woman and that says a lot about how far we’ve come, with respect to the education and career opportunities that are available for women today.
Not much of an advice, but to all the women out there, ‘Why should boys have all the fun?’
Chahat Aggarwal- Founder and CEO of Impact Study Biz
Chahat Aggarwal- Founder and CEO of Impact Study Biz
Being a woman who has faced her fair share of struggles I do want the path to be easier for those who would follow. And to do so I decided to question and look into all organizational policies ranging from talent management to compensation for any overt or covert gender bias. We offer flexible timings and work-from-home options to men and women alike. And it isn’t just due to the pandemic. We shall continue on the path once things go back to normal as well. We believe this step to be of great help to new moms. We try to be very intentional on our part that we promote gender parity and discourage gender stereotypes. As a result, today we have female talent throughout the organization.
On a personal level too, I try to be as resourceful to women who are contemplating quitting their jobs and thinking of dipping their toes in the entrepreneurial pool and am very open to sharing all my learnings to women who aspire for a career in branding but don’t yet know the path to get started. And I am a cheerleader for life, in life overall to all women who are out there trying to make it happen irrespective of their field. Cheering each other on can do wonders for someone you know.
I strongly feel the best way to inspire fellow women is by showing them the way we practice to lead our professional careers and enhance the skills. Let’s practice before we preach, Real Inspiration must be a lesson, not just an advice.
I look forward to encouraging every woman to speak up and showcase their complete core competencies in their professional arena in whatever industry they are part of.
Naina Aggarwal Ahuja – Founder & COO, Talking Point Communications
Naina Aggarwal Ahuja – Founder & COO, Talking Point Communications
Over the years I have mentored many exceptional women who wanted to understand how PR, reputation management, and digital communications works.
PR is to a large extent a women-dominated profession and often people don’t understand the work and commitment it entails.
I always make it a point to walk newcomers through the same and also constantly encourage colleagues to learn and evolve. I feel it’s crucial to keep growing both personally and professionally.
Debasri Rakshit – Director of Operations & Strategy, Spark.Live
Debasri Rakshit – Director of Operations & Strategy, Spark.Live
It is encouraging to see more and more women diversifying their portfolios and capabilities today. There are also new avenues to showcase their creativity and abilities now more than ever before. Horizontal marketplaces such as Spark.Live are not only helping them learn new skills but also enabling them to teach what they know to others.
During the lockdown, even as traditional jobs went askew, women began honing their inherent talents and skills in more ways than one thanks to platforms like Spark.Live. Women are leading from the front in everything they do – be it running a tech-based business or becoming an entrepreneur in their own right while ensuring that they have a healthy work-life balance. Gone are the days when being a woman was a hindrance to one’s professional success.
Conviction in what we do is everything – and, I believe, it is true for everyone, whether you are a man or a woman. It is, therefore, important that women give their best to anything they do – while supporting and encouraging each other in their endeavors and turning every adversity into an opportunity to achieve their goals. On a larger level, we hope to get more support from the government and corporates to bring in actionable, conducive policies and avenues to help us forge ahead.
I have been fortunate to work with women entrepreneurs who have been always available to offer the right advice when I’ve been in need of advice and guidance on a particular matter. I believe this is the simplest but most impactful way to support anyone. I try to reciprocate all the support that I receive.
Being available to share unique perspectives, approaches on how one can tackle a particular situation, or just being a good listener – sometimes all we need is a good sounding board.
I also believe it’s important to share positive and also not-so-pleasant experiences as ultimately, we’re all facing similar challenges and opportunities. Sharing experiences can not only help someone but could also provide oneself a solution to one’s own challenges.
Fortunately, there are several forums and platforms that are emerging that allow women to support one another, which is not only encouraging but also instils confidence in one’s ability to continue working despite numerous challenges. These forums act as a safety net that allows women to learn of new developments, know what are the challenges that others are facing, and solutions adopted to overcome these challenges.
Conclusion
It’s time women change this narrative of being pitted against each other. We need more women leaders and that’s why the support of each other becomes ever so essential. The stereotype has been shoved down our throats so deep that we are reluctant in believing that women can be world leaders. It’s just about the time that we prove them wrong.
Before the industrial revolution, women were effectively excluded from well-paid high-status occupations. This was due to the lack of access that women had to higher education. A case in point was Cambridge university which only fully validated degrees for women in late 1947.
The change has long been coming and the largest growth has happened in the 20th century. The labour market shifted as more women sought higher education and entered the workforce.
Specialized higher professions saw women becoming doctors, lawyers and scientists and carving out long-term and successful careers for themselves. It has been a boon for the industrial society as governments realized that women in the workforce contributed to a higher GDP by increasing the labour supply in the country.
The 2001 World Bank report titled “Engendering Development” clearly states the connection between women’s involvement in the economy and the resultant growth –
‘While disparities in basic rights; in schooling, credit, and jobs; or in the ability to participate in public life take their most direct toll on women and girls, the full costs of gender inequality ultimately harm everyone…ignoring gender disparities comes at a great cost—to people’s well-being and to countries’ abilities to grow sustainably, to govern effectively, and thus reduce poverty.’
There are a wide number of economic, social and cultural variables that impact gender distribution in a different occupation, within a particular region or country or even in a society as a whole.
As a result of gender clustering, women and men often participate in economic sectors in sharply different proportions. Professions which are demanding physically or require physical strength are, traditionally, considered male-centric. Recently, this view seems to be shifting, albeit slowly.
The Delivery Service Industry
This is a part of the service industry and does exactly what it says. It delivers everything from mails, packages, food etc for commercial and consumer use by road, ship and air.
There are deliveries via specialized networks as well – e.g., pipelines for liquid goods and power grids for electrical power. It is a fundamental necessity of trade and commerce. Like every other industry, the delivery service industry has also seen changes over the years, and more so in the post-pandemic world.
Delivery Agents
Typically, it has been considered a male domain job, until recently. Challenges such as longer schedules, lack of adequate restrooms, unavailability to own vehicles, incomplete documentation and the risks associated with visiting strangers and communicating with them have hitherto kept women from taking up such jobs. The industry has a dismal 1% of its total delivery agents as females.
What is Changing?
Paradigms are shifting. Ideologies are changing. And ground realities are changing. Delivery companies are facing higher attrition. According to one estimate by a staffing solutions company, the delivery industry has a very high attrition rate of almost 8% per month.
There is a rush to hire women delivery agents at India’s leading online delivery companies. There are several reasons for this demand.
There is a need to rapidly ramp up manpower.
Women have a better retention rate.
Women are seen as more efficient and disciplined.
Women are also highly focused.
There is a demand to improve diversity numbers.
The Companies That Are Empowering Women Delivery Riders
Ecom Express
Ecom Express Female Delivery Agents
Ecom Express has about 2000 women working at its delivery hubs and about 100 women are in active delivery roles. The company currently has women-delivery facilities in Delhi, Ludhiana and Jaipur and aims at starting ten new all-women centres in the country this year.
The Chief People Officer of Ecom Express, Saurabh Deep Singla says – “Hiring women riders is one of our several efforts to strengthen the participation of women in the workforce. We hire women not just to improve diversity numbers but because their retention rate is higher. Women associates are sincere, diligent and highly focused and they are also very efficient.”
Shadowfax Technologies
Shadowfax Technologies Female Delivery Agents
Shadowfax Technologies is another delivery company that works with online marketplaces like Flipkart and BigBasket and employs around 6500 female delivery partners. This constitutes approximately 60% of its entire workforce.
Says Abhishek Bansal, the CEO of Shadowfax Technologies – “We are witnessing a growing demand for women as delivery partners with a considerable increase month-on-month across tier-1 and tier-2 cities and intend to grow this multifold. The entire hyperlocal delivery segment is contributing significantly to the increase in demand.”
Swiggy
Swiggy Female Delivery Agents
Swiggy is another company that is taking an active interest in attracting female delivery agents to its last-mile fleet.
It is allowing delivery by bicycles for short distances. The food delivery startup is exploring partnering with electric mobility partners to facilitate electric cycles and bikes for rent.
Swiggy currently has 22% of its female delivery agents delivering on bicycles. Mihir Shah, Vice-President of Operations says – “Several women either lack access to personal motor vehicles or don’t have a driver’s license.”
The Friendly Changes in the Delivery industry
Although delivery companies have realized the importance and value of including female delivery agents, there is a need to make some drastic changes in policy in-house, to make the eco-system more women-friendly. Some steps implemented by the companies to attract more women to join their workforce are,
Access to hygienic restrooms.
Allowing menstrual leave.
Various safety measures to safeguard its female delivery agents.
Providing safety training.
Designing and implementing SOS alert System.
Conclusion
Women are ready, able and willing to take on such roles. It is the industry at large that has to overcome its gender bias. It is the industry that has to create a working atmosphere that is women-friendly. It is the industry that stands to gain maximum but making these shifts and allowing women within its folds.
FAQs
Why are female delivery agents scarce?
Lack of adequate restrooms, unavailability to own vehicles, incomplete documentation and the risks associated with visiting strangers and communicating with them are some of the reasons why there are fewer women riders.
How are companies encouraging women riders to join their delivery fleet?
As many women lack their own vehicles, Swiggy is allowing delivery by bicycles for short-distance orders.
The article is contributed by Minal Sonawane – Software Test Solution Architect, AFour Technologies.
As businesses build back after the disruptions of the pandemic, there is considerable interest in transforming work structures to be more robust and more dynamic than they were before. Precisely, businesses are endeavoring to build more equitable workplaces for women, who have historically been excluded from advancing as much as their male peers. As AI enters and alters business processes in myriad ways, upskilling will emerge as a crucial tool in addressing gender inequality in the tech space. Here, we briefly examine how this can come about.
Gender Disparity in Tech
Research consistently shows that diverse teams perform better, have higher satisfaction rates, and stay on longer. And yet, industries like manufacturing or IT remain heavily male-dominated. According to a joint study by LinkedIn and the World Economic Forum, women make up only 25% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) workforce. Moreover, only 22% of artificial intelligence (AI) professionals and 12% of machine-learning (ML) experts are women. Even if they have the same qualifications, men frequently reach executive positions faster than women in the workplace. Many companies also hesitate to help women earn senior tech positions because of preconceived notions about their skills or assumptions about marriage and family coming first for women.
These issues were exacerbated when Covid-19 struck, and everyone was forced to stay at home. As primary caregivers, the duty of looking after children during the lockdown fell mainly on women, many of whom had to deal with burnout owing to the difficulty of balancing work commitments with family obligations. In particular, a 2021 Women@Work study by Deloitte revealed that 83% of women in tech had an increase in workload along with household duties, while only 38% felt that their organization had given them adequate support. Overall, a recent Citigroup study concluded that about 44 million people would lose their jobs due to the pandemic, of which 31 million would be women – a highly concerning disparity.
With the advent of AI into everyday business tasks, the respective roles of humans and machines are undergoing significant shifts. Routine tasks are being delegated to software, while advanced skills like machine learning and deep learning are highly demanded. Partly because of the educational gaps between the genders (traditionally, boys are encouraged to take up science while girls are pushed towards the arts and domestic studies) and partly because of male-centric preferences at work, it is women who mostly hold the administrative, clerical and routine job positions that are now being routed to AI. Moreover, there are no clear pathways to help women transition from these routine jobs and towards more complex and lucrative ones related to tech and its applications. As a result, they either end up quitting the workforce or staying on in low-paying jobs that do not let them reach their potential.
Upskilling as an Equalizer
Online learning has expanded considerably since the pandemic, which means that accessing high-quality educational content and insight from experts is easier than ever. Upskilling through online courses allows employees to stay up-to-date on rapidly evolving tech trends and pick up valuable new skills from scratch. For women employees, upskilling safeguards them against redundancy and helps them become more valuable assets in terms of the ideas and creative approaches they can bring to the table. In particular, online learning allows them to pick up skills at their own pace and at affordable rates, which is a boon for women juggling household duties and/or those in less lucrative jobs. This way, they can aim for positions that men have traditionally occupied and come into their own as creative contributors.
Upskilling, indeed, makes employees of all genders more effective and for an emerging and nuanced field like AI, one needs as many talented team members as possible. It is thus in the company’s interest to offer AI-related upskilling opportunities, from online learning pathways to live projects to shadowing opportunities with senior experts. In particular, leaders should invest in training programmes for women in tech with special technical courses and mentorship from senior women leaders. There should also be exceptional support for women compelled to take time off during the pandemic so that dedicated workers can feel like they are valued regardless of their setbacks.
It is still early days in the “AI-fication” of industries, and effective intervention on a company’s part can go a long way toward reversing gender disparity trends. Comprehensive upskilling opportunities and career transition pathways can help women pick up the skills they may have been traditionally denied and contribute side-by-side with male peers. Companies have already seen the efficacy of flexible work models and should invest in similarly inflexible growth models that help employees – especially women – move upwards into tech roles where talent and interest count for more than background or work history. Thoughtful efforts in this regard will help redress gender disparity and exclusion at work, not just post-pandemic but for all time.
This article is contributed by Ms. Pritika Singh, CEO, Prayag Hospital & Research Pvt. Ltd.
Despite the sword of Covid-19 hanging above our head and living with our ‘new Normal’, 2021 saw some revolutionary change in the startup industry all over the world. Almost every industry experienced a boom in a number of successful startups throughout the year. In this run, India is not far away. In fact, the year 2021 turned out to be a substantial one for Indian start-ups and entrepreneurs. India saw a monumental rise of 46 businesses that achieved unicorn status. Out of the total, 95 unicorns so far in India, 44 achieved that status in 2021 only.
Women Entrepreneurs in India
This news deserves a massive celebration, and the fact that India now has 13 female unicorn founders, 8 of which joined the list in 2021, makes the deal even sweeter. The path paved and led by the likes of business stalwarts like Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Chairperson of Biocon), Indra Nooyi (former Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo.), and Falguni Nayyar (founder and CEO of Nykaa) is attracting more women business leaders to lead from the front and it is just the start.
Representation from names like Gazal Kalra (Founder of Rivigo), Ruchi Kalra (Founder of OfBusiness), Saritha Katikaneni (Founder of Zenoti), Ruchi Deepak (Founder of ACKO Insurance), Rashmi Verma (Founder of MapmyIndia), Garima Sawhney (Founder of Pristyn Care), Kavitha Subramaniam (Founder of Upstox), and Upasana Taku (Founder of MobiKwik), has proved that women entrepreneurs are here to stay. Not only that, but they are also shattering glass ceilings and carving a niche for themselves in industries like healthcare, science, and technology, the industries that are mostly populated and usually associated with men. These are still only the names of some female unicorn founders; thousands of stories are still untold of the women who are redefining businesses in these segments in their own way.
Struggles that Women Entrepreneurs Faces
The breakthrough of these women entrepreneurs is the much-needed silver lining, but this transformation is far from its completion yet. There is still a long way to go. And now that we are celebrating this breakthrough of sorts, it makes sense to underline the hardships and struggles that woman entrepreneurs face at large.
Societal Challenges
The societal design has kept women from stepping out of their homes and taking professional responsibility for the longest time. Despite all being said and done, when a woman eventually steps out of her home to work, her journey is quite distinguished from their male counterparts. Literary legends like Maya Angelou have also raised such issues of motherhood, marriage, and the challenges of being a working woman in society. Men have the liberty of switching off from their work after and before office hours, but sadly, women are devoid of that option. When a lady chooses to work at a job or a business, they meet an exclusive set of challenges. These include taking care of the home as well as their professional responsibilities. Such systematic design ends up burdening women even more instead of liberating them. There is always this added onus of striking a work-life balance and navigating home and office responsibilities onto these women. Despite all challenges, if we are witnessing so many women entrepreneurs and leaders on the rise, it proves that they excel at tackling them.
Less of Capital
When it comes to women founders, discrimination still exists in the form of the financial aid that they receive. Though women have proved themselves time and again to be as capable as their male counterparts in all respects in terms of businesses, the investors still find it difficult to believe they can lead an organization and this disbelief often leads to diminishing funds.
Reduced Support and Mentorship
Support from advisors and mentors always proves to be effective when it comes to business. However, as far as the women founders are concerned, they were still underprivileged in terms of the support they receives from advisors. According to the last survey, over 48% of the female entrepreneurs stated that the lack of support was prominent during their career and this lack of advisors restrained their growth massively.
Lack of Networking Opportunities
Women are always underestimated in every section of society even in this very millennia that we are living. This is why they seem to be forever lacking in networking opportunities and are always kept aside from their male counterparts. A proper network in the field of business or rather the lack of it can certainly set two persons wide apart.
Pressure from All Sides
Time and again, the debate surfaces that a woman has to work twice as much as their male peers to attain even remotely comparable recognition, remuneration, and other perks. They must prove them constantly, which pushes them to work harder. As a result, they have no other option but to give their best every single day. Women also excel at taking criticism and feedback. They are also better at multi-tasking, listening, and observing. Such qualities combine to make these women excel at their work in several aspects.
Women Leaders in Different Sectors
It is the result of these qualities, perseverance, and passion that has established these ladies as leaders. Today, women are breaking the barriers of traditional moulds and making their names in medicine, technology, healthcare, and science. The women are now redefining the rules of the game. Better yet, they are even deciding the new rules by themselves.
The camaraderie amongst the female workforce and a commitment to supporting each other is what’s helping them emerge out as the real champions. A doctor, lawyer, scientist, teacher, entrepreneur, or any role, the ladies are here to stay and lead the game from the front. We should not be surprised if 2022 presents 30 female unicorn founders instead of the current 13, especially since we have witnessed the event once.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter what type of industry it is going to be, women leaders are going to conquer them all and they have already started to spread their wings in almost all of them. It’s just the beginning of something great and we will witness the rise of some of the greatest women entrepreneurs in the coming years. Here, one thing is for sure that the women, as they are and always have been on the receiving end of the brunt, will be coming out as more seasoned and indomitable players in the long run.
FAQ
Who is the Most Successful Woman Entrepreneur in India?
Vandana Luthra, the founder of VLCC is said to be one of the most successful woman entrepreneurs in India.
Who is the First Woman Entrepreneur in India?
Kalpana Saroj is said to be the first woman entrepreneur in India. She is the Chairperson of Kamani Tubes.
Who is the Youngest Female Entrepreneur in India?
Aditi Gupta, the founder of Menstrupedia is one of the youngest female entrepreneurs in India.
How many unicorns in India have Women Entrepreneurs?
Currently, around 13 unicorns in India have women entrepreneurs leading them.
Which Indian startup achieved its unicorn status in 2021 and is led by a woman?
OfBusiness is a startup that joined the unicorn club in 2021 and is led by a woman.
From fighting for equal rights to building individual opportunities, the world for women has been burgeoning day by day. Initially, in some countries, women are determined to stay indoors, looking after their children and running errands. Where their ideas/talents are tantamount to nothing and considered only for domestic responsibilities. But, some things weren’t the same, women took the place to change certain lifestyles over the past few decades.
For instance, those women, who were locked up inside their home, cooking and taking care of their children, later came out as Models, teachers, doctors, CEOs, presidents, content writers, actresses and even implemented their ideas in starting up their own business.
In this coming of age, many young women are looking forward to creating their own career path. One such career- Women Entrepreneurship, that impacted greater differences in the sectors of employment these days.
If we take World War II as an example in the development of women entrepreneurship, then I would say that there wasn’t any improvement. As women are there to treat soldiers who are wounded in the war.
When world war II ended, the concept of women-centric aroused in the society, as many were a part of many businesses such as sewing, nursing, teaching and so on.
Speaking of which, the term ‘feminism’ flourished in many countries, at that time women were fighting for their right to vote, equal wages and opportunities. Later periods emerged in many sectors, for instance, Back in 1739, it is cited that Eliza Lucas was the first female entrepreneur to take control of her family business in the US.
Besides, Kalpana Saroj is the first woman entrepreneur of India and the CEO of Kamani Tubes, which is worth 112 million dollars.
At the beginning of the 21st century, women entrepreneurship became an upsurge thing, as many young ladies came forward and cast their talent in various ways and reported an increase in women-owned business enterprises that are playing an essential role in developing the Indian economy.
Even though they suffer a lot in the present society in regards to discrimination, pay & wages, gender inequality and so many. Not only the outer surface of the society, but also they face socio-cultural barriers.
One such example, Oprah Gail Winfrey, who is famously known as The Oprah Winfrey Show Host, media representative and greatest Black philanthropist in U.S history.
Oprah Winfrey
As you know, she was once the richest African American of the 20th century. And ranked as the most influential woman in the world since 2007. Speaking of the present, Women entrepreneurship is gaining importance in India in the wake of economic liberalization and globalization.
In the world of development, the Government of India implemented numerous schemes to encourage as many as young women in the field of entrepreneurship by introducing MSME Scheme, Annapurna Scheme, Dena Shakti Scheme, TREAD (Trade-Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development) Scheme, NSDM, DICs and many other women entrepreneurship schemes.
Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world- Hillary Clinton.
Future of Women entrepreneurship
Speaking of gender equality in entrepreneurship has played a vital role in creating opportunities, innovation, and growth.
Starting from Vandana Luthra, to Falguni Nayar, the founder of Nykaa, the women’s contribution in the entrepreneurship field is exceptional. However, over time, women are coming forward to entrepreneurship training, with their innovative minds and ideas, the future of women’s entrepreneurship is in good hands.
Moreover, Indian Military services’ has opened hands to welcome young women is another start for a great future. In addition to that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Employment Generation Programme and other schemes have pitched in to support large to small enterprises.
On the other hand, over 30% of the population are employed women, and 3% are self-employed. Having that said, the future of entrepreneurship in women’s hands not only creates opportunities for themselves but others too. Women are the epitome of love, passion, duty, and beauty so that their positive energy could be used in managing resources efficiently.
Subsequently, the process of Women’s entrepreneurship is a natural one with the utter encouragement of women entrepreneurs on one side, the women empowerment is all set.
Furthermore, women-owned businesses have rapidly increased in this pandemic, especially on social media. Plus, the requisite skill, knowledge, and adaptability in business are the main reasons for women to emerge into business ventures. Consequently, the role of a woman entrepreneur is a person who accepts challenging roles to meet her personal needs and become economically independent.
Things that will help Promote Women Entrepreneurship in the World
Meanwhile, the participation rate of younger women in the entrepreneurship field is higher than that of men. Yet, the women’s entrepreneurial role is limited and inadequate. The small-scale industries are the worst hit, with only 10% owned by women.
So following this, three effective and immediate measures are suggested by experts:
Promotion of women entrepreneurs
Promotion of women entrepreneurs in micro-enterprises: with additional support from proper government and society, these upcoming women can cultivate sustainable, organized, and growth-oriented enterprises to a great extent.
Institutional and Policy-based support
There are still several government policies and regulations on businesses and industries out there. Nevertheless, certain modifications have to be made to ease the administrative hurdles for women entrepreneurs.
Special Incentives
Special incentives, tax rebates, duty cuts can be provided with women as supervisors. Women with great minds not only make the best out of the best but also lead the path for the next generation. So sectors with the prerequisite of entrepreneurial talent as well as exceptional communication skills can right away approach these incredible women.
A strong desire to do something positive is an inbuilt quality of any entrepreneurial woman, plus, the capability to contribute values in both family and social life is what makes them stand out from others.
Unlike men, who are capable of committing to social life, women have a self-role as well as a personal role like mother, wife, daughter. Entrepreneurial women have the impulse to focus on improving the living standards for women on education and personal development as well.
On the whole, women entrepreneurs account for and will account for improved economic growth and stability within a country. They not only look for progression for themselves but also set inspirations for other women to start a business. Eventually, this vision will also help in reducing the gender gap in the workspace and overall a better place to live.
FAQ
Who is the most famous female entrepreneur?
Wang Laichun, Oprah Winfrey, Shery Sandberg, Sara Blakely, Cher Wang, Folorunsho Alakija, Susan Wojcicki, and Indra Nooyi are some of the most famous female entrepreneurs.
Why India needs more Women Entrepreneurs?
Economic Growth, Narrowing Gender Gap, Company Culture & Safety at Workplace, Funding/Investment to Women-led Startups and Social Change.
What are the schemes provided by Government for women entrepreneurship?
Government initiatives to boost women entrepreneurship are Mudra Yojana Scheme, Annapurna Scheme, Dena Shakti Scheme, and TREAD (Trade-Related Entrepreneurship Assistance and Development) Scheme.
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal is the current Chief Business Officer (CBO) and Co-founder of the e-commerce ShopClues, which was established in 2011 with just 10 team members. She is the first woman Co-founder in India, whose company entered the Unicorn Club. Radhika’s husband was Sandeep Aggarwal, who founded ShopClues with her and Sanjay Sethi. Sandeep served as the CEO of the company before resigning in 2013. Soon after that, Sanjay Sethi was made the CEO of the company, and he is currently continuing with the same designation.
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal was born to an Army family. Her father was employed in the Indian Army and her mother was a dietician by profession. She got married to Sandeep Aggarwal, whom she met during her college days. However, the couple eventually got divorced in 2017. Their relationship started turning bitter when Sandeep was arrested by the FBI in 2013.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Sandeep Aggarwal for insider trading. Sandeep worked as an analyst at the US-based Collins Stewart before he started the dotcom venture. This was when he was involved in leaking non-public information to a former SAC Capital portfolio manager. Sandeep was arrested by the FBI in San Jose, California after which he resigned from the company, giving way to Sanjay Sethi, another Co-founder of the company to become the CEO of ShopClues. The couple eventually saw their way to separation.
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal currently lives in Gurgaon, Haryana, as per her Twitter profile.
Radhika Aggarwal- Early Life
Being an Army ward, she grew up in ten different cities including Pathankot, Ahmednagar, and Jodhpur, and attended several schools throughout her childhood. Traveling to new places gave her the opportunity to meet new people and adapt to the formidable change, which further helped in running a business without getting affected by daunting changes and challenges.
Perseverance is yet another quality that she learned while growing up. Her attitude of not giving up helped her in standing against all odds in the startup world.
Radhika actively helped her father, who started his health club after he left the Army at the age of 45, in 1992. She served as a fitness trainer during the early days of her father’s entrepreneurship venture. This way she also earned her first-ever pay cheque of Rs. 400. Following her father’s entrepreneurial mind, she founded her very first advertising agency in Chandigarh in 1997. Though the entrepreneur in her was also there, founding her advertising agency happened primarily due to the dearth of options available there in Chandigarh, as she would like to put it.
Radhika Aggarwal on her success mantra
Radhika Aggarwal- Education
Radhika Aggarwal completed her graduation and eventually went for an MBA in 1999 after ending her brief stint as the founder of an advertising agency. Radhika pursued an MBA from Washington University, in St. Louis, US. She also holds another post-graduation degree in advertising and public relations. Furthermore, Radhika also participated in an executive program at Stanford University.
Radhika Aggarwal started her career in the marketing field at Goldman Sachs in 2001. However, the very next year she left the company to join Nordstrom, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Along with strategic planning, she also learned the inverted pyramid structure there and studied how it works in reality. Nordstrom was a company where the customers were prioritized.
“Even the CEO would be seen on the floor being a shoe runner, just to understand the needs of the customer better. The entire company and its ethos revolve around this concept. It helps you understand what the customer wants,” recalled Radhika.
It was Nordstrom that founded the base of learning in her professional career, which was deemed to add an extra edge later while working on her startup.
She stayed with Nordstrom till early 2006 after which she took a pregnancy break. However, indomitable as her spirit was, Radhika rose up rather quickly from her break and resumed her career with Abhivyakti Infotech, where she worked as a marketing strategist.
With the start of the next year, Radhika started Fashion Clues in 2007, a fashion and lifestyle website that focused on the people of South Asia and the US, which she began to manage single-handedly.
Brimming with experience, Radhika decided to found another startup with her husband, Sandeep and Sanjay Sethi. She had quite an experience, close to 14 years by then, which she garnered while working at Nordstrom and during her stay in the US when she amassed considerable experience in diverse sectors like e-commerce, fashion, lifestyle, and retail. Radhika founded her e-commerce venture ShopClues with her husband, Sandeep Aggarwal, and Sanjay Sethi in 2011. She reportedly started with a team of 10 members. However, gradually the workforce kept on increasing as the company rose in popularity. Shopclues emerged as a unicorn company in January 2016, India’s fourth unicorn company. She currently serves as the CBO and Co-founder of Shopclues.
Radhika was once asked that whether she has been able to change the convention towards women employees across the industry she had served. On this, the Co-founder and CBO of Shopclues replied:
“The best way I deal with this is to avoid gender-based discrimination in the first place. At ShopClues, we empower a good worker and we provide equal opportunities that can help maximize potential. If you’re an able worker, gender doesn’t even come into the picture. At ShopClues, we have women leading our vibrant community of merchant partners. Our women employees know I have their back, and that they are at par with our male employees, with many of them in the leadership team.”
Radhika Aggarwal encourages women to share their opinions, voice out their challenges and any other issues that bother them. She is known to have discussions with her women employees at the cafeteria, which helps her keep a track of her women employees and their grievances to address them duly.
Furthermore, Shopclues follows a no-door policy in the office, where there are no designated cabins differentiating the co-founders and the employees. Both Radhika and Sanjay sit with their employees, which helps them maintain a strong bond with their employees.
Radhika Aggarwal- ShopClues
ShopClues Logo
ShopClues was founded in July 2011 and is currently headquartered in Gurgaon. This was 2 years before the emergence of Amazon India. The company served as an Indian online marketplace and saw a steady rise in popularity, revenues, and funding. It once became the only choice for millions of Indians. Seeing the potential in Shopclues, the company saw funds pouring in Tiger Global, Helion Ventures, and Nexus Venture Partners. It also successfully registered a GMV of $400 million in 2015.
Being valued at $1.1 billion, Shopclues achieved unicorn status between late 2015 and early 2016 and was recognized as the 4th Indian unicorn company, which was in talks for an IPO. However, destiny had it the other way round, as the Co-founders of the company were caught in an ugly spat, following which the revenues of Shopclues started to slow down, while the losses started to pile up. The company’s revenues increased by a feeble 5% in FY17, in contrast to the steady 50% with which it had been growing. Besides, the losses stood at around Rs 332 crores by then. Though the company started to cut costs, advertising expenses, and expenses on its employees in 2018, the competition was on a rise with Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm, and others, which were growing at dizzying speeds.
It also planned again for an IPO in 2018 but it didn’t materialize. Furthermore, the company saw too many exits, firing of employees, coupled with the loss of a legal fight with L’oreal. All of these beat Shopclues down and its troubles to thrive became public. The rumors of a possible merger or sale were also doing the rounds. After talks of mergers with Snapdeal and ebay.in were dissolved, Shopclues was finally acquired by the Singapore-based Qoo10, which acquired the company in an all-stock deal.
Radhika Aggarwal- Kindlife
Radhika Ghai Aggarwal, Shopclues Co-founder has started Kindlife.in, her next venture, as of September 6, 2021. Kindlife is deemed to be a marketplace for organic products spanning across a range of categories.
The website of the brand is equipped with different spaces, pages, and forums of varying topics like nutrition, grooming, wellness, and others along with a list of products that can be bought.
According to the website of Kindlife, Alphacama is registered as the parent entity for the brand and Vidit Jain is listed as the director. Deltacama Pvt Ltd and Zetacama Pvt Ltd are two other entities incorporated by Ghai where Jain also serves as a director for the other two entities along with Ghai.
Radhika Aggarwal- Awards
Radhika has been conferred with numerous awards and recognition in her professional life. Here are some of the prestigious awards that she has won in 2016:
Outlook Business Woman of Worth at Outlook Business Awards
Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at Entrepreneur India Awards
Exemplary Woman Entrepreneur of the Year at CMO Asia Awards
It was obviously not a cup of tea to build an e-commerce website from scratch, especially with a good amount of competition that was already in a rage back then. ShopClues was established when Flipkartand Snapdealwere already in the business and had raised a considerable amount of money and popularity. Jabong was also founded in the same year along with ShopClues.
As of now, September 8, 2021, the competitors of ShopClues further multiplied with Flipkart and Snapdeal already cementing their positions as homegrown eCommerce giants along with Amazon India, which emerge together to be nothing less than household names in eCommerce. Some other competitors of Shopclues include Jabong, Myntra, Naaptol, HomeShop18, Yepme, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is ShopClues net worth in FY20?
ShopClues has an operating revenue of INR 89 Crores in FY20, the year that ended on March 31, 2020.
Is ShopClues a unicorn?
ShopClues became India’s fourth unicorn firm valued over a billion dollars at $1.1 billion in January 2016 within just 5 years after its launch.
Is ShopClues an Indian company?
Yes, ShopClues is an Indian company headquartered in Gurugram, India.
India has mostly been a male-dominated society and women in India have always been fighting for equality. There are a lot of issues persisting in India like female infanticide and child marriage. Women don’t actually feel safe in India. This is not just in India and is common in different countries and on the whole, the world is moving towards building a society that respects and treats women equal to men.
With these issues, the Government of India is working on empowering women using various schemes. Now, we can find a lot of women trying to come out into the world in spite of having a conservative background. Most girls have access to a good education. Government of India has brought a lot of schemes into existence to make this possible and has been a huge contribution to this. Here are a few schemes introduced by Government for women empowerment.
A Few Schemes Introduced By The Government Of India
Bhartiya Mahila Bank Business Loan
Women are making mark in all the fields. Although a huge number of women have emerged to be successful, there are plenty who needs motivation and support to start or continue their venture. Bhartiya Mahila Bank Business Loan is scheme that supports women by giving them loan upto Rs.20 Crore. This bank has the vision to provide economic empowerment to women. The loan limit via this source is Rs.20 Crores.
Mudra Yojana Scheme
It is a Government of India initiative that provides business loans to women who want to open day-care-center, beauty salon or a small venture like these. The loan granted loan amount lies in Rs.50,000 and Rs.50 lakh. Also this scheme does not require any collateral or guarantor if the loan amount is below 10 Lakh. The women are given Mudra cards with which they can withdraw 10% of their loan.
Annapurna Scheme
Most of the Indian women have a talent of cooking delicious food. This loan is provided to women in the food catering industry, still establishing their small scale businesses. The loan allows these women entrepreneurs to avail it as capital requirements like buying equipment and utensils, setting up trucks, etc. Under this scheme, women can sell packed food items and snacks which is one of the most common businesses that women entrepreneurs scope out and excel in since it is something that housewives have been managing all their lives and are accustomed to. This boosts their sales since they have a chance at better capital and new products to kickstart their business than they could otherwise afford. The loan limit is Rs. 50,000 under the scheme.
Dena Shakti Scheme:
This scheme is limited only to women entrepreneurs in the fields of agriculture, retail, manufacturing, are small enterprises The maximum limit is decided according to the sector they are exploring or planning to open business in. The loan limit is Rs.20 Lakhs
Pradhanmantri Rojgar Yojana:
The Pradhanmantri Rojgar Yojana (PMRY) supports women financially and socially. This scheme aims at creating skill-based, self-employment through women entrepreneurs and smart minds at work being utilized for monetary independence. This scheme covers both urban and rural areas and was developed through several amendments in cost, eligibility, and subsidy limits. The loan subsidy amount is up to 15% of the project cost with an upper ceiling of Rs. 12,500 per borrower as a restriction. The scheme applies to all types of ventures in industries, trade and services. The age limit is 35 years and loan limit for business is Rs. 2 Lakh while for service and industry, Rs. 5 Lakh.
Udyogini Scheme:
This scheme provides loans with low rate of interest, comparatively less than skyrocketing private sector banks. This is only valid for those who have a family income of less than Rs. 40,000 per annum. They especially encourage loans in the trade and service sector and the cap amount for the same is Rs. 1 Lakh.
Mahila Udyam Nidhi Scheme:
This scheme aims to meet the gap in equity. It promotes MSMEs and small sector investments in different industries to grow and excel in their areas. This also encourages the reconstruction of SSI units that are deemed incapable but are actually viable to save. A period of 10 years is given to the debtor to repay the loan and the limit for the loan is Rs.10 Lakhs.
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
This is a social campaign that was launched in 2015 and is run by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The initial funding was about 100 crores.
The main reason for the government to come up with this scheme was that the child gender ratio kept declining majorly because of female foeticide and selective abortion. The main objective here was to save the girl child and also educate the girl child. This has proved to make girls financially independent and self-sustaining. With this scheme, girl child or birth of a girl child is celebrated and girls are encouraged to study and follow their dreams.
Ratio of male to female in India
One-Stop Center
This is a 24-hour helpline dedicated to women. This was implemented with the help of the Nirbhaya fund. These are established in multiple locations in the country and has various services. This includes a shelter for women, legal or medical help, counselling and so on. The toll-free number is 181. They also provide video call facility to people who need to record a statement for police complain registration. This can be used even in case of domestic violence and sexual assaults. This has hence proved to be useful and is a place where women can open up and come up with their problems and try to get a reasonable solution for the same.
Working Women’s Hostel
Not all women in India have a safe place to stay. With crime against women rising in the country, it is a requirement for women to have a safe place to stay and travel to work. Under this scheme, the government provides a safe place for working women with the family. It also provides facility for daycare for kids. This can be availed only if the gross income of the woman is less than Rs. 50,000 per month in metropolitan and less than Rs. 35,000 per month in other cities. This is a very successful scheme as statistics prove that nearly 66,000 women have benefitted from this and more than 890 hostels have been sanctioned. A minimal rent is charged from them depending on whether it is a single bedroom, double bedroom or dormitories.
Rajiv Gandhi National Creche Scheme For The Children Of Working Mothers
Services under Rajiv Gandhi National Creche
It is always difficult for working women to manage family and especially kids who are too young to take care of themselves. This scheme is for helping such women to take care of their children. This scheme provides daycare for the kids of working mothers. This is when the kid is 6 months old to 6 years old. The scheme also helps kids get better nutrition and hence improve the health of underprivileged kids. It has also proved to help kids develop emotionally and socially and also get some education.
Many working women find this very useful and try their best to utilize this as they don’t just take care of kids but also make sure that they are healthy and educated in the meantime.
SWADHAR Scheme
This is to help women who are going through difficult times. This is more of psychological support. For example, there are women who are released from jail, survived through disasters, trafficked and rescued, run away due to issues, widows left out of the family and so on. This scheme is to help those women survive and get back to normal. This scheme also supports women who are affected by HIV and mentally challenged. Women in these situations are given proper psychological treatment and support.
STEP here is short for Support to Training and Employment Program. This is to help women get themselves a decent paying job to support themselves and their family. They provide specific training to get a job or even become an entrepreneur.
Mahila E-Haat
Mahila E-Haat is to support women entrepreneurs. We know that there are a lot of women entrepreneurs in India now. This is an online marketing platform wherein entrepreneurs and Self-help groups can put up their products and let others know about it.
Mahila Shakthi Kendra
This is majorly for women in rural areas. This scheme was launched in the year 2017 to develop the lives of rural women. There are a lot of women, especially in rural areas who do not have the access to proper education and skill development. Under this scheme, women get access to digital education, nutrition, health and even skill development. They also get a chance for employment.
There are a lot of other schemes too. Government has been doing a lot towards developing women and ensuring the safety for women. There is not much awareness of most of the schemes yet. Promoting awareness of these can help women a lot in developing themselves and their family. Employment opportunities for women and mental support have now become essential for most of the women in the country and the Government of India is doing a good job with it. Better awareness and proper usage of these schemes can be a huge advantage.
Muskaan Kapoor
Muskaan Kapoor
